Why did the Spanish succeed in conquering the Aztecs and Incas?
In the early 1500s, Spanish forces sailed across the Pacific and conquered the Aztec and Incan civilizations, even though the invading armies were greatly outnumbered by the indigenous population. This conquest was due, in part, to differences in technology and experience.
Why were the Spanish so successful in conquering the Americas?
Spanish conquistadors, who were primarily poor nobles from the impoverished west and south of Spain, were able to conquer the huge empires of the New World with the help of superior military technology, disease (which weakened indigenous resistance), and military tactics including surprise attacks and powerful …
Why were the Spanish able to conquer the Aztecs so easily?
They found that the city’s society had crumpled. The Aztecs no longer trusted Montezuma, they were short on food, and the smallpox epidemic was under way. More than 3 million Aztecs died from smallpox, and with such a severely weakened population, it was easy for the Spanish to take Tenochtitlán.
How did the Spanish defeat the Inca so quickly?
In Europe, the advantage of handguns was that men could easily be trained to use them. In the New World, whose armies lacked the crossbows and longbows that preceded these guns, the arquebus was a hand weapon of unprecedented ranged power. All of these weapons were used to devastating effect in defeating the Incas.
Why did the Spaniards conquer the Incas?
When Manco’s son Túpac Amaru was executed by the Spanish in 1572, the final Inca stronghold was extinguished. That the Spanish had been able to conquer the vast and sophisticated Inca Empire was partly due to the smallpox epidemic that spread viciously across the domain.
How the Spanish conquered the Americas?
Towards the end of the 15th century, a period of discovery and exploration began in Europe. In 1492, explorer Christopher Columbus discovered the islands now known as the Bahamas. This marked the beginning the Spanish conquest of the Americas. 1 Spain ruled a great empire in the Americas for three centuries.
How did Spain conquer the Americas?
Towards the end of the 15th century, a period of discovery and exploration began in Europe. In 1492, explorer Christopher Columbus discovered the islands now known as the Bahamas. This marked the beginning the Spanish conquest of the Americas.
Why were the Spanish able to conquer the Incas?
The Spanish were able to defeat the Aztec and the Inca not only because they had horses, dogs, guns, and swords, but also because they brought with them germs that made many native Americans sick. Diseases like smallpox and measles were unknown among the natives; therefore, they had no immunity to them.
Why did the Spanish defeat the Incas?
The main view is that the Inca were eventually defeated due to inferior weapons, ‘open battle’ tactics, disease, internal unrest, the bold tactics of the Spanish, and the capture of their emperor.
Did the Spanish conquered the Aztecs?
And yet Tenochtitlán was swiftly conquered by the Spanish in 1521—less than two years after Hernándo Cortés and Spanish conquistadors first set foot in the Aztec capital on November 8, 1519.
How did the Spanish defeat the Aztecs?
Cortés’s army besieged Tenochtitlán for 93 days, and a combination of superior weaponry and a devastating smallpox outbreak enabled the Spanish to conquer the city. Cortés’s victory destroyed the Aztec empire, and the Spanish began to consolidate control over what became the colony of New Spain.
Why were the Spanish able to conquer the New World?
There are three main reasons why the Spanish were able to conquer and colonize the Americas: Disease. One of the biggest hurdles to Spanish victory in the New World was population—some conquistadors only brought a handful of men and were up against empires that were a million or more strong.
What percentage of the Spanish conquistadores’ wealth was sent back?
Of course, 20\% of the wealth had to be sent back to the Spanish King, but that still left plenty for the Spanish conquistadores. First came the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico, led by Hernán Cortés.
What was the Spanish conquistadores and colonial empire?
The Spanish conquistadores and colonial empire 1 Overview. In the European race to colonial dominance, the Treaty of Tordesillas legitimized Spain’s holdings in the New World, indicating Spanish primacy over Portugal. 2 Treaty of Tordesillas. 3 Conquistadores and Spanish colonization. 4 The Spanish Golden Age.
What was the biggest obstacle to the Spanish conquistadors victory?
One of the biggest hurdles to Spanish victory in the New World was population—some conquistadors only brought a handful of men and were up against empires that were a million or more strong. For examples, Hernan Cortes brought 500 men into battle against the Aztec Empire and won.