What were the main consequences of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires?

The consequences of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec and Inca empires were profound, leading to the establishment of Spanish colonies across vast territories in the Americas. This expansion often came at a devastating cost to Indigenous populations, who experienced significant population decline due to a combination of factors, including warfare, enslavement, and the introduction of European diseases to which they had no immunity. These diseases, such as smallpox, rapidly decimated large segments of Indigenous populations, leading to dramatic demographic shifts.

In addition, the conquests allowed Spain to exploit the resources of these regions, primarily gold and silver, and fundamentally altered the social, economic, and cultural landscapes of the Americas. This established a colonial system that prioritized Spanish interests while subjugating Indigenous peoples and erasing many of their cultural practices. The consequences did not include the creation of independent native states, the spread of democracy, or the establishment of trade networks across Europe as direct outcomes of these conquests, all of which were either secondary effects or unrelated to the immediate aftermath of the conquests themselves. Therefore, option B accurately captures the central consequences of these historical events.