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

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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

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1) What events encouraged the exploration of the Atlantic by Europeans? (a sentence or two will do here)

2) Before their discoveries allowed the building of the "Atlantic System," what zone of maritime trade had Europeans been scrambling to break into? (a phrase will do here)

3) From where did the wealth come that made possible the grandeur of the Aztec Empire? (a sentence or two will do here)

4) Against whom did the Tlaxacans wage their war of liberation? (a phrase will do here)

5) What were the economic repercussions for Europeans of the Spanish destruction of the two great empires of the New World? (three or more sentences, use your own words and ONLY your own words)

Questions 6 and 7refer to a text by Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdos describing Aztec society. Click here to get the document.

You need to do all four of the remaining questions (6, 7, 8 and 9)-- but I will grade only 3 of the questions: either question 6 or question 7 - chosen at random ) --and question 8 & 9. 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.

 

6) According to Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdos, how did Aztec society function as a system of privileges and obligations that both distinguished the various groups within their society and tied them together economically? Be sure your response identifies all of the groups Valdos mentions (there are more than just two!). Remember no one line will provide the answer to this question -- you will have to analytically synthesize material from various parts of the ENTIRE document (see a sample answer that synthesizes material from various parts of Valdos, just as you will need to do).

Need an EXAMPLE of a response that both uses Valdos' description and employs cl/ev/wa?

see a detailed, sample paragraph with explanations here

7) 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 #7 (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).

8) 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 9after 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, according to the interpretation	Nature of Indians (e.g., unified? divided?according to the interpretation
Cortés
Rivera
Native Mexican, 16th century

(DOWNLOAD THIS TABLE AS AN MS-WORD DOCUMENT)

Question 9) Which of the above interpretations comes closest to the textbook's portrayal of the conquest and why?