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Aztec Defeat

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Many argue that the defeat of the Aztec was completely avoidable, however their defeat was inevitable. No matter how the Aztec could have reacted differently, the conquest of the Aztec empire could not have a different outcome. Too many factors played a part in the collapse of the Aztec empire, factors that could not have been bypassed. Others say this event could have been avoided if the Aztec and Spanish allied with each other, or if the Aztec surrendered. These could be valid points, except the Spanish were not looking to reason, they were out for gold and lots of it. The Spanish had better technology, not to mention they brought diseases, and who is to say somebody else would have not done the conquistadors’ job? The Spanish had the upper …show more content…

The arrival of the Spanish was enough to overtake them. Although the Spanish had a natural immunity to some European diseases, the Aztec did not. After the Spanish had left, 90% of the Aztec were killed by a ravaging epidemic of smallpox; one of the numerous diseases the Spaniards carried. Other sources also claim diseases were caused by climate and carried by rats. While being affected by the diseases, the Aztec were not in ideal condition to tend to each other, much less fighting a bloody war. If the triumph over the Aztec empire had not been due to the Spanish, there would eventually have been another empire/colony doing the same thing. Even without the arrival of the Spaniards, the Aztec had their own enemies in their native lands. The Tlaxcalans (another powerful empire) were just one of the many indigenous groups that tried to overthrow the Aztec. In fact, some historians claim that it was “other Indians” that conquered the Aztec empire. European countries were exploring and conquering during this time period, so it was only a matter of time before another group of explorers encountered the Aztec lands. These factors played a major part in the fall of the Aztec empire. Spanish technology, foreign diseases, and other exploration would all contribute to the defeat of the Aztec. The very arrival of the Spanish marked the defeat of the Aztec, especially considering how they

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