1. How were the Spanish conquistadors, so far from home and with relatively few soldiers able to defeat the large American military empires like the Aztec and Inca?

2. Reason #1… Technological Advantage Superior Firepower guns cannons crossbows swords metal armor

3. Reason #2 Mystical Advantage The Indians believed that the Spanish may be gods. The Aztecs, for example, believed that Cortez may be their god Quetzalcoatl

4. Reason #3 Psychological Advantage The Spaniards were unlike anything the Indians had ever seen before. Besides their thundering weapons they also had horses and dogs that scared the Natives.

5. Reason #4 Biological Advantage Disease Europeans brought their diseases such as small pox, to which the Native population had no natural immunity. Entire villages were wiped out by disease.

6. Reason #5 Vendetta Advantage Neighboring tribes, after being defeated by the Spanish or seeing them as potential allies, cooperated with the Spanish to defeat their long-time enemies.