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Chapter 9
Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
How Did the Ambitions of the Aztec and the Spanish Lead to Conflict?
What Was the Aztec Understanding of the Spanish Before Their Arrival?
Why Did Moctezuma and Cortés Make the Decisions They Did?
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Worldview Investigation
In this investigation, you will share with the class the information and
This Worldview
files that your group created about your hypothetical society of beings
Investigation is a
from another planet. continuation of the one
you began in chapter 7
Individually and continued in
Explore the files another group has created about their society. Consider all chapter 8.
the details they have presented about the society. Write a media account
or a historical account of first contact between their society and people
from Earth. Draw conclusions about the worldviews of each group. Think about what you
would say and do if
As a group you made contact with
Discuss what the Canadian government should do if it was to prepare these beings. What
would your actions
for our first contact with beings from other worlds. Give each person an reveal to them about
opportunity to express an opinion and to take a position on the issue. your worldview?
In this chapter, you will learn what happened when the very different
societies of the Aztec and the Spanish came into contact. Could you
predict what would happen when they met face to face? How has
history judged this encounter?
Ta k i n g a P o s i t i o n o n a n I s s u e SKILLS CENTRE
An issue is a concern or problem that has more than one solution.
Turn to How to
In order to express your opinion about an issue, you need to learn
Communicate Ideas
how to take a position. and Information in
• Understand the choices: There will be more than one way to the Skills Centre to
solve the issue. What choices are there? Are there two, three, or review other ways to
more choices? Is the choice a yes/no or a for/against? express your ideas.
• List the criteria you will use: What will you consider when you
judge the choices? Criteria may include cost, impact, and so on.
• Be informed: Gather information about each of the choices.
Do not jump to a conclusion without checking the facts.
• Evaluate the choices: Weigh each of the options against the
criteria. Which ones are most desirable?
• Decide: Pick one of the choices and be prepared to defend
your position.
• Be open to new information: If new information about a choice
becomes available, be ready to change your mind if needed.
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PROFILE
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M HISPANIOLA
E
S
O
-
A
M Caribbean Sea
E
R
Pacific
I
Ocean
C
A
0 500 km
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O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 9
The Aztec saw Europeans for the first time when Cortés and his
conquistadors landed on the coast of the empire in 1519. The Aztec
were confronted with representatives of a civilization they knew
nothing about. This lack of awareness of a worldview so different
from theirs led to tragic consequences for the Aztec.
Mexico S
Texcoco
Tenochtitlan Tlaxcala
Cholula
BELIZE
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
Centre of Aztec Empire
Pacific EL
Territory under Aztec control
Ocean SALVADOR
Present-day country boundaries 0 200 km
and names shown in white
1. You have been presented with a great deal of information about the Spanish
and Aztec societies and their worldviews. Neither the Spanish nor the Aztec
knew what to expect when they would finally meet.
Predict what might have occurred when the two societies met. Give reasons
for your predictions based on what you know so far about their worldviews
and their leaders.
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O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 9
INFLUENCE
The Omens
These predictions did not help Moctezuma make up his mind since
the response from the priests showed they were as uncertain about
Cortés and the conquistadors as Moctezuma was.
1. a. How would you explain the omens experienced by the Aztec? Would you
find any of these omens frightening? Explain.
b. Why would the Aztec interpret these omens as they did?
c. How do you think these omens would affect the Aztec reception of
the Spanish?
2. Why would the Aztec want these omens to be recorded? What reasons could
the Spanish have for wanting them recorded?
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H o w D i d C o n f l i c t i n g Wo r l d v i e w s L e a d t o t h e S p a n i s h C o n q u e s t o f t h e A z t e c C i v i l i z a t i o n ?
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it is ir sh e him g to w e e :
my s not a ields have f fe are f
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odex
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O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 9
Population in 1500
The population of the Aztec Empire in 1500 is estimated to have been
approximately 5 000 000. Between 10% and 20% of the population is
thought to have lived in Tenochtitlan. It was the largest city the Spanish
had ever seen. At the time of the Spanish invasion, London had a
population of about 100 000, Florence about 60 000, and Paris about
300 000. Tenochtitlan approached nearly 1 000 000 people. When
the Spanish saw Tenochtitlan, they compared its beauty to Venice.
