The 3 Main Questions
Question #1: In what ways did factors such as technology and disease contribute to the dominance of the Spanish over the Aztec civilization?
Artifacts that answered this question: Conquistador Armor (Spanish Artifacts), Florentine Codex (Spanish Artifacts), Carvel (Spanish Artifacts)
Summary / Answer: The Spanish had advantages over the Aztecs such as Metal Armor, Advanced Weapons, and a plague that eventually wiped out 95% of the Aztec population. The last one was the biggest because it was the Aztec's only advantage over the Spanish. Without this huge advantage, the Aztecs were rendered helpless to the Spanish's weapons of mass destruction.
The Carvel that was displayed in the Spanish artifacts helped show why the disease was so prominent within the Spanish population. The Spanish had vaccines against the Smallpox disease, but the Aztecs were extremely vulnerable to the disease. This led to a major population declination.
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Question #2: To what extent were the divergent world views of the Spanish and the Aztec contributing factors in the dominance of one culture over the other?
Artifacts that answered this question: Cacao Beans (Aztec Artifacts), Xiuhtecuhtli (Aztec Artifacts), Spanish Gold Ingots (Spanish Artifacts), etc.
Summary / Answer: The different values and "necessities" of the Aztecs and Spanish set them apart. The Spanish considered them to be very powerful and unstoppable. In other words, the Spanish were very ethnocentric. On the other hand, the Aztecs were very modest. An average Aztec citizen was expected to not act in any way to stand out from the crowd.
The values of the Aztecs and Spanish are also significantly different. The Aztecs consider Cacao Beans to be one of the most valuable things on earth, but the Spanish consider Gold to be extremely valuable instead. The Aztecs consider Human Sacrifice a necessity in life, while the Spanish consider converting everyone to Catholicism to be most important instead.
The Spanish felt disgusted that the Aztecs sacrificed people to "keep the world in balance" and that led the Spanish to feel that they were better than the Aztecs. The Aztecs thought that the Spanish were gods at the start because of their advanced armour and technology, but towards the fall of the Aztec Empire, the Aztecs became less and less respectful to the Spanish to the point where they killed many of them on the "Noche Triste". The Noche Triste was a night when the Spanish tried to escape Tenochtitlan after causing a great disturbance within the Aztec society. Weighted down by the treasures and gold that the Spanish had plundered, the Spanish were sluggish and easy to spot. The Aztec citizens spotted the Spanish while they were crossing the causeway and they ambushed them. Cortes managed to get away, but barely.
The geography of the Aztecs also limited their knowledge. Even without a strong knowledge of surrounding societies in a large range. The Spanish on the other hand, had a huge knowledge of the surrounding area's societies. This was a big advantage to the Spanish because they could infer about the different cultures and how they react to change and contact. The Aztecs had a limited geographical worldview because they solemnly ventured out of the Valley of Mexico.
The Social Structure of the Aztecs and the Spanish were very similar, but religion was still one of the big factors in the social structure. Priests were ranked high in both societies.
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Question #3: How does Aztec civilization survive into the modern day?
Artifacts that answered this question: Aztec Atlatl (Aztec Artifacts), Cacao Beans (Aztec Artifacts),
Summary / Answer: The above artifacts are proof of Aztec culture surviving even today, hundreds of years after the civilizations timeline. As stated in the descriptions of the cacao beans, it is a very good example of things from the Aztecs we use today. Chocolate, a favoured delicacy of many children all around the world came originally from the Aztecs, who first had the idea of used the cacao beans to make chocolate. Although their idea of chocolate was to make it more spicy than sweet as we do today, there are still chocolatiers who make spicy chocolate as a treat for people who would like to get a blast from the past and enjoy how the Aztecs originally enjoyed chocolate. There will be some links to sites who sell these chocolates at the bottom of this page.
The Aztecs atlatls are a good example of how Aztec ceremonial spear throwing is still practiced today. As said in the description of the artifact, their are at least 12 known atlatl throwers known today! Read the article below to get a deep understanding of how Aztecs used the atlatls and how professional atlatl handlers still use them today.
Question #1: In what ways did factors such as technology and disease contribute to the dominance of the Spanish over the Aztec civilization?
