In 1492, the native population of the Americas was around 25 million; but by 1620 it had shrunk to 730,000, the majority dying by disease. Unlike the Europeans, natives had not built up an immunity to maladies like smallpox, typhoid fever, and measles, so they were decimated by these illnesses, which wiped out 90% of their population. The Europeans did not only bring diseases, but also introduced horses, onions, wheat, and rice to the new world where its fertile soil could easily be used for farmland. Moreover, they also brought American plants back to Europe, such as potatoes, beans, maize, and pineapples. 

In 1496, English explorer John Cabot persuaded King Henry VII of England to support his expedition to the Americas. Cabot discovered Nova Scotia and Newfoundland in modern-day Canada, marking the first English settlement in the New World. In the early 16th century, explorers Amerigo Vespucci and Vasco de Balboa explored Venezuela and Panama, with Balboa becoming the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean from the West. 

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521) worked for the Spanish crown and in 1519 discovered a route to Asia in modern-day Argentina, which was promptly named after him, the Strait of Magellan. He sailed for months across the Pacific, eventually reaching the island of Guam. He later sailed to the Philippine Islands, which he claimed for the Spanish. 

After landing on the island of Mactan in the Philippines, Magellan’s crew was attacked by native tribesmen, and a battle began. Unfortunately, Magellan was shot with a poison-tipped arrow so he ordered his men to retreat. As his men ran away, Magellan continued to fight, but was hacked to death by the natives. One of Magellan’s lieutenants continued on the journey back to Spain and in 1522 arrived there with just one ship and 18 men, but they had successfully sailed around the world.

One of the most advanced native civilizations was the Aztecs, who the Spanish encountered in modern-day Mexico. The Aztecs were one of the only indigenous people group who had cities and an organized government. The capital city, Tenochtitlan, may have had possibly up to 100,000 people at its peak. However, the Aztecs regularly invaded and enslaved other tribes, and often committed cannibalism. In one instance, after completing construction of a grand temple in their capital city, they celebrated killing and torturing 20,000 people, whose hearts were cut out and heads were chopped off, then thrown down the temple steps as a sacrifice. Obviously, the Spanish saw this as savage, so they sought to overthrow the Aztec Empire. 

In 1519, the Spanish assembled alliances with all the other native tribes who had been conquered by the Aztecs, and wanted revenge on them for their brutality. A force of 1,200 Spanish Conquistadors, commanded by Hernan Cortes, stormed Tenochtitlan with their these indigenous allies and defeated the Aztecs, who had over 200,000 troops. The Aztecs were reportedly terrified of the Spanish horses because they had never seen them before. The Spanish also had guns and cannons. 

After the fall of Tenochtitlan in 1521, the Spanish and their native allies looted, raped, and pillaged the city, killing over 100,000 civilians. Most of the buildings in the city were destroyed, and the Spanish rebuilt on top of the ruins and renamed it Mexico City, to serve as the capital of their new province called New Spain.

In South America, there was a similar civilization known as the Inca Empire. It too had sophisticated farming systems and an organized government. Still, the Incas were also conquered by only 600 conquistadors and native Spanish allies in a similar situation to the Aztecs. After the Spaniards conquered and settled New Spain, the land was extremely hard to control and frequent uprisings ensued.

Both the Inca and Aztec empires were advanced, but still fell to small bands of European soldiers who had more sophisticated weapons and technology. In the end, the empires’ brutality became their downfall, as all of the enemies they made along the way would take the side of the Spanish in order to get revenge.