Hernan+Cortes+(Mexico)

I. Hernan Cortes Conquers Mexico (1519-1526)
 * A- ** Hernan Cortes (Conquistador from Spain) and he is a first-hand source.
 * PT- ** Written on October 30, 1520 and sent from Segura de a Frontera.
 * PK- ** Spain was expanding their religion. Prior to the exploration the Portuguese found a route to Africa. Columbus discovered the West Indies 20 years earlier and found new treasures. Wanted more power and gold.
 * A- ** To the Emperor of Spain. Affects reliability because it could be bias and Cortes could have lied to impress his superior.
 * R- ** Written to the King and Queen to convince them to continue funding Cortes’ explorations and to prove he found a new land of value.
 * TMI **** - ** The source conveys the value and importance of the expedition to Mexico. Cortes describes the great riches and techniques that the people of Aztecs use. He also explains about his encounters and the why the Aztec people think of him as a god.
 * S- ** The source tells us about the customs of the Aztecs, the encounter of the Aztecs and Spaniards, and it is the beginning of the Americas development.

 II. Aztecs Chroniclers Describe the Spanish Conquest of Mexico (1519)
 * A- ** Bernardino de Sahagun. Collected data of the Aztec history in 1529.
 * PT- ** In 1529, but was history form 1519.
 * PK- ** Spain was expanding their religion. Cortes concurred the Aztecs in 1521. Columbus was cruel to the Natives. Spain’s main goal was to conquer, spread, and profit.
 * A- ** Historical document with no specific reader intended. Does not affect the reliability.
 * R- ** Produced as a historical document to look back at.
 * TMI **** - ** The source conveys the attitude of the Spanish Conquistadors and the way the Aztecs were treated and disrespected.
 * S- ** The source tells us about the customs of the Aztecs, the encounter of the Aztecs and Spaniards, and the Aztec’s point of view of the encounter.

Compare and Contrast The letter Cortes sent to his Emperor and the story given by the Aztec civilian greatly differ. The letter contains no violence towards the Aztecs and seems as though the Aztecs love Cortes and the Spaniards. However the historal document states the complete opposite. It is written that Cortes and his men attack the Aztecs during a ritual. Cortes also speaks very high of himself and the Spaniards in his version and the Aztecs do not. The reliability in each piece is another determinant. Most likely, Cortes twisted the story to appear better and more important to the King of Spain, but the Aztecs could have done the same thing to make the Spaniards look bad.