Inca And Aztec Compare And Contrast Essay
1) Compare and Contrast the conquest of the Inca and Aztec Empire.
The Spanish due to their inferior weapons, the bold war tactics of the Spanish and the eventual capture of both empires’ emperors defeated the Incas and Aztecs. However, in both societies the single greatest factor that led to their ultimate demise was the smallpox epidemic. This epidemic swept through Latin America and took a hold of both of these empires and affected them with catastrophic results.
At roughly the same time as the influx of smallpox in Mexico, Hernán Cortés and his Spanish Conquistadors had commenced in hostilities with the native Aztec Empire. Cortés and his men, despite an alliance with native warriors hostile to the Aztec Empire, were hugely outnumbered. However, Cortés had another ally, a biological weapon that even he was unaware of, smallpox. Smallpox was a European disease that the natives in Latin America had never been exposed to. It took a hold …show more content…
Even before Francisco Pizarro arrived in Peru to confront the Inca Empire, smallpox was decimating the native population in South America. Pizarro first arrived in the Inca realm in the mid 1520s. By the time he returned in 1532, intent on conquering the Inca Empire, the smallpox epidemic had contributed to the outbreak of civil war in the Empire and caused the death of the Inca Emperor Huayna Capac. His successor, Atahuallpa, found himself leader of an Empire weakened and terrorized by a strange and deadly disease. Pizarro, like Cortés, made the most of the situation, and took over the Inca Empire as well. Both of these men were incredibly lucky to have gotten to Latin America at such a favorable time for conquest. The odd of this biological weapon affecting both of these empires at the same time is unbelievable. Even though this disease took a hold of both domains, and had the same catastrophic effects, the Incas had a bit more on their plate than the Aztecs
The Spanish due to their inferior weapons, the bold war tactics of the Spanish and the eventual capture of both empires’ emperors defeated the Incas and Aztecs. However, in both societies the single greatest factor that led to their ultimate demise was the smallpox epidemic. This epidemic swept through Latin America and took a hold of both of these empires and affected them with catastrophic results.
At roughly the same time as the influx of smallpox in Mexico, Hernán Cortés and his Spanish Conquistadors had commenced in hostilities with the native Aztec Empire. Cortés and his men, despite an alliance with native warriors hostile to the Aztec Empire, were hugely outnumbered. However, Cortés had another ally, a biological weapon that even he was unaware of, smallpox. Smallpox was a European disease that the natives in Latin America had never been exposed to. It took a hold …show more content…
Even before Francisco Pizarro arrived in Peru to confront the Inca Empire, smallpox was decimating the native population in South America. Pizarro first arrived in the Inca realm in the mid 1520s. By the time he returned in 1532, intent on conquering the Inca Empire, the smallpox epidemic had contributed to the outbreak of civil war in the Empire and caused the death of the Inca Emperor Huayna Capac. His successor, Atahuallpa, found himself leader of an Empire weakened and terrorized by a strange and deadly disease. Pizarro, like Cortés, made the most of the situation, and took over the Inca Empire as well. Both of these men were incredibly lucky to have gotten to Latin America at such a favorable time for conquest. The odd of this biological weapon affecting both of these empires at the same time is unbelievable. Even though this disease took a hold of both domains, and had the same catastrophic effects, the Incas had a bit more on their plate than the Aztecs