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N o c h e Tr i s t e ( S o r r o w f u l N i g h t )
There are two different
Meanwhile, Cortés and his allies, the Tlaxcalans, defeated the
accounts of Moctezuma’s
death. One account Spanish who had been sent to arrest him. The survivors joined
states that Moctezuma Cortés and his men, increasing the size of his army. When Cortés
died from the stones returned to Tenochtitlan, he found his men trapped, but managed
hurled at him. Another to reach the palace where they were staying. He ordered Moctezuma
account states that Cortés to speak to his people to persuade them to let the Spanish return in
ordered Moctezuma
killed because he was no
peace. Moctezuma was jeered and seriously hurt by stones hurled
longer of use to him. at him. He died a few days later. Cuitlahuac (kwee-tlah-WATCH) was
elected the new huey tlatoani.
Cuitlahuac continued the attack. In June 1520, the Spanish tried to
escape from Tenochtitlan in the middle of the night to make their way
to the coast, but the Aztec discovered them crossing the causeways
and attacked. The Aztec attacked the Spanish from all sides, even
from canoes in the water. Many of the Spanish were carrying stolen
gold and could not move quickly because of the added weight.
Unwilling to give up the gold, many were quickly killed or drowned.
Several — 700 Spanish and 2000 to 3000 Tlaxcalans — were killed.
The Spanish later referred to this battle and the huge loss of life as
the Noche Triste.
Cortés’s expulsion
from Tenochtitlan
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An Unforeseen Enemy
Cortés, the conquistadors, and the Tlaxcalan allies retreated to
Tlaxcala for about five months to recover from their wounds.
Meanwhile, the Aztec began dying from smallpox that had been
brought by the Spanish to the New World. The disease had existed
in Europe for hundreds of years and Europeans had developed some
immunity to it. Many Europeans carried the smallpox virus in their
bodies, but did not suffer from it. The Aztec were newly exposed to
the disease, and their bodies had no time to build any resistance to it.
Historians believe that as much as half the city population of
Tenochtitlan may have died from smallpox in those five months. I wonder … what would
Cuitlahuac, chosen after the death of Moctezuma, died from the have happened if there
had been no smallpox?
disease after being leader for only 80 days. His cousin Cuauhtemoc
(koo-ow-TAY-mohk), Descending Eagle, succeeded him.
The illness was so dreadful that no one could walk or move...
A great many died from this plague and many died of hunger.
They could not get up to search for food and everyone else was
too sick to care for them.
— The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico
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1. How did the Spanish worldview influence how Cortés treated the messengers
and the way he viewed the Aztec?
2. If you were Moctezuma, how might you respond when you heard the
messengers’ description of the Spanish? How would his worldview have
influenced his response?
3. Examine the two accounts of the first meeting between Cortés and Moctezuma.
a. Why might the emperor’s name be spelled differently in each account?
b. Father Duran was a Roman Catholic priest. What different views about
Moctezuma wanting to convert to Roman Catholicism might have been
written by an Aztec priest?
4. Explain the role of disease epidemics in the defeat of the Aztec.
5. What are some points in the conquest where different decisions by Cortés
or by Moctezuma might have led to very different outcomes? Explain.
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The Aztec view of warfare was very different from that of Europeans.
To expand their empire, the Aztec would first try to negotiate a takeover
of the desired territory. If negotiations failed, they would conduct a
war to dominate the territory. The war was conducted by very specific
rules. The aim was not to kill enemy soldiers, but only to capture
them. Their wooden weapons with obsidian blades would injure the
opponent, but would not usually be life threatening. The Aztec aim
was to capture live warriors and civilian captives to take back as slaves
or sacrificial victims. They did not destroy the property of the areas
they conquered. It was much more valuable to leave the area intact
so the Aztec could receive more tribute from the area. Moctezuma
did not understand the ruthless behaviour of the Spanish on the
battlefield. He believed their killing demonstrated disrespect for
human life. Aztec religion believed that human life was precious and
Conquistador on horseback should only be sacrificed to the gods. They also did not understand
the Spanish desire for gold or their desire to completely conquer
their enemy.
The Aztec perceived Cortés and the conquistadors and their
weapons as extremely fearful. The Florentine Codex describes the
conquistadors on their horses:
The stags came forward, carrying soldiers on their backs. The
soldiers wore cotton armor. They bore their leather shields and
their iron spears in their hands, but their swords hung down from
the necks of the stags. The animals wear many little bells. When
they run, the bells make a loud clamour, ringing and reverberating.
