One reason why the Spanish easily conquered the Americas was that the Aztecs and Incas lacked
(1 point)
Responses
wealth and power.
wealth and power.
loyalty to their leaders.
loyalty to their leaders.
the will to fight to the death.
the will to fight to the death.
resistance to European diseases.
resistance to European diseases.
Why were the Dutch and the French such fierce enemies in North America?
(1 point)
Responses
They both wanted control of the Mississippi River.
They both wanted control of the Mississippi River.
They both wanted to settle the same area.
They both wanted to settle the same area.
They both wanted to dominate the fur trade.
They both wanted to dominate the fur trade.
They were fighting a war over religion in Europe.
The correct answer is "resistance to European diseases."
The correct answer is resistance to European diseases. The Spanish easily conquered the Americas partly because the Aztecs and Incas lacked resistance to European diseases. To understand why this was an advantage for the Spanish, let's break it down:
1. Research the historical context: Start by researching the time period when the Spanish conquered the Americas, specifically the 16th century. Look into the interactions between the Spanish conquistadors and the indigenous peoples of the Americas, such as the Aztecs and Incas.
2. Analyze the impact of diseases: Explore the effects of diseases brought by the Spanish to the Americas. Smallpox, measles, and other European diseases played a significant role in causing high mortality rates among the native populations, including the Aztecs and Incas. Due to their isolation from the rest of the world, the indigenous peoples had not developed immunity to these diseases.
3. Understand the lack of resistance: Native Americans had no previous exposure to these diseases and, therefore, no natural immunity. When the Spanish arrived in the Americas, they brought with them diseases that the indigenous population had never encountered before. As a result, these diseases spread quickly, causing devastating epidemics and decimating the native populations.
4. Evaluate the consequences: The high death toll among the Aztecs and Incas weakened their societies and made it easier for the Spanish conquistadors to conquer them. The Spanish were able to exploit the weakened indigenous groups for their own gain, effectively solidifying their control over the territories.
By understanding the historical context and the impact of diseases on the indigenous populations, we can see that the lack of resistance to European diseases was one of the reasons why the Spanish easily conquered the Americas.