If the native Americans had been victorious after the initial contact with Spain..

Originally posted by Heffalump
But what happened in the Americas long-term had less to do those early battles with the Aztec, and much more to do with disease and the resulting demographic shift.

(edited for typo)

Ok, agreed.

Look, I was only arguing that the Conquistadores sped up the process by a good century or more. Yes, in the long term, the disease mattered, particularly in North America.

R.III
 
There's a good book that covers this topic in part. "Guns, Germs & Steel". I don't remember the author offhand. He won the pulitzer for it though.

It's interesting though in that it talks about the immediate factors that led the conquistadors to overrun the Aztec, the deeper structural factors that put them & their civilization in a position to win those battles, and how and why the natives were so vulnerable to European germs.

From this book and other readings I came to appreciate a lot more the effects of disease on the native americans after contact. The effects were catastrophic.
 
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