Final answer:
Hernán Cortés is the Spanish explorer who led an expedition to the Americas that resulted in the decimation of the Aztec Empire. Correct answer is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hernán Cortés is the Spanish explorer who led an expedition to the Americas that resulted in the decimation of the Aztec Empire.
Cortés arrived in Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, in 1519. He and his soldiers were amazed by the Aztec's wealth in gold, but horrified by the practice of human sacrifice in their religion. Cortés and his men ultimately conquered the Aztec Empire, leading to its downfall.
Hernán Cortés was the Spanish explorer who led an expedition that led to the downfall of the Aztec Empire after reaching Tenochtitlán in 1519.
The Spanish explorer who led an expedition to the Americas that resulted in the decimation of the Aztec Empire was Hernán Cortés. After the initial voyages of Columbus, eager conquistadors rushed to the New World, driven by the promise of wealth, and Cortés was among the most successful and infamous of these adventurers. Cortés, along with his forces, landed in the Yucatán in 1519 and pushed west towards the Aztec Empire, eventually arriving in Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital. Despite being mesmerized by the sophistication of the city, Cortés was focused on the Aztecs' wealth in gold, leading to the conquest and downfall of the empire.
The Spanish explorer who led the expedition to the Americas that resulted in the decimation of the Aztec Empire was Hernán Cortés.
In 1519, Cortés set sail from Cuba with the aim of exploring and expanding Spanish influence in the New World. Upon arriving in Mexico, he made his way inland and, in 1521, orchestrated the capture of Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, led by the emperor Moctezuma II.
Cortés's successful conquest of the Aztec Empire was marked by a combination of military prowess, political maneuvering, and exploiting existing rivalries among indigenous groups. His small army, reinforced by alliances with indigenous peoples who were discontented with Aztec rule, played a pivotal role in the downfall of the powerful empire.
The conquest of the Aztecs brought immense wealth to Spain but also resulted in devastating consequences for the indigenous population, including the introduction of diseases such as smallpox, for which the native people had no immunity. This unintentional biological warfare, combined with military conflicts, led to the decimation of a significant portion of the Aztec population.
Hernán Cortés's expedition marked a turning point in the history of the Americas, representing the beginning of Spanish colonial dominance and shaping the course of events in the region for centuries to come.