Final answer:
Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire. He used alliances with local tribes, translators like Doña Marina, and European diseases like smallpox to defeat the Aztecs, leading to the founding of New Spain and Mexico City.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Native American Empire that Hernán Cortés conquered was the Aztec Empire. Cortés managed to conquer them through a combination of alliances with other local tribes, utilizing the strategic assistance of a native woman named Doña Marina, and taking advantage of diseases like smallpox, which devastated the indigenous population. Cortés is also credited with bringing smallpox to Mexico, significantly impacting the region.
After landing in Veracruz in 1519, Cortés formed an alliance with the Tlaxcalans, enemies of the Aztecs, and marched on Tenochtitlán. The Spanish and their allies laid siege to the city, and by August 1521, the last Aztec emperor Cuauhtémoc was defeated. The fall of Tenochtitlán marked the end of the Aztec Empire and led to the establishment of Mexico City on its ruins. Cortés's actions directly influenced the formation of New Spain, where he became governor in 1522.
Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire in Mexico by forming alliances, utilizing Doña Marina's help, and introducing diseases. He is credited with establishing Mexico Cit