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The article Burying the White Gods: New Perspective on the Conquest of Mexico by Camilla

Townsend1 is one that differs significantly from the World History textbook's account by Judge and

Langdon2 of the Spanish Invasion of the Aztecs. The content and style of the textbook differs from the

article as the article proves that certain things within the textbook are not viable, such as: The Aztecs

viewing the Spanish as Gods, Cortes received gifts from Montezuma because he was considered a

divine being, the main factors of the Spanish Invasion were the Aztecs being distracted by the legend of

Quetzalcoatl, and that technology was not decisive. The article differs from these viewpoint as it states

the Spanish were not perceived as Gods, Cortes in his letters also never wrote about himself being

taken as a divine being, the legend of Quetzalcoatl had nothing to do with the fall of the Aztecs, and

that technology was the main and most important factor.

In the Judge and Langdon textbook, World History, the authors assume that the Spanish were

presented as Gods. The textbook attempts to give a more generalized aspect of what occurred during

the Spanish Invasion. The article is more specific in explaining whether the Spanish were thought to be

Gods or not, and attempts to prove that it was a myth. The textbook states, “At this point the ruling

elite began to consider the possibility that these people, or at least their leaders, might be Gods.”3

From this, the textbook begins to describe that the Spanish were seen as Gods to the Aztec people. It

Sangha 2

further goes on to explain the story of Quetzalcoatl, “Aztec legend stated that Toltec god-king

Quetzalcoatl, expelled from Tula, had vowed to return on...

... middle of paper ...

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the textbook, the Aztec believed that the Spanish were considered Gods, the article disagreed with this

entirely. The article also contrasts from the textbook in the perspective that Montezuma gave Cortes

gifts, but Quetzalcoatl was not worshipped in Mexico's great city so it does not seem legitimate. As

well the textbook states that Cortes was treated as divine, however; Cortes in his letters never writes

about him being taken as a divine being. The textbook stated that the main factors of the Spanish

Invasion were the Aztecs being confused and distracted by the legend of Quetzalcoatl, and that

technology was not decisive. Whereas, the article differs from this viewpoint and believed that the

legend of Quetzalcoatl had nothing to do with the fall of the Aztecs, and that technology was the main

and most important factor.