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Why the Bronze Age Collapsed

412 points · 306 comments · AnodicElegy

  1. bugake · · focus · HN ↗
    The text wrongly claims that the Spanish defeated the Aztecs because of their iron weapons. Actually, the Spanish were vastly outnumbered, so their weapons alone were irrelevant in the battle. The Spanish had alliances with Indigenous peoples who opposed the Aztec Empire, giving them a much larger army. That defeated the Aztecs.
    1. bythreads · · focus · HN ↗
      half of them died of diseases brought by the spanish...
      1. red75prime · · focus · HN ↗
        It seems to be just a quirk of fortune that it wasn't the other way around. That is that Europe wasn't decimated by American deceases.
        1. anthonypasq · · focus · HN ↗
          > quirk of fortune

          im not exactly sure what this means, but if you are interested you should read Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond.

          the reason it happened this way is because the Americas had very few domesticated animals and we get most of our diseases from animals.

          1. justinator · · focus · HN ↗
            >you should read Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond.

            That book has some many errors in it I actually suggest you don't read it.

            1. anthonypasq · · focus · HN ↗
              unless you plan to read a dozen academic books about a variety of topics, i dont really think there is a better option for a popular audience that will answer the question

              "why were Eurasians able to so easily take over the Americas" than this book.

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