The European Conquest of Latin America?

Question

Can you guys help me to identify and discuss two main factors that facilitated the European conquest of Latin America?

Answer 1

technology: firearms, steel, mounted horses, armors

It is also said that religious factors had to do with, the idea here is that a lot of the cultures embraced the conquistadores as deities.

At least with the aztecs in Mexico the conquistadores made good alliances with other tribes that were tired of being under the aztecs.

It is also said that smallpox was an important factor and it is said that it was used as a bio-weapon (bring people that were sick or carried it) to a people that was not immune to it

Answer 2

Yes, the answer above are right, other cause is the diseases brought with the Europeans which the natives had no immunity. Specially small-pox.

Answer 3

Along with the things that have already been mentioned, you could include something about the god Quetzalcoatl.  He existed in the majority of the ancient civilzations throughout Latin America, such as in Teotihuacan and particularly the Aztec civilizations.  When I studied Mexican history over the summer in Cuernavaca, my instructor suggested that Quetzalcoatl could have played a role in the Aztec conquest in particular.  Their image of him was similar to that of a European (pale hair and skin, blue eyes, beard, etc.), so when Hernan Cortez and the Spanish initially came over, the Aztecs saw them as gods, which certainly facilitated the conquest.  

Something else to consider is that at the time of the conquest, many of the smaller, less powerful civilizations in Mexico wanted to get rid of the Aztecs because they were in complete control.  This led to them joining the Spanish in their conquest, not realizing that they were also hurting themselves in the process.  Hope that helps to give you some other ideas to consider.

Answer 4

I am a Mexican, and besides religion and technology, which indeed affected the fight, the true cause of the fallen of the aztecs was that all the other native nations united with Spain to defeat the aztecs.

Aztecs were the prominent nation and all the others were their slaves. So, as soon as they saw the opportunity, they got together.

It is said that for every spanish soldier to enter Mexico City, there were 4 natives