The Aztec empire fall was dependent on many factors and those factors would be dependent on who you ask. Different people have different point of views on why the Aztec empire fell when it did and this is solely dependent of the background of that particular person. With this being the case, Aztecs, Conquistadors and regular Indians viewed the same event in different ways based off of their beliefs, thoughts and interactions with each other. A non-Aztec or Indian may think that the reason the Aztec
In 1518 Hernán Cortés took command of an expedition to secure the interior of Mexico in the name of the Spanish Crown. In the letters he detailed his expedition and the land and peoples they conquered and encountered. The first letter, dated 1519, is a problematic document as it is written in the third person and was most likely not actually wire by cortez. The second and third letters are much more reliable and were published in Seville in 1522 and 1523 respectively. The culture, geography, economy
had their own type of economy, it almost seemed as if the Mayans had more in common with the aztec’s, (economy wise.) Most, of the government in each empire revolved from their capitol’s . The capitol of the Mayan empire was a place called Tikal, it s now located in Guatemala. The Aztec’s capital was Tenochtitlan, the location is Mexico City. Cuzco, the Inca capital is now part of Peru. Location’s and Economies always play a part of each and every
There were two empires, their strength and influence unparalleled. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, Spain and England dominated all other countries due to their willingness to explore the unknown. These two nations created a legacy and changed the world forever, bringing about new lands, resources, and people. The early explorations of Spain and England were led by similar driving motivations and spreading of religious beliefs, however, the outcomes of each country’s presence in the
Modern History from Oxford University in 1986. He earned a PhD in Latin American History from UCLA in 1992, studying under James Lockhart, and has since held teaching positions at various universities in the United States. A prolific scholar, Restall 's twenty books and fifty articles and essays published since 1995 have earned him an international reputation as a leader in his field. His books include The Maya World: Yucatec Culture and Society, 1550-1850 (1997), Maya Conquistador (1998), Invading
On October 12, 1492 Christopher Columbus landed on unknown territory, however, in his perspective of Earth he thought he made a new route to Asia. He travels throughout the lands, soon, he discovers new forms of inhabitant plants, as well as, indigenous people that were native to those lands. Years later he soon unravels that it was all unaccustomed terrain. The monarchy of Spain also discovers Columbus’s new discoveries, then, they send more explorers to conquer the lands. In 1520, Hernan Cortes
We first start by looking at the individuals who participated in the conquest, primarily Columbus, Cortes, and Pizarro. We often place these people on pedestals so to speak and admire what they were able to accomplish. However, when we delve into it all, Restall notes that in many cases, in particular Columbus, we realize that his greatest accomplishment, supposedly “discovering the New World,” was an accident. “In fact, the most exceptional thing about Columbus’ geographical vision was that it was
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
Throughout history many people write what actually happened but from their point of view. One of them that really common is Eurocentric perspective since they have travelled to new places and wrote down what they saw when they were there. A lot of that has happened with Mesoamerica because they have been taken over by the Spaniards and they wrote what they thought has happened. They thought they were god like compared to them. The Americas wouldn’t be what it is because of them. Also they thought
When you think of Meso-America, tribes like the Aztec come to mind. But that tribe was still in its development during the reign of the Toltec Empire. From 900 to approximately 1200 C.E. During their rule, they created a platform for today’s current society to develop from. The Toltec’s credibility is often overshadowed by the success of the Aztec; their conquerors. Before they were able to give their knowledge away, they had to build a civilization. The Toltec people were living in Teotihuacán;
Imagine living in a civilization that practiced beautiful ritual dances and ceremonies. Then one day, that civilization does not exist anymore because another civilization decided to conquer them. In the novel “Song of the Hummingbird,” written by Graciela Limo, an Aztec women named Huitzitzilin, which means Hummingbird, tells her life story to a Father Benito Lara, along with confessing her sins from her lifetime. I find this novel to be very informative because it tells the reader the truth on
Moctezuma’s Headdress: To Embody a God In the 16th century, iridescent green feathers, gold, and gemstones were gathered to create a symbolic gesture, a headdress, which would help transform the Aztec ruler into the incarnation of the God Quetzalcoatl. The headdress is believed to once belong to Moctezuma II. He was the Aztec emperor when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés took siege of Tenochtitlan in 1521, and effectively destroyed the once great empire of Mesoamerica. Moctezuma’s unquestioning
Maria Herrera Sobek and Tere Romo both analyze how Malinche is depicted, mostly in the form of visual imagery. Instead of seeing her in a negative light, as do most Mexicans, they offer an alternative analysis that depicts her as the center of Chicana movement and separates patriarchal misperceptions from the reality. Maria Herrera Sobek looks at pictures and texts with Malinche, seeing her as a beautiful, intelligent, powerful young woman who was a skilled translator. Because she was born and raised
What were the decisive factors that led to the fall of the Aztec empire? Your answer should make reference to the social and political contexts of the region as well as the military campaign. In this essay I am going to give a brief overview about the Aztecs and then talk about the factors that led to the fall of this empire. The Aztecs ruled from 14th century and their power expanded into Guatemala. The Aztec empire had a powerful military tradition, long-range trading and spy system and complex
Throughout the centuries on Earth, Great Empires expanding mass amounts of territory have arose, and crumbled in the forms of the Persian Empire, Roman Empire, Han Dynasty, Mongolian Empire, and the Aztec Empire only to falter to the test of time. All great Empires are formed by having a distinctive advantage over their neighbours whether it be in military tactics, or technologies that allowed them to exploit the weaknesses of their rivals. The Mexica was a religious and militaristic society, causing
Hernan Alonso was instrumental for destroying the Aztec Empire. He is the main reason why Hernan Cortes was able to succeed. He was the man that put Tenochtitlan under siege. He gained the skill of creating from being a blacksmith. He had the entrepreneurship to start his own business in this new land. He had helped from Hernan Cortes to pursue this conquest. This would also led to his downfall. Hernan Cortes was benefit for him and not one.Alonso was a “new christian” which marked him. Hernan
The Aztec Empire 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