Changes In Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica was impacted just as significantly as the Andes and the Bajío following contact with the Spanish. Mesoamerica was the first place Cortez landed; making it the epicenter of Spanish change in the New World. With this contact of the Spanish came conquest, war, prosperity, and most importantly disease. The indigenous people were not immune to smallpox and other European diseases, so when they came into contact with these new illnesses over 90% of the indigenous population died. Such dramatic loss in population in such a short amount of time is key to understanding the changes that occurred in Mesoamerica. With Mesoamerica conquered, the Spanish set out to “civilize” the natives in the region in attempts to better control them. Part of these civilization techniques involves the introduction of native peoples to Christianity. Missionaries …show more content…
The Spanish adopted this system by simply changing who was in control of the land. Spaniards were given rights to lands, allowing them to set up ecomiendas so they could profit. Each piece of land contained agriculture to sustain and make a profit for the new lord. This created regional clusters of settlements all surrounding the great city of Mexico City, the capital of New Spain. These clusters resemble the city states of old surrounding Tenochtitlan. Each city state was required to pay a tribute to the Mexica empire much like each cluster was forced to pay ecomiendas to their new lords. While this might seem like a significant change, it is only a change to the Spaniards. In the eyes of the indigenous people, they still have to produce a surplus and provide labor. The only difference is who they must give this tribute, or ecomienda, to. This continuity of regional power and tribute system was just one way that the Spanish aimed to seize power and wealth from the indigenous