Conquest Dossier Worksheet
HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION GRADE 7 SOCIAL STUDIES
Name: ______________________
Date: _________
Period: _____
Conquest Dossier: Fall of Two Empires
Investigate how the Aztec and Inca empires were conquered by Spanish expeditions within a single generation.
DOSSIER 1519-1533
A
Case File 1: Fall of Tenochtitlan (Aztec Empire, 1519–1521)
Leader: Hernán Cortés
In 1519, Cortés reached the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, a metropolis of over 200,000 people. Although Emperor Moctezuma II welcomed the Spanish warily, Cortés quickly placed him under palace arrest to control the government.
When the Aztecs drove the Spanish out on La Noche Triste, Cortés formed vital alliances with rival indigenous nations—especially the Tlaxcalans, who supplied over 20,000 warriors seeking to end Aztec domination and tribute demands.
Before the final siege, smallpox swept the overcrowded capital. The epidemic decimated Aztec defenders and killed Moctezuma's successor, paralyzing resistance before the city fell in August 1521.
Key Factors
- 20,000+ Tlaxcalan allies
- Devastating smallpox outbreak
- Hostage capture of Moctezuma II
- Steel weapons, cavalry, cannons
Tenochtitlan rebuilt as Mexico City.
1. Investigative Check: Why did subjugated indigenous groups like the Tlaxcalans choose to ally with Cortés?
B
Case File 2: Fall of Tawantinsuyu (Inca Empire, 1532–1533)
Leader: Francisco Pizarro
When Francisco Pizarro landed in 1532 with only 168 men, the Inca Empire was reeling. European smallpox had spread south years ahead of the Spanish, killing Emperor Huayna Capac around 1528 without warning.
His unexpected death ignited a bitter 5-year civil war between royal brothers Atahualpa and Huáscar. Atahualpa had barely consolidated victory when Pizarro arranged a meeting at Cajamarca.
In an ambush with horses and firearms, Pizarro captured Atahualpa and slaughtered thousands of unarmed retainers. Despite the Inca delivering a vast ransom room of gold and silver, Pizarro executed the emperor, fracturing the centralized empire.
Key Factors
- Civil war (Atahualpa vs. Huáscar)
- Prior smallpox epidemic killed ruler
- Surprise capture at Cajamarca
- Ransom extortion & execution
Spanish capital founded at Lima, 1535.
2. Investigative Check: How did the civil war following Huayna Capac's death make the Inca vulnerable to Pizarro?
Key Takeaway: Neither empire collapsed from European numbers alone; epidemic diseases and internal political fractures were critical catalysts.
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PART II: CROSS-EXAMINATION
The Four Catalysts of Collapse
Student Name: _______________________
Conquest Catalyst
Aztec Evidence (Cortés, 1519–1521)
Inca Evidence (Pizarro, 1532–1533)
1. Epidemic Disease
Biological impact of smallpox
Smallpox struck Tenochtitlan during the siege, killing the new emperor Cuitláhuac.
How did disease disrupt Inca leadership before Pizarro even landed?
2. Internal Divisions
Subject rivals & civil conflict
What grievances led city-states like Tlaxcala to assist Cortés?
How did the civil war between royal brothers divide and weaken the Inca army?
3. Military Tech
Steel armor, horses, gunpowder
Spanish brigantines (armed warships) blockaded island causeways.
Mounted cavalry charges spread panic among unarmored troops at Cajamarca.
4. Royal Captivity
Centralized monarchies left headless
Cortés held Moctezuma II hostage, paralyzing Aztec royal response.
Pizarro took Atahualpa hostage, extracted a gold ransom, and executed him.
PART III: HISTORICAL ARGUMENT
Constructing Your Verdict
Prompt: A common misconception is that Spanish forces conquered both empires strictly because of steel weapons and guns. Based on your dossier evidence, which factor was the most decisive catalyst for their fall?
MY CLAIM: The single most decisive factor in the collapse of both empires was:
EVIDENCE 1 (Aztec Example):
EVIDENCE 2 (Inca Example):
HISTORICAL REASONING: (Why did this factor outweigh Spanish numerical inferiority?)
RUBRIC CHECK: □ Clear Claim □ Aztec Evidence □ Inca Evidence □ Reasoning
CONQUEST DOSSIER // PAGE 2 OF 2
