2. The Big Question This first chapter of “Mesoamerican Conquistadors in the 16th Century” focuses on the question: how was it possible that the Spanish invaders were able to conquer Mexico and Peru reinforce centuries of colonial rule?
3. The Answer Luckily enough, this Spanish successful campaign can be broken down into 5 simple categories: The military genius of Hernando Cortes Superiority of Spanish resources Structural weakness and disunity of the Mexica/Aztec empire Impact of epidemic disease Mistake in identity of Cortes (belief that Cortes was Quetzalcoatl)
4. The Brains and Bran Without Cortes’ military know-how, the Spanish invasion would not have been so successful, but it is important to acknowledge that while Cortes did provide the brains, the Spanish did not provide all of the bran. In fact, without the native’s support the Spanish wouldn’t have gotten far in their campaign throughout Latin America.
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6. For background knowledge, it should be known that the Spanish conquerors weren’t a part of the Spanish army but were mercenaries hired by companies, who hoped to build business settlements where merchants could follow and bring supplies, slaves, and correspondences.
