Where I live, I have to have this conversation way too often with people.
Early Modern Period (~1600 AD)
Medieval Period (~1000 AD)
(thelemmy.club)
Conquistadors and Aztecs by Stefan Rinke and When Montezuma Met Cortez by Matthew Restall are good reads. And if you feel like waiting until tomorrow I can access my school stuff and tell you the name of a good documentary on it, but for the life of me I can’t remember or find the title right now.