Historians have learned that disease, like smallpox, helped to conquer Central and South American civilizations. Indians civilizations could not resist these diseases and became sick. Almost 75% of the Mexican population had been wiped out within 100 years of the Spanish arrival. Entire villages disappeared. The Spanish effort to bring Western civilizations to native peoples also helped to destroy them. Of course, the Spanish also had the power of their military weapons. Their armies were very strong and could control the native people.

Besides smallpox and other diseases, what other reasons help explain how the Spanish took control of native populations?