Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The importance of indigenous religion
The fall of the Aztec empire
The fall of the Aztec empire
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
The Broken Spears is a book written by Miguel Leon-Portilla that gives accounts of the fall of the Aztec Empire to the Spanish in the early 16th century. The book is much different from others written about the defeat of the empire because it was written from the vantage point of the Aztecs rather then the Spanish. Portilla describes in-depth many different reasons why the Spanish were successful in the defeat of such a strong Empire. Portilla starts out by giving a thorough background of the culture and religious beliefs. The reader can draw many theories on how this carried over to the Aztecs way of thinking and fighting. In addition to the religion and culture, Portilla shows the technology advantages the Spanish had over the Aztecs. He also goes on to describe the poor leadership of Motecuhzoma. Motecuhzoma will be portrayed as a coward. Portilla also writes about the strategy that worked rather well for the Spanish as they made alliances with the Tlaxcalatecas and other cities. He finally talks about plague that wiped out much of the Aztecs. This may have been the greatest factor in the fall of the Aztecs Empire. All of these factors combined effectively show how the Spaniards prevailed over this great Aztec Empire of the 15th and early 16th century. The religion and culture of the Aztecs played a role in the way the way they thought and fought. They worshiped the war-god Huitzilopochtli. He was identified with the sun and was called "the Giver of life" and "the Preserver of Life" (xxxix). The religion carried some ridiculous rituals such as human sacrifice along with using magicians and wizards to cast spells. In war conditions, human sacrifice played a big role because the Aztecs would not fight to kill,... ... middle of paper ... ... The plague was brought over by the Spanish who where immune to the disease, but the Aztecs weren't so lucky. Many where killed over the course of seventy days, including the new King Cuitlahucs (92). Obviously this had a dramatic impact because they lost their leader. Those that remained where very weak with a milder form of the disease (93). Obviously this affected their strength to fight. "The Broken Spears" by Miguel Leon-Portilla gives a different perspective on the defeat of the Aztecs. Through reasons such as religion and culture beliefs, the Spanish technological advancement, and their strategy of gaining alliances in the new land contributed to the defeat of the Aztecs. The two factors that played the biggest roles were the poor leadership of Motechuhzoma and the timing of the plague. Those two factors were indeed what brought down this great Empire.
Inga Clendinnen has had a fascination for the MesoAmerican area and it's history for over 30 years. Having wrote many books on the peoples and history of the region, her knowledge makes her well qualified to write a book such as Aztecs. The book is not one based on historical facts and figures, but one which is founded on interpretations of
In the forward in Broken Spears, written by J. Jorge Klor de Alva, he helps to promote the reason as to why León-Portilla wanted to publish the book And so, Klor de Alva clearly, states at the beginning of the book, “As is well known but quickly forgotten, the victors ordinarily write history. The losers are usually silenced or, if this is impossible, they are dismissed as liars, censored for being traitors, or left to circulate harmlessly in the confined spaces of the defeated. Bringing marginalized perspectives to light is, therefore, a revolutionary act of some importance,”(Foward, 1st ¶) Meaning that he has an understanding point of what Verdesio has been saying. He acknowledges that the unfortunate truth of only the victors write history, which does not bode well for Klor de Alva and even more so, León-Portilla, henceforth having the book published in English as well. León-Portilla must have figured out that texts that are not in the privileged language would not have been regarded in any form or way as valuable and so, León-Portilla and his translator must have worked rigorously to have the entire book translated with two years. With that consideration it brings into perspective; how valuable he deems the book that it must be translated fast to take it to the world of history, and bring “justice” to a real
This historical study will define the important role of Hernan Cortes in the colonization of Mexico in the age of the Spanish conquistador. Cortes was an important figure in Mexican history because of his discovery of Mexico at the Yucatan peninsula in 1519. During this time, Cortes became a historical figure that represented the “conquistador” system of conquest throughout the Mayan and Aztec Empires during the early part of the 15th century. The fall of these indigenous civilizations marked the beginning of Spanish colonization of Central America. Cortes was a significant figure because of the primarily military style of coercion and conquest that sought to annihilate the indigenous peoples of Mexico, and to claim Spanish territory. These conquests contributed significantly to the blend of indigenous and Spanish traditions of Mexico’s national history. Cortes represents the first phase of colonization for the Spanish empire in terms of the violent and aggressive nature of the Spanish Conquistador in the discovery of Mexico. The image of the Spanish conquistador as an often violent and ruthless colonizer is defined the invasion and destruction of the Aztec empire in Mexican history. In essence, a
The Spanish defeat of the Aztecs has been extensively criticized for many years. Religion was a motive for discovery, enabled the Spanish to enter the heart of the empire, and was used as justification for torture of the natives. The centrality of religion as a force in Spanish conquest is undeniable. Virtually all of Aztec culture was destroyed and the Spanish victory has had lasting effects for both natives and Europeans up to and including the present-day.
The aspects of the Aztec’s culture; class structure, warfare, family life, religious practices, and agriculture, were all important. The Aztecs were the ruling empire in central america and accomplished many things.They were a thriving empire until the Spanish came and invaded. The Aztecs ruled because of most of their culture.
After gaining strategic alliances and victories over smaller Aztec communities, Cortes was able to make a large military assault on a major Aztec city. Cholula is an example of the ferocity and violent methods used by the Conquistador, which created the myth of the Spanish conquistador in the minds of modern day Mexicans. The conquistador would often result to large-scale massacres and the setting of fire to cities as a method of completely annihilation of resistance to the Spanish military. During this military campaign, Cortes has recruited nearly one thousand Tlaxcalteca soldiers to attack the city. The image of the conquistador as a ruthless colonizer is somewhat validated in the brutal methods that Cortes used in destroying the city, but only within the context of making an example of the power of the Spanish government:
It is often assumed that when Cortes first arrived in the Americas, he was able to quickly dismantle the Aztec empire with little support outside the army he brought from Spain. But to put it simply, this idea is a myth that perpetuates a very eurocentric interpretation of history. In reality there were a number of factors that lead to the swift Spanish conquering of the Aztec Empire, but the general idea of what happened can be summed up like this: The spanish conquest of the Aztecs was not a result of overwhelming spanish technological and tactical superiority, but a result of a culmination of factors, namely, Aztec blunders, disease, and native rebellions.
