ECON 234 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Inca Empire, Fighting Platform
Document Summary
Pizarro captured atahualpa (king of incas) despite being @ a numerical disadvantage this capture facilitated & hastened the european conquest of the new world. Europeans" steel weapons were more efficient @ killing than native americans non metal weapons (stone, bronze, or wooden clubs, maces, and hand axes, plus slingshots) Also europeans" armor did a better job @ protecting from native american weapons while native quilt amor did offer much protection from european steel weapons. Steel weapons & mounted troops (horses) gave european advantage over. This enabled small groups of european horsemen to defeat large native. American armies w/very little european casualty on numerous encounters (i. e. the battle @ cajamarca & pizarro"s subsequent battles w/ incas, Easily spread & decimated native americans tribes even w/o them having direct contact w/ europeans. Maritime tech & centralized political organization allowed europeans to go overseas & expand conquest (incas did not do that b/c of lack of maritime tech)