The Spanish are famous for discovering the New World, even establishing the first town in the United States- St. Augustine, Florida. However, the wealth they accumulated to start colonies and the promise of glory in the Americas can be traced back to the conquering of the Aztecs.
Before the empire was brutally crushed by Spanish conquistadores, it rose up in 1150, after original Toltec Empire (just north of the Aztec city, Tenochtitlan) fell after internal conflict drove it apart. The Aztec arrived in 1248, and became integral to the culture and power-dynamic of the South American society. Trade and currency were the basis of their economy; with farming being one of the most important aspects of their lives. Farmers grew squash, avocados, hemp, peppers, beans- but most importantly, corn. Many of these items were then transported to Spain and Europe, where they became an important part of Spanish diet. Large scale farming was made possible through the farming of the chinampas, which were square shaped lakes which had shallow water and soft mud. Without steel and other tools, the wet dirt made it easy for farmers to grow produce in these "floating gardens". Similarly to the religion of the Native Americans in the Americas, Aztecs had specific deities for different aspects in life. This included Centeotl the corn god, Tlaloc the rain god, and even Huitzilopochtli, the god who represented war and the sun. The Aztec believed that for the sun to rise up each morning, there had to be a sacrifice made to Huitzilopochtli of human hearts and blood. Cocoa beans were used as currency in Aztec society; and the value of the beans was determined by its quality. Higher payments were made using Quachtli, a type of durable cloth, which could be worth up to 300 beans. However, the most surprising, children were sometimes used as currency. It would not be uncommon for an Aztec child to be sold as a slave or even be sacrificed. Children were usually worth around 600 cocoa beans. Can you imagine?!
Montezuma was the ruler of the Aztec Empire when Hernan Cortes and his men arrived with 11 ships, 500 soldiers, and 100 sailors. With the promises of gold, they came to conquer the new lands and establish a direct source of wealth for the Spanish Empire. Instead of fighting, Montezuma decided to focus on a diplomatic approach to subdue the Spanish. Large costumes, gold and silver statues were all given to the invaders. However, instead of this making peace between the two nations, Spain became even more set to exploit the resources of the nation. Asking for royal support from Charles V of Spain, Cortes marched into the city of Tenochtitlan in August of 1519. With over 200,000 people, Tenochtitlan was the largest city in South America. Cortes used the crossbow, cannons, and superior weapons technology to kill Aztec warriors; Montezuma was killed when a rock was thrown to the side of his face. It did not take long for Cortes to take the entire city; the final charge occurring when the giant pyramid was set aflame. In the June of 1520, Cortes left the city carrying what loot he could. The Spanish then made allies from the surrounding areas, coming back to siege the city- all while the Aztecs were killed by their enemies and disease.
Even Cortes was amazed by the incredible society that was formed under the Aztec empire, a sight enough to make him loot and kill the city for the promises of gold and glory. The treatment and submission of the Aztec nations was a prelude to the later publishings of Bartholomew de Las Casas, and then the Valladolid Debates. The interaction between religion and quest for economic proficiency destroyed entire civilizations of people. Although Spanish towns litter the California coast, Southwest, and South of the United States- a memory of their colonial rule- their savagery and forceful interactions with both Native Americans in America and South America will forever keep the "Black Legend" alive.
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| Aztec human sacrifice ritual |
http://nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/635
http://www.legendsandchronicles.com/ancient-civilizations/the-ancient-aztecs/aztec-economy-trade-and-currency/
http://www.ancient.eu/article/916/
Your post is really interesting and insightful, and your detailed descriptions painted a complete picture of the Aztecs' story. The story of the rise and fall of the Aztecs parallels the history of the Inca tribe. The Incas also had a powerful and expansive society in the fifteenth century. They rose to power rapidly due to a combination of their skillful diplomacy, political alliances, trade systems, and militarism. Motivated by a similar desire for gold and glory as Cortes, Pizarro marched into Cuzco and invaded the Inca, causing their downfall. The similarities between these two stories also raises a question about the Spanish's motivation for conquering Native Americans. The professedly conquered the New World for gold, glory, and God, but it seems like the God motivation was just a surface-level justification for the gold and glory which they really wanted, since their primary goal was to establish a medium through which Spain could directly gain wealth. Thoughts?
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I have to agree with Julia; Christianity was definitely a motivating factor behind Aztec annihilation. I was reading about the Aztec empire under Hernan Cortes' administration, and many of his rules and regulations mirrored Christian faith and ideologies. For example, human sacrifice was outlawed- as it was unorthodox and looked upon as something satanic. The idea of making a submissive "Christian State" was a goal of the Spanish- instead of a total "slave state". With the Spanish Inquisition establishing its roots back in Spain, Catholic fervor was increasing as Protestantism spread through the printing press as well. I think that because the destruction of the Aztec empire focuses so much on the quest for gold, that the religious aspect of it can often be lost. But-- looking at the timeline of events as well- the Valladolid Debates did not happen until 1550, and Bartholomew De Las Casas did not advocate for native rights until the mid 1550s. The Aztec fall happened in 1521. I think this gives us an understanding that the three decades were crucial for missionary zeal to spread its way through the New World, and thus sparking these first conversations over religious and moral values.
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http://nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/1014
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Short_Account_of_the_Destruction_of_the_Indies
I found your article very informative and insightful, especially your detailed background on the Aztec Empire and it's intricate societal structure before it was eradicated by the Spanish. In response to Karina's comment above, although the major reason for exploration may have been to enhance Spain's standing as a superpower and expand it's wealth, I believe that the "God motivation" wasn't just a surface-level justification for their destructive actions. Spain was a primarily Catholic country at that time, and they were known for rooting out members who weren't confutative to the country's religion (ex. Spanish Inquisition). Thus, I don't find it hard to believe that a few of the people who immigrated to the New World did have strictly religious reasons for wanting to leave, especially those who founded missions and worked towards converting the Native Americans.
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