The Aztec built a powerful empire that became a dominant and formidable force. The empire supported an enormous population, encompassed a vast territory and yielded an abundance of precious metals and other natural resources. Several factors contributed to the overall success of the empire, including an ideal geographical location and a social hierarchy that imposed law and order. To maintain such a vast domain the Aztec had to employ tactics that included domination and subjugation of enemy forces and an enormous slave population, as well as the organization of resources necessary to support an empire. The collapse of the Aztec Empire came relatively swiftly at the hands of a small, but menacing, force of Spanish conquistadors, who had set their sights on invading the territory, displace the indigenous leaders, and seize their immense reserve of gold. The downfall of the Aztec centered on ineffective leadership, internal conflicts, susceptibility to germ warfare and a history of brutality against their enemies.
The Rise and fall of the Aztec Empire is possibly the most important area of study in the modern world. Of all of the nomadic tribes who migrated into Mexico, the Aztecs were one of the last. At first driven away by established tribes, the Aztecs slowly began to develop an empire of immense wealth and power by the late fifteenth century. Due in large part to the accomplishments of their ruler Itzcoatl, the empire expanded to include millions of people from a number of different tribes, including the Cempoala, who would later aid the Spanish in defeating the Aztecs. Because of the "melting pot" within the empire, the Aztecs had a very diverse culture. However, this immense Aztec Empire would soon be brought to its knees by the doings of one man and his army.
The Aztecs took over surrounding areas to expand their empire. They did this by using brute force and other methods. The Aztecs used a wide variety of weapons made of wood such as spears and lances, these weapons put terror into their neighbours and the Spanish harnessed their hate to use against them in the near future. One of the most vital things in the Aztec empire was the Aztec Warriors also known as Jaguar Warriors. Boys in the empire would have received good education, no matter what they wanted to succeed in their future carrier. Once at the age of 17, the boy becomes a man meaning they are able to go to war. To be able to become an Aztec Warrior, men would have captures prisons for future human sacrifices.
In 1519 Hernando Cortes` led over 500 men into Aztec territory in search of gold, what he found were the magnificent golden statues of the Aztec deities. The Aztecs believed him to be the representative for some white skinned god, and hence feared and respected him. It was not until they saw him melting their statues and shipping the blocks of gold to Spain that they acted. They attacked Hernanado and his men, and succeeded in driving them off. However, Cortes returned later with the support of local Indian tribes that hated the Aztecs for centuries of cruel treatment to defeat the mighty Aztecs and take the empire. This ended the Aztec civilization forever.
E Quickly, in a single motion, two seized him by either arm, forcing him backward, while e two others pulled his legs from under him and flopped him, chest upward, over the e blood stained stone. A fifth priest held his head. Pinned, unable to twist away, he stared e at a sixth priest dressed in scarlet robes with red painted body. In his hand, he held the e sacrificial knife. A foot long blade of flint sharpened to a razor edge.” The Aztecs need for human sacrifices led them to frequently conquer and capture their neighbors for use e in religious rituals, angering the neighboring tribes. This set the stage for Cortes to form e alliances with the neighboring tribes in order to take control of the riches of the Aztec
Being known as the milestone victory, the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs by Hernán Cortez in 1521 was critical for the development of America and led to many opportunities for the Spanish monarch. Consequently, the conquest of the Aztec Empire has been the historical subject of many debates.
Cortes was able to conquer the Aztecs for several very different reasons. In combination these reasons allowed him to have the upper hand in the conquest of Mexico. Arguably these reasons can be sorted into six different categories. The various causes for Cortes' success will be assessed in a climax pattern. To begin with the Aztecs had a harsh tribute system that was not popular among the people of Mexico. This cruel tribute system allowed Cortes to act as a liberator. Furthermore, with the Spanish brought several diseases into Mexico in witch they were immune to but the Aztecs were not. The spread of diseases such as small pox reduced the Aztec population and furthered Cortes' success unintentionally Also Marina was a tribal girl given as a gift to Cortes, she proved invaluable in translating local dialects in combination with Geronimo de Aguilar. Also an important aspect of his success was due to Montezuma's belief that Cortes was Quetzakoatl. A predominant reason for the Spanish success was due to their weaponry especially their armour and firepower. Perhaps the most important reason of all was that of Cortes' Indian allies such as the Tlaxcalans who made up the majority of his combined army. All these reasons worked together to allow Cortes, originally with 508 men to conquer the Aztec Empire of millions of people.
Victors and Vanquished by Stuart Schwartz attempts to explore differing perspectives of the conquest of Mexico as the historical narratives are from both the outlook of the Spanish conquistadors as well as the Nahua peoples. In these primary sources, there was a fundamental focus on the encounters between the Spaniards and the Mexica. The first source is an excerpt from The True History of the Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Díaz del Castillo, a Spanish conquistador, who participated as a foot solider in the conquest of Mexico with Hernán Cortés. Although Díaz del Castillo was a witness of the conquest, he wrote his account of what he had witnessed decades after the Spanish victory, in 1521. In his account, Díaz del Castillo concentrated on the ways in which the Spanish viewed the Nahua peoples. The second source is taken from the Florentine Codex and is one which was collected twenty