Help pleasee!!!!!! . Mark the statement if it describes an event that contributed to the decline of the Aztec Empire. . . . A.. The Aztecs welcomed the Spanish with gifts.. . . B.. The Spanish took Moctezuma prisoner.. . . C.. Cortés gave up his desire for more gold.. . . D.. Smallpox weakened the Aztecs’ ability to resist. . . E.. The location of the Aztec capital made trade difficult.