- The landing of Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés in 1519 triggered the downfall of the Aztec empire.
- Cortés and his men brought superior weapons, including guns and horses, which gave them a military advantage over the Aztecs.
2. Disease:
- The arrival of Europeans also brought deadly diseases such as smallpox, measles, and typhus, to which the indigenous population had no immunity.
- These diseases ravaged the Aztec population and weakened their ability to resist the Spanish invasion.
3. Political Divisions:
- At the time of the Spanish arrival, the Aztec Empire was facing internal conflicts and divisions among vassal states.
- Some of these states saw the Spanish as an opportunity to gain independence from Aztec rule and allied with Cortés, further undermining the empire.
4. Superior Strategy and Alliances:
- Cortés was able to form alliances with native groups who were resentful of Aztec rule, such as the Tlaxcalans and Texcocans.
- These alliances provided invaluable military support and intelligence to the Spanish, allowing them to take advantage of the Aztecs' weaknesses.
5. Fall of Tenochtitlan:
- In 1521, after a siege that lasted several months, the Spanish and their native allies captured and destroyed the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan.
- The capture of Tenochtitlan marked the end of the Aztec empire and paved the way for Spanish domination in Mesoamerica.