Remember the five causes of Aztec defeat with DIMAL:
- D — Disease (smallpox killed 40% of Tenochtitlan; killed the emperor)
- I — Indigenous alliances (Tlaxcalans; up to 200,000 warriors)
- M — Military technology (horses, steel, cannon)
- A — Aztec political fragility (tribute empire, not loyal subjects)
- L — Leadership (Cortés's diplomacy, La Malinche's intelligence)
Key dates to memorise:
- 1519 — Cortés lands; Tlaxcalan alliance (September)
- 1520 — La Noche Triste (June–July); smallpox epidemic
- 1521 — Tenochtitlan falls (13 August); siege lasted 75–80 days
- 1542 — Las Casas publishes Short Account; New Laws reform encomienda
This memory aid covers 🧠 Memory Aid: DIMAL within Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest, 1519-1535 for GCSE History. Revise Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest, 1519-1535 in Component Group 5 — World Depth Studies for GCSE History with 14 exam-style questions and 17 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 11 of 14 in this topic. Use it for quick recall, then test yourself straight afterwards so the memory aid becomes usable in an answer.
Practice questions for Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest, 1519-1535
Describe two features of the Aztec Empire in 1519.
Describe two features of Hernán Cortés's expedition to Mexico in 1519.
Quick recall flashcards
What was La Noche Triste and what happened?
The 'Night of Sorrows' (30 June–1 July 1520). While Cortés was away, Aztec warriors rose against the Spanish garrison; Moctezuma II was killed (by Spanish or his own people — disputed). The Spanish fled in chaos across the causeways, with hundreds drowning weighed down by stolen gold. It was a major Spanish defeat.
Describe Cortés's expedition to Mexico in 1519.
Cortés landed in February 1519 with approximately 500 soldiers, 16 horses, and cannon. He had defied the governor of Cuba (Velázquez) who tried to cancel the expedition. He famously scuttled (or beached) his ships to prevent his men deserting, cutting off retreat and forcing commitment to the conquest.