Question

What was the most powerful weapon used by the Spanish to conquer America?

Answer 1

Hint: Spanish used the weapons that are not a conventional military weapon but rather they used germs and this became their powerful tool to conquer America.

Complete answer:
Conventional weapons are those weapons that are used for mass destruction and these weapons include: combat helicopters, combat aircrafts, light weapons and war ships etc.
In the mid-16th century Spanish and Portuguese were the first European countries to conquer America and their conquest was not the result of any conventional military weapons or military power but they use germs of diseases i.e. smallpox because American inhabitant does not have any immunity against these smallpox and these smallpox have long isolation that came from Europe and as a result it turns out to be one of the deadliest weapon for mass killing in America.
The main reason behind this unconventional weapon war is that Spain was in search of gold and silver and this is why they colonized American natives as they were aware that American natives do not have immunity against these germs and they succeeded in this. In the 16th century variola was popularly known as ‘smallpox’. Smallpox was a devastating disease, on an average 3 out of every 10 who got it died.
Spread of smallpox has some historical highlights: In 6th century - smallpox was introduced in Japan so that trade can be increased with China and Korea, 7th century - Arab expansion spreads smallpox into Spain, and Portugal and northern Africa, 11th century -Crusades spread smallpox in Europe, 15th century – Portuguese introduces smallpox in some parts of Western Africa, 16th century – Spanish uses smallpox as bio weapon against American natives and European colonization and the African slave trade import smallpox into the Caribbean and Central and South America, 17th century - European colonization imports smallpox into North America, 18th century - Great Britain introduces smallpox into Australia.

Note: Students should also be aware of the non-conventional weapons and these are those weapons that are biological, chemical and nuclear and ballistic missiles and some of these weapons have actually been used in the war like in this question smallpox was used to conquer America and this was the deadliest killer disease. So, the most powerful weapon used by the Spanish to conquer America is smallpox.