describe what factors a historian might consider in investigating the physical impact of spanish conquest on the aztec and inca empires
When investigating the physical impact of the Spanish conquest on the Aztec and Inca empires, a historian might consider various factors. These factors include:
1. Loss of life: Historians would examine the scale of the loss of life resulting from the conquest. This would involve studying accounts and records of battles, massacres, and diseases brought by the Europeans, which caused significant population declines in both empires.
2. Destruction of infrastructure: Historians would examine the extent to which the conquistadors destroyed or altered existing infrastructure. This could include fortifications, temples, irrigation systems, roads, and other features that played crucial roles in the functioning of the empires.
3. Cultural transformation: Historians would analyze the changes imposed on the religious, political, and social structures of the Aztec and Inca empires. This includes studying the conversion of indigenous populations to Christianity, the imposition of European-style governance, and the erosion of traditional customs and beliefs.
4. Economic disruption: Historians would investigate the impact of the conquest on the empires' economic systems. This would involve analyzing the disruption of trade routes, the seizure of valuable resources, coerced labor practices, and the introduction of new economic systems, such as the encomienda system.
5. Land and resource redistribution: Historians would examine how the Spanish redistributed land and resources previously controlled by the Aztec and Inca elites. This includes studying the establishment of encomiendas and the Spanish Crown's control over key territories and resources.
6. Introduction of new diseases: Historians would investigate the introduction and impact of diseases brought by the Europeans, such as smallpox. These diseases, to which the indigenous populations had no immunity, decimated their numbers and contributed to the collapse of empires.
7. Migration and displacement: Historians would study the displacement of indigenous populations due to the conquest. This includes examining forced labor practices, resettlement policies, and the disruption of traditional settlement patterns.
8. Architectural and artistic changes: Historians would analyze the influence of Spanish architecture, art, and aesthetics on the physical aspects of the empires. This may include studying the construction of colonial buildings, churches, and the assimilation of indigenous artistic elements into colonial art.
By considering these factors and examining various historical sources, a historian can gain insights into the physical impact of Spanish conquest on the Aztec and Inca empires.