These animals snort and bellow. They sweat a great deal and the
sweat pours from their bodies in streams. Foam from their muzzles
drips onto the ground in fat drops, like a lather of amole [soap].
When they run, they make a loud noise, as if stones were raining
on the earth. The earth is pitted and cracked open wherever their
hooves have touched it.
The stone-bladed weapons of the Aztec were no match to the
horses, guns, and steel swords of the Spanish.
The widespread death from the smallpox epidemic was the final
blow to the morale of the Aztec. Disease was often seen as the will
of the gods, and the records show that the Aztec began to believe that
it was the will of the gods that their world was coming to an end.
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T h e M o s t U s e f u l We a p o n s —
The Spanish knew that
interpreters were Information and Communication
essential to their Cortés needed interpreters to help win over his allies. He also needed
military conquest of the interpreters to communicate with Moctezuma and his royal court.
Americas. Interpreters
Luck provided Cortés with two invaluable interpreters: La Malinche
served as guides, as
communicators, and as (lah-mah-LEEN-cheh), a local woman who was named Dona Marina,
sources of military and a Spanish sailor, Geronimo de Aguilar. Dona Marina spoke
information. They also both Maya, the language of the Yucatan, and Nahuatl, the official
provided cultural language of the Aztec. Cortés did not kidnap her. After a battle, he
information that helped was often offered gifts. Dona Marina was the property of a ruler in
the Spanish understand
the best ways to deal
one of the coastal areas who gave her to Cortés as a gift. De Aguilar
with the societies they had been shipwrecked on the Yucatan coast and was rescued by
encountered. Cortés after living with the Maya for many years. He spoke both
I wonder … how would
Spanish and Maya.
I feel if I were given as a
gift to someone?
The missionaries
travelling with Cortés
converted Dona
Marina to Christianity.
They gave her the
name Dona Marina.
She came to be called
La Malinche by the
people of Meso-
America because
Cortés was referred to
as Malinche (Captain)
and La Malinche was
the Captain’s Woman.
I wonder … where
might I find more
information about
Dona Marina’s story?
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1. Cortés reached Meso-America with only 500 soldiers and yet he was able to
defeat thousands of Aztec warriors.
a. Do you think the defeat of the Aztec was inevitable? Why or why not?
b. In what ways did the Aztec worldview contribute to their defeat?
2. a. Evaluate Moctezuma as a leader. What were his strengths and his
weaknesses? What could he have done differently to avoid the conquest?
b. Do you believe Moctezuma really thought Cortés was Quetzalcoatl?
Provide reasons for your opinion.
3. Using your knowledge about the Reconquista, could you have predicted
Cortés’s behaviour towards the Aztec? Explain your answer.
4. Did the worldview of Cortés and his men justify the actions of his treatment of
the Aztec? Explain.
5. Moctezuma believed that killing on the battlefield showed disrespect for
human life. How would Moctezuma explain that human sacrifice did not
reflect disrespect for human life, but killing one’s enemies did?
6. If you were Cortés, what questions would you ask Dona Marina about
Moctezuma and the Aztec?
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S p a n i s h Tr e a t m e n t o f t h e A z t e c
After the Conquest
hacienda: estate; plantation In 1521, Cortés claimed the land of the Aztec for the Spanish
crown and named it New Spain. The conquistadors were given huge
tracts of land as reward for conquering the Aztec Empire for Spain.
A land grant included control of all its original inhabitants. The
conquistadors were the new nobility of New Spain; they would
not do manual labour themselves. The Aztec and other conquered
Indigenous societies were forced to work as slave labourers for the
landholders on their haciendas.
Queen Isabella died in 1504. In her final will and testament, she
When Columbus made decreed that the Indians “should not receive any offense to their
landfall in the
person or properties but rather ensure they are properly and justly
Caribbean, he thought
he had reached India. treated.” She was troubled by the news coming back of landholders
The Spanish began mistreating the population on the Caribbean Islands.
using the mistaken term In 1512, King Ferdinand repeated his wife’s views. He enacted
Indian for all Indigenous laws that called for fair treatment of the Indians. These became the
people regardless of first laws written for Europeans in the New World. The laws gave
their individual nation,
cultural origin, or usage
great power to the landholders, but laid down specific rules to
of different languages. prevent abuse of the workers:
• Indians could not be used to carry goods on their backs like
pack animals.
• Children under 14 and pregnant women were not to do heavy
work in the mines.
• Spanish masters were prohibited from beating, whipping, or
calling any Indian dog.
