Final answer:
Conquistadors like Cortés and Pizarro conquered the Aztec and Inca empires through superior military technology, alliances with local tribes, and the introduction of smallpox. Exploiting political divisions and their quest for wealth further aided their conquests, resulting in the fall of these great civilizations and the rise of Spanish colonial rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
The conquests of the Aztec and Inca empires by Conquistadors such as Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro were facilitated by several crucial factors. Military tactics and weaponry played a significant role, as the Europeans possessed steel armor, swords, and horses, which provided a significant technological edge over the bows, arrows, and spears of the native peoples. Additionally, the Conquistadors found allies among indigenous tribes who were antagonistic toward the Aztec and Inca empires; for instance, the Totonacs viewed the Spanish as liberators from Aztec domination.
Another devastating advantage for the Spanish was the introduction of smallpox, a disease to which the natives had no immunity, leading to widespread epidemics that decimated the population and weakened the societies. This, combined with the Spaniards exploiting political divisions within the Aztec and Inca territories, enabled the relatively small European forces to conquer vastly larger indigenous empires. Economic motives, such as the search for gold and silver, also drove the Spanish conquest, leading to a relentless push into native territories.
The historical accounts of these conquests are often controversial and must be analyzed carefully, as they come from vastly different perspectives. Nevertheless, the impact of the Spanish Conquistadors on the New World was unequivocal, leading to the fall of great civilizations and the establishment of Spanish colonial rule.