La Otra Conquista Review & Reaction Paper

The Aztecs were a remarkable civilization. Th is civilization were distrusted and disliked because they tended to push others out of their way. They ruled an empire in Tenochtitlan in the time of 1350 to 1519. They also were known for their agriculture and human sacrifices. Agriculture was a very important part of their h istory because without their farming method the Aztec couldn't have created such great civilization. According to Document A of the Aztec DBQ, states that the Aztec empire grew more than 200 miles west to east, and north to south. Th is means that with the growth of the empire the population also grew and more effective agriculture techniques were needed to feed the people. They created the method of ch inampas because they

The legacy and impact of the Spanish conquest is continually discussed and analyzed. The struggle in finding native identities while also acknowledging Spanish heritage is a continuing process in Latin America. Modern film and art, such as Salvador Carrasco’s La Otra Conquista and Diego Rivera’s mural the arrival of Cortés speak about the conquest and its effects on Mexico identity. The film challenges myths about the conquest by arguing against the greatness of Cortés, showing power in native agency, and Spanish dependency on interpreters. The mural upholds myths of the conquest like the black legend, minimizes

The Aztec were a powerful group but did not have an imperialistic worldview like the Spanish. The Spanish expanded their empire and travelled across to the America’s. Here they explored and conquered many groups of people. As they fought the Spanish army grew with more slaves being taken in. This was very different from the Aztec people who fought only for control. They were not focused on expanding their religion and allowed conquered areas to keep their religion and way of life. They did not take slaves and used the captured men for human sacrifice. The Aztec thought that sacrifice would keep their gods happy and increased the amount of before they were conquered. Thus the Aztec worldview was based on religion and the gods. The Aztec and Spanish worldviews were different. The Aztec respected their gods and only conquered land to not be destroyed while the Spanish conquered land to expand their empire. These factors helped contribute to the fall of the powerful Aztec

La Otra Conquista was set in 1520 in colonial Latin America. The story focuses on Topiltzin, a young Aztec scribe and son of Moctezuma and his struggle with religion during the conquest. A Spanish Friar named Diego makes it his mission to convert Topiltzin into civilised Christianity. Hernan Cortes who is the voice of power in Tenochtitlan grants Friar Diego his wish to take Topiltzin, who is now called Tomas by the Spanish, to the mission. Topiltzin must learn how to navigate this new world while still holding to his own culture. Struggling against both spiritual and personal difficulties, Topiltzin tries to show Friar Diego how similar Christian beliefs are to the Aztec beliefs. Overall, the film stays fairly true to history with some exceptions that director used to move the storyline forward. Religion played a key role in the film as it did in the conquest itself. The Spanish conquistadors and friars were there for converting the Aztec to Christianity through whatever means necessary. Whereas the Native Americans were trying to hold onto their beliefs and culture throughout the horrific takeover. In order to communicate their wishes, the Spanish needed someone who could translate so they taught Native Americans to speak Spanish who could then communicate into the tribal language. The most famous of these was La Malinche, who is referenced in the film although at this time is her replacement, Dona Isabel or Tecuichpo. The film is fairly accurate to how this would have looked historically. The conquistadors are appropriately harsh, cruel and violent. At any moment trying to exert their power over the Native Americans and quick to subdue. In summary, La Otra Conquista was a fairly historically accurate film that portrayed the tension and violence of the time.

The author argues that the Spanish were completely at fault for the total destruction of the Aztec Empire. In Broken spears, the author explains how many factors other than Spanish power contributed to the downfall of the Aztecs. Not only did the Spanish have many advantages over the Aztecs, but also they also exploited them and took advantage of the cultural difference. The main key aspects to the Spanish victory, is that the Spanish were viewed as gods at first because of their appearance, the Aztecs welcomed the Spanish with gifts and festivities, which showed the Spanish had total control of people. The Aztecs also held a ritual ceremony for the arrival of the “god” that included a human

     The Aztecs were an American Indian people who ruled a mighty empire in Mexico from the 1400's to the 1500's. The Aztecs had one of the most advanced civilizations in the Americas and built cities as large as any in Europe at that time. They also practiced a remarkable religion that affected every part of their lives and featured human sacrifice. The Aztecs built towering temples, created huge sculptures, and held impressive ceremonies all for the purpose of worshipping their gods. The Spaniards destroyed their magnificent empire in the year 1521, but the Aztecs left a lasting mark on Mexican life and culture .

