The Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan and the Coming of the Spanish 1

Summary

The script narrates the rise and fall of the Aztec Empire in the Americas. It highlights the civilization's advanced engineering, astronomy, and monumental city of Tenochtitlan, which was larger than London, Paris, or Rome. The Aztecs' belief in human sacrifice to appease their gods is explored, along with their sophisticated society that valued art, literature, and education. The narrative then shifts to the arrival of Hernan Cortes and his small band of conquistadors, who, through manipulation and the unwitting introduction of smallpox, bring about the empire's collapse, illustrating the dramatic interplay of culture, power, and disease in shaping history.

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Q & A

What technological advancements did the people in the Americas have before the Egyptians?

The people in the Americas engineered great monuments and mapped the stars with accuracy comparable to European astronomers, all thousands of years before the Egyptians.

What was the significance of Tenochtitlan in the Aztec empire?

Tenochtitlan was the capital of the Aztec empire, larger than London, Paris, or Rome at the time, and featured a stone temple 100 feet high at its heart.

What did the Aztecs believe they owed to their gods, and how did they fulfill this debt?

The Aztecs believed they owed a debt of blood to their gods. They fulfilled this by capturing enemy warriors alive to be sacrificed, as they thought this was necessary to keep the universe in balance.

What materials did the Aztec warriors use for their weapons, and why were they considered superior?

Aztec warriors used obsidian, a volcanic glass, for their weapons. It was considered superior because it was so sharp that some surgeons today prefer it over steel.

How did the Aztec civilization view death philosophically?

The Aztecs were philosophical about death, believing that it gave meaning to life and made the present moment sweeter and more beautiful.

What was the Aztec's belief regarding human sacrifice and the god of the sun, Huitzilopochtli?

The Aztecs believed that by offering a beating heart to Huitzilopochtli, the god of the sun, in return, his blood would guarantee a bountiful harvest of corn, which was a staple of their life.

What was the role of corn in the Aztec civilization?

Corn was the staple of the Aztec life, and it was transformed by early farmers in the Americas into a cereal that produces more calories per acre than any other, with a significant presence in a quarter of all supermarket products today.

Who was Hernan Cortes and what was his objective in the New World?

Hernan Cortes was a devious, charming, and ruthless leader of 500 European adventurers. His objective was to plunder the Aztec empire, particularly for gold.

How did Cortes plan to take control of the Aztec empire?

Cortes planned to kidnap Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, believing that by controlling the head of the empire, the rest of the dominoes would fall, leading to the empire's collapse.

What was the impact of the Spanish conquistadors on the Aztec empire, and how did they bring about its downfall?

The Spanish conquistadors, led by Cortes, brought about the downfall of the Aztec empire through a combination of military tactics, manipulation, and the unintentional introduction of smallpox, which devastated the population.

How did the Aztec people react to the Spanish conquistadors' greed for gold?

The Aztec people were astonished by the Spanish conquistadors' greed for gold, with eyewitnesses reporting that they snatched up the gold like monkeys and were swollen with greed like wild pigs.