Essay about The aztecs

Submitted By cyberhotgoods
Words: 959
Pages: 4
Open Document
Book Review
Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico
This book is about the life of the Aztec people as they lived in Mexico Before their first interactions with the Conquistadors. The anecdotes contained in this book are of Sahagun informants which tell the Aztecs’ story of their downfall from the Aztec peoples’ point of view. The book begins to tell this story in the year 1517 which is also called the year of the 12-House. It was this year that the Aztecs began to see various unexplainable signs or omens. There were 8 omens in all, and they were all seen as bad omens because of the forms in which they transpired. These bad omens were said by the Sahagun informants to have taken place 10 years be the arrival of the first Spaniards but Historians place this time at 1517, two years before the Spanish arrived. This is just one of the discrepancies on file. These signs as expected made the Aztec people and Aztec king (Motecuhzomas) worried and on edge until one day in 1519 a report was received by Motecuhzomas from a common man, that strange mountains floating on the sea have been seen towards the east. Just before the Spaniards were first seen, there were 2 more omens witnessed in Tlaxcula that continued to confuse the Aztec people.
When Motecuhzomas heard of this report he sent for his own trusted servant to confirm this report and keep an eye on these strangers if need be. He also asked for as many magicians and wizards to be found and brought before him to explain the omens that were witnessed. Motecuhzomas got word back from his appointed and trusted men that the reports were true. They told the Aztec King that there were men on those sea Mountains whom had small boats, fished, wore strange clothing and some men had great yellow beards and others had black beards. Motecuhzomas believed that the strangers were gods. The wizards and magic men summoned by the Aztec King said that they had no idea what the omens meant. The Aztec King believed that those wizards and magic men were hiding information and therefore he had them locked up until they said what they knew. They sent word to the Aztec King a day later saying that the future cannot be changed and that bad things are going to happen and there is nothing he can do it. Upon hearing this, the Aztec King sent for the wizards and magicians but by that time, they had disappeared from their prison. This further enraged the Aztec king and so he decided to have the wizards and magicians’ wives and children killed. Motecuhzomas then had royal trinkets made with the finest materials such as gold, feathers, pearls and special stones constructed in secret which he later showed to his head subordinated – leaders of certain sacred and important houses in the city. Motecuhzomas then selected ambassadors and many others to go greet these strangers and offer to them these specially made trinkets and other treasures. These ambassadors set off and did as the Aztec King commanded. Upon meeting these strange men for the first, Motecuhzomas’ ambassadors treated the strangers like gods and it was Don Hernando Cortes who stepped forward as their leader. The Aztec ambassadors explained how they were honored by the strangers visit and that they represent Motecuhzomas whom has watched over the Aztec people. Cotez was able to understand his new, strange guests because he had a translator called La Malinche whom Cortez found on previous exploits of the new world. In their first interaction Cortes had the Aztec Kings’ ambassadors chained up and scared to death by firing one of the canons on the ship. Cortes then let the ambassadors go with much fear in their heart and Cortez knowing
Show More

Related Documents: Essay about The aztecs

Essay on The Aztec

The Aztec Pyramids Esai Palacios Medieval History to Early Modern times Mr. Underhill May 5th, 2014 Aztec pyramids are a religious thing for them it is the most value able thing for them it is like there heart of the village. If it gets destroy they will build it again that were they keep their water and food source. In the 1500s – 1600s the Aztec was a strong empire in Mexico. The Aztec was really good at hunting. Aztec is people that wear…

Words 816 - Pages 4

History Of The Aztecs

The Aztecs were located in the Valley of Mexico in 1250. Today, the location is in the centre of Mexico, where Mexico City stands now. GEOGRAPHY TENOCHTITLAN The climate in Mexico City, where the Aztecs lived, has a Subtropical Highland Climate. It was hot and humid, but also experienced rainfall and colder climates in less elevated parts of the empire. TEMPLOR MAYOR was completed in 1497 and stood at 60 metres high. The Pyramids of the Moon and…

Words 1163 - Pages 5

Aztecs Dbq

The Aztecs were a remarkable civilization. Who ruled an empire in mesoamerica. From their capital city of Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs had Two things The are most known for are agriculture and human sacrifice.""It was agriculture that lead the Aztecs expanding their empire. There is a connection between a growing empire. Population and agriculture. Document A shows that they made their empire 200 miles east to west, and north to south. Feeding this many people would require a increase in agriculture.…

Words 177 - Pages 1

Aztec Achievements

The aztec ages The Aztecs lived from 5000 to 1525 B.C. The Aztecs lived on water in a city called Tenochtitlan and it was hard to farm there because the temperature was normally at about 20 degrees celsius and most of their ground was covered in frost which would kill plants and would not allow them to grow. Aztec victory moments Many accomplishments were made by the Aztecs. They built their city on a lake because one of their gods told them to build their city where they found an eagle perched…

Words 470 - Pages 2

Aztec Agriculture

advanced forms of farming techniques, trade systems, writing systems, and so much more. These societies are known today as the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas. The astounding innovations of farming techniques, trade systems, and writing systems created societies of not only ingenuity, intelligence and sophistication but of lasting remnants of indigenous legacy. The Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas all had unique farming techniques that helped them produce crops. The Mayans came up with a creative method of…

Words 726 - Pages 3

Aztec Sacrifice

In the texts, human sacrifice is very important to many people, tribes, or cultures. These people do sacrifices for various reasons and beliefs. In the texts, it talks about who and why they do this. In text #1, Aztec Sacrifice, it talks about why the Aztecs perform human sacrifice. It states that the idea of human sacrifices is to repay reptilian monster (Cipactli) and the great gods (Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca). ¨… idea of repayment was especially true regarding the myth of the reptilian monster…The…

Words 344 - Pages 2

Sacrifice In The Aztecs

The Aztecs, however, were involved in both animal and human sacrifice, and for many different purposes. Human sacrifice often included both self-sacrifice and the sacrifice of other human beings. Self-sacrifice, like bloodletting, consisted of cutting or puncturing…

Words 417 - Pages 2

Dbq On The Aztecs

The Aztecs were a civilization found in Mexico, mesoamerica They worshiped there gods ,and were very religious.They were most known for their agricultural and their human sacrifice. However, historians should emphasize on human sacrifice. """Document A states that the Aztec empire grew to more than 200 miles west to south and north to east.As their empire grew they had more population and the more people they had the more human sacrifices they had to do. In Document D it states that they had to do…

Words 210 - Pages 1

Essay On The Aztec Empire

The Aztec Empire was affected by Europeans through disease, religion, and the encomienda system. The Aztec were an independent state, but then became a colony as Cortez took over. Cortez only came to Mexico with a small number of men which means he couldn’t have done it alone. The Tlaxcalans (Aztec’s enemies nearby), fought on Cortez’s side to defeat the Aztec (Andrea 93). Sahagun described the invasion of Tenochtitlan stating “Then all those from the other side of the mountains, the Tlaxcalans…

Words 575 - Pages 3

Aztec Informative Speech

you learning is school?” I replied, “ I am learning about the Aztecs.” He said, “ This is sad to hear, but I didn’t get to go to school.” “Well, I will teach you what I’m learning about the Aztecs.” I said. He agreed that I will teach him everything I know about the Aztecs. “How about I start with the Aztecs daily lives?” I asked the man. The Aztecs have slaves so they can do their work. However they loved to do the fighting. Rich Aztecs lived in houses made out of sun dried roofs, sometimes stone…

Words 762 - Pages 4