California Teacher Credentialing Examination (CSET) Practice Test

Hernan Cortes is known for his expedition that led to the fall of the Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico. The Aztecs were a powerful civilization with a highly structured society, advanced agricultural techniques, and impressive architecture, including the grand capital city of Tenochtitlan. Cortes arrived in 1519 and formed strategic alliances with various indigenous groups who were rivals of the Aztecs. Utilizing these alliances, as well as superior weaponry and tactics, he managed to capture the Aztec emperor Montezuma II and ultimately laid siege to the capital, which fell in 1521.

The other choices represent different indigenous populations that were not conquered by Cortes. The Inca Empire was located in South America and fell to Francisco Pizarro, another Spanish conquistador. The Maya civilization occupied parts of modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras, and while they were affected by Spanish colonization, their decline occurred over a longer period and was not directly led by Cortes. The Pueblo Indians lived in the southwestern United States and were largely encountered by other Spanish explorers and settlers, rather than Cortes specifically. Therefore, the correct answer is that Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztecs.