Question

read the passage from the florentine codex. and even before the spaniards had risen against us, a pestilence first came to be prevalent: the smallpox. it was the month of tepeilhuitl when it began, and it spread over the people as great destruction. some it quite covered with blisters on all parts – their faces, their heads, their chests, etc. . . . entirely covered with blisters, very many people died of them. and very many starved; there was death from hunger, for none could take care of the sick; nothing could be done for them. –the florentine codex, 1579. what conclusion can be drawn from this passage? the indigenous population was weakened before spanish attacks began. there were fewer deaths by starvation than small pox. smallpox may have become a worldwide epidemic. starvation could have been limited with better farming techniques.

Explanation:

文中提到在西班牙人发动攻击之前，天花这种瘟疫就开始流行，很多人因此死亡，还有很多人饿死，这使得当地原住民人口在西班牙人攻击前就被削弱了。文中未提及饿死人数比天花致死人数少、天花成为全球流行病以及更好的农耕技术能减少饥饿等内容。

Answer:

The Indigenous population was weakened before Spanish attacks began.