Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire (feb 1, 1519 – aug 13, 1521)

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Spanish conquistadors and some indigenous allies, led by Hernan Cortes, took over the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, killed the Aztec leader Moctezuma II, and established dominance in Central Mexico. This was accomplished relatively easily due to their superior armaments (steel, gunpowder, and horses), taking advantage of existing civil wars, and bringing new diseases (smallpox, typhus, yellow fever) that halved the Aztec population within a year. Eventually, it is estimated that 70-90% of all Native Americans were killed following first contact. (The Europeans did return with new diseases, mostly venereal diseases from sexual exploitation.)

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