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Compare And Contrast The Spanish Conquest Of The Aztec Empire

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One of the greatest civilizations of Central America were the Aztecs. However, in 1519 CE, another great civilization from Europe, the Spanish, arrived in Mesoamerica and what ensued was one of the greatest cultural clashes of the time. At the time Montezuma was the ruler of the Aztec empire and the under Montezuma the Aztec empire flourished because of their great wealth and advancements. From 1200-1520 CE, the Aztecs were experiencing a Golden Age where they ruled most of Mexico, the main city being Tenochtitlan. However, all of that came to an abrupt end when Hernando Cortes, the leader of the Spanish fleet that landed in Mexico, began his conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1521 CE. Together with his fleet and other Mesoamerican allies that accompanied him, they laid siege to the Aztec capital and forced the Aztec empire to surrender on August 13, 1521. This conquest was made possible due to the significant technological, immunity to deadly illnesses, and cultural differences between the Spanish and the Aztecs. …show more content…

In fact it is estimated that Cortes’ forces were only around a thousand men whereas the Aztec empire had approximately 150,000-200,000 inhabitants. An account from one of the Spanish conquistadors stated, “We came here to serve God and the King, and also to get rich.”. The Europeans had a significant technological advantage over the people of Mesoamerica and a lust for financial retribution. For example, the Spanish seafaring technology allowed them to cross the Atlantic with ease and their ironworking technology, gunpowder weapons and horses were unparalleled in the

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