Tribute under the Aztecs &

Differing Interpretations of the Conquest

(Class 7, homework 7)

 Notes:

1) This assignment, like ALL assignments in this class, must be typed. See handout on class expectations

2) You MUST use blackboards digital dropbox (details here) to submit this homework

3 ) BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE FILE-NAMING CONVENTIONS FOR THIS COURSE.

All files should be saved on your computer as: your last name, followed by an underscore ("_"), followed by the first two letters of your first name, followed by an underscore ("_"), followed by the assignment number. So if a student named Saddam Hussein were to submit assignment number 5, the file name would be:

hussein_sa_7.doc

THIS IS ASSIGNMENT 7

This homework is due at the start of class and can NOT be turned in late
This homework can NOT be revised
This homework is worth 2.5% of you final semester grade, or 250 Fritz Points

Questions 1 and 2 refer to a text by Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdos describing Aztec society. See here.

You need to do all four questions -- but I will grade only 3of the questions: either question 1 or question 2 - chosen at random (for 80% of your grade), and question 3 & 4 (together worth 20% of your grade). Any question you don't answer will immediately become the question I grade, however.


Answer the following questions with a paragraph each.

WRITING REQUIREMENTS

A) Organize your paragraphs around a claim that summarizes your argument

B) Then support your claim with evidence in the form of direct quotation from the text (if you don't know the difference between direct and indirect quotations, see here).

Your quotations should be no more than 10 words -- if you don't know how to reduce quotations, see here.

C) After supplying evidence for your claim, write a warrant that explains why your evidence is relevant to your claim.

D) Finally, you must label your claim/evidence/warrant: put a (CL) before your claim, a (EV) before your evidence, and a (WA) before your warrant.

Remember, the answer to these questions will require thinking analytically about the material; there won't be any one line from the text that will provide the answer.

Note: if you don't identify your claim/evidence/warrant, you will not receive credit for this exercise.

 

1) According to Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdos, how did Aztec society function as a system of privledges and obligations that both distinguished the various groups within their society and tied them together? Be sure your response identifies all of the groups Valdos mentions. Remember no one line will provide the answer to this question -- you will have to analytically synthesize material from various parts of the document.

Need an EXAMPLE of a response that both uses Valdos' description and employs cl/ev/wa?
see a detailed, sample paragraph with explanations here


2) Keeping in mind Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdos' description, why and how did the structure of Aztec society resemble feudalism in Europe?

hints for #2: (A) look back to p. 24 of your textbook, (B) your paragraph will require evidence in the form of direct quotations from both the textbook (addressing Europe) as well as evidence from Valdos (addressing Aztec society).

3) On page 97 of the textbook you will find a description by Cortés of his conquest of the Mexican capitol; on page 98 you will find the Mexican nationalist Diego Rivera's painting of the conquest from the 20th century, and next to Rivera's there is a native Mexican's rendition of the same event, this time drawn from indigenous oral traditions in the 16th century . Fill out the following chart comparing these three interpretations of the conquest. (don't miss question 4 after the chart)

(DOWNLOAD THIS TABLE AS AN MS-WORD DOCUMENT)

Interpretation The basis or reason, according to the interpretation, for perceived Spanish superiority and/or the reason for the military success of the Spanish

Nature

of

Spanish

Nature

of

Indians (e.g., unified? divided?)
Cortés

 

 

    
Rivera

 

 

 

    
Native Mexican, 16th century      


(DOWNLOAD THIS TABLE AS AN MS-WORD DOCUMENT)

Question 4) Which of the above interpretations comes closest to the textbook's portrayal of the conquest and why?