The capital of Mexico, Mexico City, is located on the remains of an old city. This city, which was once big and gorgeous and was called Tenochtitlan, was razed to the ground in a very short period of time and in a very cruel manner by foreign invaders on August 13th, 1521. Once Tenochtitlan was a capital city of the Aztecs (or how they called themselves Mexica), which they founded in the year 1325. In the course of only few centuries they managed to establish an immense empire, which is known as the Aztec empire today. The Mexica/Aztecs mark the beginning of the Mexican culture. Thus, in this term paper I will be dealing with the Chicano culture at its very beginning.
Who were the Aztecs? What does Aztec mean? Where did they come from? And how did they manage to establish such a big and powerful empire? Why Tenochtitlan has been destroyed? This term paper works with these questions. In order to answer them, a little journey through the history has to be done. Hence, this term paper also offers an overview of the most important events that occurred at that time.
But my primary concern will be to find out how the European invaders managed to overthrow the Aztec empire. Or how could the Aztec empire fall to a small group of Spanish invaders? How is it possible? In other words, I would like to find out the reasons for the fall of the Aztec empire.
A paper about the history, and especially the Ancient history, is a hard venture. Because of a great variety of secondary literature and accordingly of the different opinions and views of the authors of this books relating to this theme one can quickly lose track of things. The analysis is getting even more difficult because we have only few source documents from the Aztecs today, so that one can not know for sure what really happened at that time.
The information about the Aztecs survived in the Aztec codices like, for example, Codex Mendoza, where the conquests of the Aztec kings and tribute areas are registered, it contains also a short ethnographic overview. Other documents, that we have today, are basically chronicles of the Spanish conquerors, for example, “Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España” written by Bernal Díaz del Castillo; or 5 letters of Cortés to the Spanish king.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Prehistory
3. The Rise of the Aztec Empire
3.1 The Expansion of Aztec Power
3.2 At the Height of Power
4. The Fall of the Aztec Empire
4.1 On the Eve of the Spanish Conquest
4.2 Two Worlds Encounter
4.3 Reasons for the Fall of the Aztec Empire. An Overview
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this work is to analyze the historical causes behind the rapid collapse of the Aztec Empire when confronted by a small contingent of Spanish invaders. It seeks to investigate how internal structural weaknesses, cultural factors, and military dynamics facilitated this historical turning point.
- The historical origin and expansion of the Aztec Empire.
- The socio-political structure and its impact on stability.
- The arrival of Hernán Cortés and the role of indigenous alliances.
- The impact of indigenous prophecy and the myth of Quetzalcoatl.
- The devastating consequences of introduced European diseases.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2 Two Worlds Encounter
The principal object of the colonists, and especially of the Conquistadors, was still gold. Some day Hernan Cortés thought it is time for him to act and soon he finally seized a chance. He, too, like all the other colonists, and especially seamen and soldiers, was possessed by precious metals and stones. It was already mentioned that he only came on his account. He knew all about the Grijalva’s voyage and he also heard stories about how the inhabitants of Yucatán told again and again that there is a land, somewhere in the West where one can find a lot of gold. They always told the same because they wanted to drive the intruders away as fast as possible.
Exactly this land Cortés intended to find. In some inexplicable manner he achieved the nomination for a captain of a new expedition fleet on the part of Diego Velázquez. At that time it was already clear that Cortés planned to cheat Velázquez concerning the appropriation of new territories. As this information spread like wildfire, Cortés suddenly left the island of Cuba with all the ships.
In February of 1519, Hernando Cortés set sail from Cuba with eleven ships and 500 men to explore the Mexican coast. […] At the last minute, Velásquez had second thoughts about the ambitious Cortés and withdrew permission for the trip, but Cortés sailed anyway. Later the governor tried unsuccessfully to recall and imprison Cortés (Smith 1996:276).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the research question concerning the fall of the Aztec Empire and discusses the limitations of using primary source documents versus secondary literature.
2. Prehistory: Traces the origins of the Aztec tribe from Aztlan and their migration to the Valley of Mexico until the founding of Tenochtitlan.
3. The Rise of the Aztec Empire: Analyzes the political formation of the Aztec state, the role of the Triple Alliance, and the expansion of their power.
3.1 The Expansion of Aztec Power: Examines the early development of the Mexica and their strategic alliances that led to regional dominance.
3.2 At the Height of Power: Describes the peak of the empire under Motecuhzoma II, focusing on its vast territory and administrative structure.
4. The Fall of the Aztec Empire: Explores the confrontation between the Spanish conquistadors and the Aztec Empire, leading to its ultimate destruction.
4.1 On the Eve of the Spanish Conquest: Details the motivation of Spanish explorers and the early expeditions led by individuals like Hernán Cortés.
4.2 Two Worlds Encounter: Investigates the initial contact between the Aztecs and Spaniards, highlighting the role of communication and early political maneuvers.
4.3 Reasons for the Fall of the Aztec Empire. An Overview: Synthesizes the eleven critical factors contributing to the downfall, ranging from betrayal by allies to biological warfare.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the key findings and concludes that the collapse was due to a combination of historical coincidence, political internal friction, and unforeseen disease.
6. Bibliography: Lists the secondary sources and academic literature used to support the research findings.
Keywords
Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan, Hernán Cortés, Spanish Conquest, Triple Alliance, Motecuhzoma, Quetzalcoatl, Smallpox, Colonialism, Indigenous alliances, Mesoamerica, Mexica, Reconquista, Tlaxcalans, History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the historical reasons for the rapid collapse of the Aztec Empire following the Spanish arrival in Mexico in 1519.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the political evolution of the Aztec state, the strategic genius and deceit of Hernán Cortés, the role of indigenous disunity, and the impact of European diseases.
What is the main research question of the study?
The paper explores how a powerful, large-scale empire could be defeated by a comparatively small group of Spanish invaders within a span of only two years.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The research is based on a critical analysis of secondary literature, choosing to rely on academic sources rather than potentially biased colonial chronicles.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The body covers the prehistory of the Aztecs, the development of their empire, the arrival of the Spanish, and a detailed breakdown of eleven factors that led to the empire's downfall.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Aztec Empire, Hernán Cortés, Spanish Conquest, Tenochtitlan, Triple Alliance, and Mesoamerican history.
How did Motecuhzoma's indecision contribute to the fall?
His belief that Cortés might be the returned god Quetzalcoatl, combined with his hesitation to engage the Spanish militarily, provided the invaders with a crucial window to solidify their presence.
What role did indigenous alliances play in the Spanish victory?
The conquest was arguably more of a rebellion by communities oppressed by Aztec tribute demands than a simple Spanish victory; many indigenous groups supported the Spanish to gain their own freedom.
How significant was the smallpox epidemic?
It was a decisive factor, as it devastated the Aztec population, including military leaders, leaving the civilization socially and physically depleted during the final stages of the conflict.
- Quote paper
- Stasy Adams (Author), 2009, Reasons for the Fall of the Aztec Empire, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/166229
