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 tepelhuitl 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:

The passage states that a pestilence (smallpox) came before the Spaniards attacked. It caused many deaths and also led to starvation as no one could care for the sick. This shows that the Indigenous population was already in a weakened state (due to disease - related deaths and starvation) before the Spanish attacks began.
For the option “There were fewer deaths by starvation than smallpox”, the text just mentions both forms of death (from smallpox and starvation) but does not compare the number of deaths.
For “Smallpox may have become a worldwide epidemic”, the passage only talks about the situation in the area described (not worldwide).
For “Starvation could have been limited with better farming techniques”, there is no mention of farming techniques in the passage.

Answer:

The Indigenous population was weakened before Spanish attacks began.