Case Study Three: Aztec and Spanish Worldviews PDF

Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 224 CASE STUDY THREE How Does Intercultural Contact Impact the Worldviews of Societies? Two societie...

Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 224 CASE STUDY THREE How Does Intercultural Contact Impact the Worldviews of Societies? Two societies, both wealthy and powerful. Two societies building empires, yet completely unknown to each other. In the European Age of Exploration, Spain was beginning to sail the world and was poised to become the first European nation to discover the peoples and wealth of what they called the New World. The Aztec of what is now Mexico were about to meet these unknown Europeans. Their society Spanish events was about to be changed forever. Aztec events shared events 600 Spanish Aztec 711 Moors control southern Iberian Peninsula 1100 Leave homeland, Aztlan 700 1085 Spanish conquistadors capture 1200 Arrive in Valley of Mexico Toledo 1250 Settle near Lake Texcoco 1479 Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella 1300 Build first temple at Tenochtitlan 800 of Castile marry 1376 Acamapichtli becomes leader 1492 Spanish conquistadors expel last of the Moors 1428 Itzcoatl becomes leader Spanish Inquisition begins 900 Triple Alliance is formed Christopher Columbus claims 1440 Moctezuma I becomes emperor America for Spain Alliance controls all of the Valley 1492–1519 Spanish settle Cuba and of Mexico except Tlaxcala Hispanola 1000 1502 Moctezuma II becomes emperor Spanish explore coast of Yucatan 1519 Moctezuma II meets Cortés in 1519 February: Cortés lands on shores Tenochtitlan of Mexico 1100 Cortés takes Moctezuma hostage November: Cortés meets Moctezuma in Tenochtitlan 1520 Spanish massacre Aztec during Cortés takes Moctezuma hostage religious festival Noche Triste — Aztec kill 1520 Spanish massacre Aztec during 1200 700 Spaniards and religious festival 2000–3000 Tlaxcalans Noche Triste — Aztec kill Moctezuma II killed 700 Spaniards and Cuitlahuac becomes ruler 2000–3000 Tlaxcalans 1300 Thousands of Aztec die from 1521 Spanish defeat Aztec smallpox Aztec Empire collapses Cuitlahuac dies Cuauhtemoc becomes ruler 1522 Cortés takes control 1400 Aztec society destroyed 1521 Spanish defeat Aztec Aztec Empire collapses 1550 Spain controls worldwide empire 1522 Cortés takes control 1500 Aztec society destroyed 224 1600 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 225 As you study these two societies of the early 16th century, you will learn about the influences that shaped their worldview (geography, contact with other groups, ideas and knowledge) discover how they lived (their social systems, political and economic systems, and culture) understand why the Spanish were able to defeat the Aztec understand how the worldviews of both societies affected their contact with each other Chapter 7: How Did Geography and History A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e Spanish? Chapter 8: How Did the Aztec and the S p a n i s h Wa y s o f L i f e R e f l e c t T h e i r Wo r l d v i e w s ? C h a p t e r 9 : H o w D i d C o n f l i c t i n g Wo r l d v i e w s Lead to the Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Civilization? THINK ABOUT IT Read about the key events in the histories of the Spanish and the Aztec by examining the timeline on page 224. When did these two societies come into contact with each other? What do you think happened? Recall what you learned about the European attitudes to Indigenous peoples during the Age of Exploration. Predict what the Spanish would have thought of the Aztec. Think about what the Aztec would have thought of the Spanish. List the questions that you want to research about the Aztec view of the Spanish. 225 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 226 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 CHAPTER 7 How Did Geography and History Affect the Worldviews of the Aztec and the Spanish? The Aztec and the Spanish of 1500 had very different worldviews, yet they both became powerful and controlled vast empires. Geography Why do some societies become more powerful than others? How does worldview contribute to the development of powerful societies and states? Worldview: Values and In this chapter, you will explore how the worldviews of the Beliefs Aztec and the Spanish were shaped by their physical world, Contact the people they came into contact with, and their beliefs, ideas, Ideas and with other knowledge and knowledge. groups As you work through chapter 7, you will explore answers to these questions: I wonder … what other How Did Geography Influence the Societies of the Aztec and the Spanish? questions might be asked? How Did the History of the Aztec Affect Their Worldview? How Did the History of Spain Affect Its Worldview? Focus on Inquiry: How Did Geography Influence the Pre-Columbian Aztec Worldview? How Did Contact with the Moors Influence Spain? How Did Contact with Other Meso-American Societies Influence the Aztec? How Did the Aztec Emperors Become the Most Powerful Rulers in the Valley of Mexico? How Did the Spanish Monarchy Become So Powerful? What Aspects of Worldviews Are Reflected in Creation Stories? 226 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 227 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? Worldview Investigation Imagine the first contact between two groups who come from very different places with different histories and different worldviews. This Think about what might happened all the time during the Age of Exploration, but today, we know happen if the people of Earth make contact with about even the remotest societies. It is unlikely that we will find more beings from another unknown societies on this planet. But imagine if we ever came into contact world. How would our with beings from another planet. How do you think the people of Earth worldviews affect what would react? In many science fiction stories, humans respond with we do? violence; these beings are usually shown as dangerous. Imagine what they might really be like. How would we really respond? In the Worldview Investigations in this case study, you will develop a simulation to explore these