Final answer:
Cortez should be given significant credit for conquering the Aztecs due to his strategic tactics, alliances with native groups, and the unintentional introduction of diseases.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cortez should be given significant credit for conquering the Aztecs. While the traditional narrative portrays the Spanish as superior conquerors, the reality is more complex. Cortés took advantage of the internal conflicts within the Aztec Empire and gained support from native groups, like the Tlaxcalan, who helped in the siege of Tenochtitlán. Additionally, the Spanish introduced diseases like smallpox, which weakened the Aztec population and contributed to their defeat.