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Conversion
The Spanish viewed the Aztec as heathens. One purpose of the
conquest was to convert the population to Christianity as quickly
as possible. New churches were often the first buildings erected in
conquered territory. Images of the Virgin Mary, Christ, and Roman
Catholic saints were placed in the new churches. Initially, many
of the Indigenous peoples adopted the Christian God as just one
of their many gods, as had been common practice in their own
worldview. Over time, the Roman Catholic faith replaced the Meso-
American religions. Most of the citizens of New Spain eventually
became devout Roman Catholics.
The Canadian
The Franciscan and the Dominican priests worked closely with government also
the Aztec who had survived the conquest and converted them to took steps to prevent
Roman Catholicism. They worked first with the noble classes, hoping First Nations from
that if the aristocracy converted, the common people would do the participating in
same. The priests also established schools and hospitals to serve the important spiritual
communities. They organized the population into small villages. practices. Most well
known was the ban
Each had its own priest and church. The Indigenous people farmed on certain ceremonies:
the surrounding areas to produce food for the landholders, to export the potlatch ceremony
to Spain, and for themselves. Although life was somewhat normal for of coastal First Nations
them, they were expected to live more according to Spanish culture and the Sundance
than that of the Aztec. European diseases continued to kill, often ceremony of prairie
First Nations.
wiping out entire villages.
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1. What reactions do you have to the quotes from Cortés’s letters to the
king describing the hardships of the conquistadors and the Aztec?
2. What ideas or beliefs are presented in the Aztec poem on page 323?
What is your reaction?
3. Historians have presented Dona Marina in two very different ways:
the Mother of Modern Mexico and the Betrayer of Ancient Mexico.
Having now read the outcome of the conquest, which description do
you feel best describes her? Explain.
4. What insights about the worldview of the Spanish are provided by
the laws that King Ferdinand enacted in 1512?
5. Discuss the following: Did the conquistadors deserve their large land
grants and the landholding system because of the risks they took on
behalf of Spain during the conquest?
6. Explain how Father Bartolome de Las Casas might be called a human
rights activist.
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PERSPECTIVES ON HISTORY
A rc h a e o l o g i c a l F i n d s
Archaeological discoveries have given many details about the Aztec.
Eagle warrior, found in
Templo Mayor, Mexico City
The Spanish tried to destroy all physical evidence of the Aztec way of
life, especially their religion. Prior to the end of the 18th century, Aztec
artifacts and buildings that survived the conquest were often either
reworked or built over. At the beginning of the 19th century, more
efforts were made to safeguard artifacts and protect archaeological sites.
Today, archaeologists and anthropologists have discovered sites that
include palaces of Aztec rulers, the homes of both commoners and
nobles, and locations where goods such as obsidian tools and jewellery
were produced.
Excavations at Yautepec,
an urban centre in the Aztec Spanish Documents
Empire. Its ruins lie under the The conquistadors and clergy recorded information about the Aztec in
modern town of Yautepec,
many ways. They wrote reports and letters, kept diaries, and wrote entire
northwest of Mexico City.
Yautepec is one of the most encyclopedias about the Aztec.
intensely studied Aztec cities Hernan Cortés wrote five letters to King Charles V, still preserved
outside of Tenochtitlan. today, detailing Tenochtitlan and its people;
describes the siege and conquest of Tenochtitlan
Father Diego Duran wrote The History of the Indies of New Spain;
describes Aztec political history, religion, and
I wonder … would the calendar; also collected surviving Aztec books
descriptions written by
one of Moctezuma’s Father Andres recorded a grammar of the Nahuatl language and
generals be the same as de Olmos a collection of Aztec poetry
that of Cortés?
Father Toribio wrote about the early efforts to convert the Aztec;
de Benavente met with Aztec nobles and common people and
recorded their accounts
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Bernal Diaz wrote The True History of the Conquest of New Spain
del Castillo, a in 1532; one passage describes the first meeting
lieutenant of Cortés between Cortés and Moctezuma
1. Predict how each of these people might document the same event —
the Spanish conquest of the Aztec — differently.
• Hernan Cortés or another conquistador • Aztec Jaguar warrior
• Roman Catholic priest in the New World
What points of view and worldviews would affect their recordings?
