A very small force accompanied Cortez in his conquest of the entire Aztec nation of Mexico. It is true that they had guns and rode horses (which amounted to a vast advance in technology) but it was a very brave thing for these soldiers to be so outnumbered. This military campaign in Mexico was aided by the superstitious belief of the natives that “gods” would arrive in this way.

The Spanish were faced with the Pueblo Revolt in New Mexico which was fiercely put down by Spanish soldiers.

Despite all the blood and gore of many incidents in their colonial history, Spain has left one of the most permanent characteristics of any empire in that most of the regions that they conquered remain devout Roman Catholic majorities to this day.

1) Guns

2) Horses

3) European diseases that the natives had no immunity to

Good Luck!