Artifacts that answered this question: Conquistador Armor (Spanish Artifacts), Florentine Codex (Spanish Artifacts), Carvel (Spanish Artifacts)
Summary / Answer: The Spanish had advantages over the Aztecs such as Metal Armor, Advanced Weapons, and a plague that eventually wiped out 95% of the Aztec population. The last one was the biggest because it was the Aztec's only advantage over the Spanish. Without this huge advantage, the Aztecs were rendered helpless to the Spanish's weapons of mass destruction.
The Carvel that was displayed in the Spanish artifacts helped show why the disease was so prominent within the Spanish population. The Spanish had vaccines against the Smallpox disease, but the Aztecs were extremely vulnerable to the disease. This led to a major population declination.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Question #2: To what extent were the divergent world views of the Spanish and the Aztec contributing factors in the dominance of one culture over the other?
Artifacts that answered this question: Cacao Beans (Aztec Artifacts), Xiuhtecuhtli (Aztec Artifacts), Spanish Gold Ingots (Spanish Artifacts), etc.
Summary / Answer: The different values and "necessities" of the Aztecs and Spanish set them apart. The Spanish considered them to be very powerful and unstoppable. In other words, the Spanish were very ethnocentric. On the other hand, the Aztecs were very modest. An average Aztec citizen was expected to not act in any way to stand out from the crowd.
The values of the Aztecs and Spanish are also significantly different. The Aztecs consider Cacao Beans to be one of the most valuable things on earth, but the Spanish consider Gold to be extremely valuable instead. The Aztecs consider Human Sacrifice a necessity in life, while the Spanish consider converting everyone to Catholicism to be most important instead.
The Spanish felt disgusted that the Aztecs sacrificed people to "keep the world in balance" and that led the Spanish to feel that they were better than the Aztecs. The Aztecs thought that the Spanish were gods at the start because of their advanced armour and technology, but towards the fall of the Aztec Empire, the Aztecs became less and less respectful to the Spanish to the point where they killed many of them on the "Noche Triste". The Noche Triste was a night when the Spanish tried to escape Tenochtitlan after causing a great disturbance within the Aztec society. Weighted down by the treasures and gold that the Spanish had plundered, the Spanish were sluggish and easy to spot. The Aztec citizens spotted the Spanish while they were crossing the causeway and they ambushed them. Cortes managed to get away, but barely.
The geography of the Aztecs also limited their knowledge. Even without a strong knowledge of surrounding societies in a large range. The Spanish on the other hand, had a huge knowledge of the surrounding area's societies. This was a big advantage to the Spanish because they could infer about the different cultures and how they react to change and contact. The Aztecs had a limited geographical worldview because they solemnly ventured out of the Valley of Mexico.
The Social Structure of the Aztecs and the Spanish were very similar, but religion was still one of the big factors in the social structure. Priests were ranked high in both societies.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Question #3: How does Aztec civilization survive into the modern day?
Artifacts that answered this question: Aztec Atlatl (Aztec Artifacts), Cacao Beans (Aztec Artifacts),
Summary / Answer: The above artifacts are proof of Aztec culture surviving even today, hundreds of years after the civilizations timeline. As stated in the descriptions of the cacao beans, it is a very good example of things from the Aztecs we use today. Chocolate, a favoured delicacy of many children all around the world came originally from the Aztecs, who first had the idea of used the cacao beans to make chocolate. Although their idea of chocolate was to make it more spicy than sweet as we do today, there are still chocolatiers who make spicy chocolate as a treat for people who would like to get a blast from the past and enjoy how the Aztecs originally enjoyed chocolate. There will be some links to sites who sell these chocolates at the bottom of this page.
The Aztecs atlatls are a good example of how Aztec ceremonial spear throwing is still practiced today. As said in the description of the artifact, their are at least 12 known atlatl throwers known today! Read the article below to get a deep understanding of how Aztecs used the atlatls and how professional atlatl handlers still use them today.
http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/home/aztecs-and-the-atlatl
Overall, the fact that we still look for Aztec artifacts and research them is proof that their culture has survived today. Normally, we in the modern day wouldn't look back at these ancient civilizations if they didn't pique our interest, but the ancient Aztecs haven't failed to do as we are still discovering new things about them every single day.
Links to websites which sell Aztec chocolate:
http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/spicy-candy.html
http://www.godiva.com/TRAZTEC/TRAZTEC.html
http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/aztec-hot-chocolate.html
Links to websites which sell Aztec chocolate:
http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/spicy-candy.html
http://www.godiva.com/TRAZTEC/TRAZTEC.html
http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/aztec-hot-chocolate.html