2. What types of documents might future historians use to study Canadian
culture of the 21st century? What kinds of information would they research
to learn about a Canadian worldview? 329
O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 9
H o w t o L o c a t e A u t h e n t i c P r i m a r y S o u rc e s
In this activity, you will locate primary sources on the Internet. You will use a
Images Canada provides list of websites provided by your teacher as a starting point. Your challenge
access to thousands of images is to determine which of the sites provides trustworthy primary sources.
located in museums, libraries, As you explore each site, try to answer these questions:
archives, and universities
across Canada. Other 1. PURPOSE: Why were the items created? Who were the authors,
countries also have image artists, photographers, or creators? Are these factual accounts and
collections on the Internet. pictures, or are they ideas and opinions?
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England
The British Empire ruled territories all over the world. By the early 1900s,
it ruled over 25% of the world’s population and territories. At various
times, the empire ranged from the American colonies in the west,
Australia and New Zealand in the east, Canada in the north, and large
areas of eastern and southern Africa, as well as Egypt in the north. Today,
former British colonies and protectorates have gained independence.
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FOCUS ON INQUIRY
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U s i n g Yo u r I n q u i r y S k i l l s
Planning In this case study, you learned and practised these inquiry skills:
• making a map by choosing pertinent information and making
Creating Reflecting Retrieving connections and inferences
and and
Sharing Evaluating • collecting information, organizing information, and drawing
conclusions
Processing
• locating primary sources of information on the Internet
In this Focus on Inquiry activity, you will use these skills and learn
more about using media sources to understand contemporary issues
and how worldviews affect your understanding of these issues.
Planning Phase
• Identify the facts in the story. Are any facts missing? Consider the
who, what, where, when, why, and how of the story. Do you have
any questions that are not answered in the news story? Do you think
Many Canadian there are more facts needed to completely understand the story?
communities host • Critically examine the news story. Is the story factual or a
an annual heritage columnist’s opinion? What sources did the writer use? Does the
festival to celebrate
story provide historical background information or is it someone’s
the contributions of
different cultural interpretation of what happened? Do the facts presented slant the
groups to Canadian story in any way? Has enough background information been given
society. In Canada to show all sides of the story?
today, there are
often a variety of
• Pose more questions that you will need to research.
worldviews held by
different cultural
groups, but the
different groups, for
the most part, tend
to live and work
together peacefully.
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Retrieving Phase
Processing Phase
SKILLS CENTRE
Step 4 — Collect and organize information
Turn to How to Analyze
• Consider how the media can affect a news story. the Impact of the
Media on Current
• Use your research questions to organize the information that you Affairs Issues in the Skills
collect, making an outline or a mind map. Always keep your key Centre for details about
inquiry question in mind. analyzing a news story.
• Use a variety of other strategies to organize the ideas and
information that you collect — charts, Venn diagrams, graphic
organizers, and so on.
• Think about how the people who write about contemporary and
historical stories affect our understanding of the world.
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End-of-Chapter
Conclusion
Spanish monarchs and Aztec emperors both wanted to rule over vast
and wealthy empires. They both succeeded. Spanish imperialism,
however, brought an end to the Aztec civilization and its empire.
Europeans believed that representatives of any Christian country
who discovered unknown lands (previously unknown to them)
had both the right and the responsibility to take charge of them.
When Columbus landed in the Caribbean, King Ferdinand and
Queen Isabella saw it as their responsibility to convert the peoples
of these lands to Christianity, make them loyal subjects of the crown,
and exploit the colonies for the good of Spain.
Explorers such as Cortés had goals similar to those of the
conquistadors of the Reconquista: to explore, conquer, and occupy
the new territories; to change the political institutions of the
territories; to convert the people to Christianity; and, in addition,
to gain wealth for Spain and themselves.
Cortés was a brilliant military strategist who had the confidence
to act decisively. He was amazed when he saw the beautiful sights
of Tenochtitlan, yet was revolted at the practice of human sacrifice.
I wonder … did this Yet, according to the Spanish worldview, Cortés believed the Aztec
worldview make it easier were inferior to Europeans; it was his right to conquer the empire.
for Cortés to pursue the
Aztec with force and
He believed, like other Spanish citizens, that the riches of the Aztec
brutality or did he have Empire were for their taking.
misgivings about Moctezuma was a powerful leader who extended the boundaries
destroying their of the Aztec Empire. He had nearly unlimited power over his people
civilization? and received untold wealth in tribute from the empire.
A number of factors led to his downfall at the hands of the Spanish:
• His religious beliefs dominated his worldview and affected his
ability to deal with Cortés. He could not decide whether Cortés
was a god or an enemy.
