How did the Spanish beat the Aztecs?

Spanish conquistadores commanded by Hernán Cortés allied with local tribes to conquer the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlán. 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.

What happened in the battle between Aztec and Spanish?

After a three-month siege, Spanish forces under Hernán Cortés capture Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec empire. Cortés’ men leveled the city and captured Cuauhtémoc, the Aztec emperor.

What factors enabled the Spanish to defeat the Aztecs?

What 3 factors enabled the Spanish to defeat the Aztecs?

  • Superior Weapons. Spanish weaponry was far superior to anything used by the Aztecs or Incas.
  • Alliances and Experience. The invading Spanish forces also took advantage of internal divisions within the Aztec and Inca empires.
  • The Power of Horses.
  • Deadly Disease.

Did the Aztecs sacrifice Spaniards?

Skeletons found at an archeological site show that Aztecs captured, sacrificed and partially ate several hundred people traveling with invading Spanish forces in 1520.

Why couldn’t the Aztecs stop the Spanish?

Explanation: The Aztec Empire was a analagous to a feudal model that the Spanish Conquistadors could recognize, but with refinements that severely weakened it. Cannon and Cortez’s pre-built ships were particularly useful in the siege of the city, and even then, Spanish political instincts were more critical.

Why do the Aztecs sacrifice humans?

The rationale for Aztec human sacrifice was, first and foremost, a matter of survival. The keep the sun moving across the sky and preserve their very lives, the Aztecs had to feed Huitzilopochtli with human hearts and blood. More than 650 skulls and thousands of fragments found near Templo Mayor.

What allowed Spanish conquistadors to overcome the greater numbers of the Aztecs?

Hernan Cortes was able to conquer the Aztec Empire by scaring the natives with the 16 horses, gaining alliances with the other enemies of the Aztec, having superior and better weapons than the natives (like guns), having armor, and having steel.