"...on the night when the Aztecs drove Cortez and his men out of Mexico City, killing many of them, an epidemic of smallpox was raging in the city. The man who had organized the assault on the Spaniards was among those who died on that 'noche trista'"
- William H. McNeal, Plagues & People
Smallpox was the most significant factor in the downfall of the Aztec Empire, which had stood for nearly 100 years. Here we will look at how viral diseases work to get a better understanding of impact of the Spanish Conquest. Watch the video below to see how smallpox made its way to the Aztecs.
Work your way through this interactive video to see how virus (like smallpox) infect their hosts (the Aztecs)