• He had no knowledge of the Spanish worldview, so he did not
understand the motives and ruthlessness of Cortés.
• His beliefs about warfare, keeping the world in balance, and
dealing with opponents in a gracious way did not let him deal
effectively with the Spanish.
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1. Work in a group to write a script for a 5. The worldviews of the key figures in
play about contact between the Aztec the story of contact between the Aztec
and the Spanish. The script should list and the Spanish determined what
the characters and describe the settings. would happen. Describe how the
There should be four scenes in the play: actions, decisions, and behaviours of
Scene 1: Preparing to Meet each of the following people reflected
the Unknown their worldviews. Explain the results of
Scene 2: The First Meeting their decisions and actions.
Scene 3: Battles for Control • Isabella and Ferdinand
Scene 4: Conclusion • Moctezuma
• Hernan Cortés
2. As you plan the script for the play, make
a list of key events that should be 6. Select one key event during the months
included. For each event, write notes of contact between the Aztec and the
about what Cortés was thinking and Spanish. Describe what happened
what Moctezuma was thinking. The from two perspectives — Cortés and
notes should include the strategies they Moctezuma. Explain how the worldview
were considering and the values and of each man affected the decisions he
beliefs that affected their decisions. made during this event.
3. As a class, develop an assessment 7. List the changes that occurred in the
rubric to judge the quality of each play. Aztec way of life following their defeat
The criteria should include historical by the Spanish. How did these changes
accuracy, character development, reflect the Spanish worldview?
and sequence of events. What other
criteria should be included? For each Closure
criterion, what should be included in
8. Share: Host an event in which the
a high-quality play?
groups present the plays developed
in question 1. You may decide to have
Inquiry
each group present only one scene
4. Plan an appropriate setting for each from your script.
scene in the play about contact 9. Discuss: How does the Western view of
between the Aztec and the Spanish. human rights differ from the worldviews
Decide what backdrops and props will of the Aztec and the Spanish in the
be included so that the setting is as 1400s and 1500s?
authentic as possible. Think about how
10. Reflect: Spend a few minutes in
playwrights and movie directors try to
personal reflection. Think about times
avoid anachronisms (people, things, or
when you have felt conflicted or
events in a time in which they don’t
confused because people or events
belong). How will you use primary and
don’t fit with your worldview. How is
secondary sources of information to
this similar to what Moctezuma and
plan the settings and props?
Cortés must have felt? What can you
do when you get these feelings?
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O u r Wo r l d v i e w s
Conclusion
W h o A r e Yo u ? A n I n d i v i d u a l
character traits: the qualities Think about what you have learned from this case study that can
or features that distinguish affect you in your daily life. For example, you learned that the
one person or group from values and beliefs of Cortés and Moctezuma and the way they
another
viewed the world influenced their decisions and how they interacted
with each other. As a result, Cortés was able to overpower the Aztec
and destroy their civilization, while Moctezuma was unable to act
against the Spanish to save his people. Their actions were influenced
by the worldviews of their societies as well as by their personal
character traits.
• Think about Cortés. What kind of person was he? What were
his strengths and weaknesses? What do you think you would
have done if you were him?
• Think about Moctezuma. What do you admire about him?
What things about him bother you? What do you think you
would have done if you were him?
Nelson Mandela,
a former president
of South Africa,
was imprisoned for
27 years because
he fought against
apartheid. What was
it about his character
and the way he
viewed the world that
made him a leader?
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H o w D o e s I n t e rc u l t u r a l C o n t a c t I m p a c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f S o c i e t i e s ?
Think about how the way you view the world, as well as your
personal character traits, affects your choices, decisions, and how
you interact with others.
• Your character is shaped by your values, beliefs, and the way you
view the world. A good character is based upon core human
values that are the same for all cultures and religions —
honesty, kindness, generosity, courage, freedom, equality,
and respect.
• You are responsible for your actions. As you mature, you can
become more self-disciplined and always act in ways that are
consistent with your core values.
• Your family may place limits on your choices, but the decisions
are yours. It is normal to feel some tension between what you
want and what your family wants of you. When you think about
doing something that your parents wouldn’t like, your values
help you think through your choices and decide what to do.
• Your decisions affect other people and things. Try to be
empathetic and think about what will happen from the
perspective of other people. Respect their rights and needs.
THINK ABOUT IT
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