During the sixteenth century Spain had control over land in the Caribbeans and America that was ten times the size of Spain. One of the most famous conquerors was a man by the name of Cortes. His first target was the Aztec Empire one of the richest empires in America. After a very bloody battle Cortes successfully conquered the empire “converting” its people to Christianity and taking their gold. From this Cortes became on of the richest men in the world. This event inspired many others to do the same with many choosing the life of a conquistador to find their riches in the new world. The amount of conquistadors started to make Spain worry if they were to try and rule New Spain and that they were killing more Indians instead of converting

The Aztec people felt very strong about their beliefs in gods and superstitions. Montecuhzoma the independent ruler of the Aztec empire swayed his people to believe in the power of gods and idols and live a spiritual life. This ultimately was a turning point for the Aztecs and is where the Spanish once again gained advantage over the Aztecs. While the Aztecs were faithful to their beliefs it made them powerless an easy take down. Superstitions played a huge factor in the Aztecs first encounter with the Spanish people. In 1519 when the Aztec people saw sight of something coming from a distance in the water, they believed it was Quetzalcoatl (Leon-Portilla, 18). Quetzalcoatl was a legend to them that promised to come back. Montecuhzoma misread the situation and sent messages and gifts in hopes that it sent a gesture to welcome the gods onto their land. This was a big mistake that Motecuhzoma made by opening his arms to the Spanish people upon their first encounter together (Leon-Portilla, 63). This is just one case where the Aztec people poorly used their judgement. However, Motecuhzoma did come to realize the behavior of the Spaniards or “Gods”. When the Spaniards held the gold given by the Aztecs their greed became noticed in the eyes of the Aztecs. The Natives described them as monkeys. They soon caught on that the Spaniards were not gods and heroes and more so barbarians

Representation” by Michael Schreffler argues that “ . . . early modern rhetoric and iconography . . . constructed a distorted view of painting in Aztec Mexico and entangled it in the conventions of colonial historiography” (407). This essay is effective because of its thorough examination of the accounts that explain a painting made by the Aztec’s at San Juan de Ulúa on Easter Sunday of 1519.

Historical films provide students with a new way of connecting with what they are learning; it is important though that the film is historically accurate. La Otra Conquista takes place during the conquest of Latin America, it focuses on the tension between European Catholicism and Native American religion. The story focuses on Topiltzin, a young Aztec scribe and illegitimate son of Moctezuma, and his personal struggle with faith and culture in the 1520s. A Spanish friar named Diego makes it his mission to convert Topiltzin into civilised Christianity. Don Hernan Cortes, who is the voice of power in Tenochtitlan, grants Friar Diego his wish to take Topiltzin, who is now called Tomas by the Spanish, to the mission. Topiltzin must learn how to navigate this new world while still holding to his own culture. Struggling against both spiritual and personal difficulties, Topiltzin tries to show Friar Diego how similar Christian beliefs are to the Aztec beliefs. Conversion, translation, violence and beliefs play a key role in the conquest and in La Otra Conquista. Compared to the historical readings presented in class, La Otra Conquista is historically accurate to the time period.

The events that occurred between the Aztecs and Spanish Conquistadors have many sides and opportunities for debate. One of the most debated topics being; Who was more savage and who was more Civil? Both the Aztecs and Spanish had powerful and thriving empires. These empires displayed their dominance through their advanced technology and flourishing military. Though it may seem that the Spanish were more advanced than the Aztecs, the Aztecs and Spanish were actually quite close to being equal in technological advancements.

     The Aztec and Inca peoples lived in militaristic and expansionist societies whose ideals were fueled by their religious convictions. Expansionism was necessary for both societies to support their religious beliefs. The religious zeal of these two civilizations became something that the leaders of the empires could not control. These empires were built through ideologically driven conquests, which became the cornerstones of their societies and something beyond the control of the rulers.

The religion of the Aztec, including their beliefs, customs and religions, acted as a tremendous influence on their government, economy, and culture. Religion was the foundation for the infamous culture of the Aztec Civilization. Through ceremonies of sacrifice, and the infusion of cosmology into their religion, the Aztecs sculpted a culture unlike that of any other civilization, and left behind a legacy to be studied and admired for generations to come. Religion ultimately shaped the unique civilization of the Aztecs, through cultivating the general outlook and values of the Aztecs, expanding the empire, and influencing the architecture and layout of their city.

Diaz often analogizes religious worship of native deities to Satanism, criticizing Moctezuma that “those whom they look upon as gods are not so, but are devils, which are evil things, and if their looks are bad their deeds are worse and they could see that they were evil and of little worth” (139). To emphasize the devil-like characteristics of indigenous gods, Cortés warns Moctezuma how “these Idols hold it that they are deceiving you” (152) and Diaz describes Huichilobos, their god of War, as monster-like, with a “broad face and monstrous and terrible eyes” (150). During Cortés tour of the temple of Huichilobos, Diaz describes how “there was another small tower which was also an Idol house, or a true hell, for it had at the opening of one gate a most terrible mouth such as they depict, saying that such there are in hell” (154) and then further describes the idol house as “the Infernal Regions” (154) in order to emphasize the Satanic representations of Nahuatl religions. ADD ENDING

The Aztecs civilization and the Mayan civilization where the most important civilizations from the new world that amazed many of the Europeans that came to conquer this wonderful rich land. The Europeans where amazed with the Aztec and Mayan culture, their ways of life, their geographical surroundings and their technology. The Europeans and historians today find that the Aztecs and the Mayans where similar in some ways of life like their culture, their technology, their religious events and at the same time they had their differences in their cultures.