questions. In chapters 7 and 8, you will work in groups to create information and artifacts about imaginary societies of another planet. In chapter 9, you will share your simulation with the class. The class will decide how to respond to your beings. Begin by creating a collection of evidence about the inhabitants, their worldview, and the factors that have shaped it: geography, ideas and knowledge, and contact with other groups. This hypothetical 1. Create a map of the home world of the beings from another planet. situation may not be so far-fetched. Exploration Include enough detail so the geographic problems and challenges of space has discovered they face are clear. many solar systems 2. Create a timeline showing the history of the beings. Include when with a variety of certain ideas and knowledge were discovered and important contacts planets, some of which with other groups. could support life. The United States 3. Create other artifacts, such as creation stories, biographies of government supports important citizens, and drawings or photographs of important SETI, the Search for inventions. Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, which 4. Use the shared folder on the computer to hold all the simulation files. listens for transmissions from beings on distant In this chapter, you will learn how the geography and histories of the planets. Suppose that Aztec and the Spanish influenced their worldviews. Their societies were they intercept messages completely unknown to each other. Imagine, as you have in this Worldview from another world. Investigation, how this might affect what happened when they met. Folders and Files SKILLS CENTRE A shared folder is located on one computer, usually a file server, and is Turn to How to Interpret available to several people at once over the class or school network. Learn and Make Maps in the how to access a shared folder and do the following: Skills Centre to review Use Save as to select the group’s shared folder or to save to your how to use technology to make a map. personal folder. Within a folder, create other folders to organize files. The file extension indicates what type of file it is. For example, file names that end in.ppt are slideshows. Files that end in.doc are word processing files. Files that end in.jpg are images. 227 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 228 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 How Did Geography Influence the Societies of the Aztec and the Spanish? The Aztec plateau: a large raised area of Mexico is a land of great diversity. The geography of Mexico includes mostly level land deserts, mountains, tropical forests, ranchland, rich farmland, and seacoasts on the east and west. In the present time, it is bordered by the United States to the north, the Gulf of Mexico to the east, the Caribbean Sea, Belize, and Guatemala to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean on the west and south. The two largest rivers, the Rio Grande and the Usamacinta, run through Mexico, one in the northwest and one in the southeast. Other smaller rivers empty mainly into the Gulf of Mexico. Much of northern Mexico is desert. The harsh Chihuahua Desert covers the central and eastern part of Mexico, and the Sonoran Desert covers north-central Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. Today, only 10% of the land in Mexico can produce crops. Most of the major mountain ranges are located in the central plateau of Mexico. Some of the mountain peaks are 3000 metres high. The large basin, 60 kilometres wide and 80 kilometres long, situated between the mountain ranges, is referred to as the Valley of Mexico. Temperatures are almost always springlike in the valley. Despite being so far south, the altitude moderates the temperature. Southern Mexico has dense forests and a tropical climate with lots of rainfall. Tropical beaches line both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Relief of Mexico Geography of Mexico N N UNITED STATES UNITED STATES W E W E SONORAN Ri S S o DESERT Gr an de CHIHUAHUA Gulf of DESERT Gulf of Mexico Mexico Pacific Pacific Ocean Ocean VALLEY OF MEXICO Usamacinta Elevation in metres Deserts above sea level BELIZE ALA Mountains Over 2000 M ATE 1000 – 2000 Rainforest GU Less than 1000 0 500 km Tropical forests 0 500 km 228 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 229 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? Look at the map of pre-Columbian societies in Meso-America. Most pre-Columbian: referring to of the original societies, including the Aztec, lived in the central basin, the time in the Americas before Columbus arrived the Valley of Mexico. At this time, the basin had plenty of water from a system of five shallow lakes, the largest one being Lake Texcoco saline: salty; consisting (taysh-KOE-koe). The lakes affected the climate of the lands surrounding of salt them. Lake Texcoco was at the lowest elevation in the Valley, so all ecological zone: a physical drainage flowed into it, making it saline. This meant that the soil area with specific traits of climate, soil, altitude, and around the lake was also saline and not suitable for agriculture. so on that determine its The Valley of Mexico became the centre of the Aztec civilization. particular plants and The larger cities of the empire, located around the lakes, had only animals small agricultural areas around them. As populations increased, more city dwellers had to rely on the farmers in outlying areas to meet their food needs. This had an effect on the social system. The nobility and elite always lived in the cities. The people in the outlying areas were usually farmers and others who made use of natural resources. There were different ecological zones within the Mexican basin. As a result, the people who worked the land developed a variety of farming techniques and grew different kinds of food in each zone. This diversity of resources from the different regions led to the development of a market system for the distribution of food and other items. Canals and waterways became the main means of transportation. Mexico’s central plateau Pre-Columbian Meso-America The group we know as the Aztec called N themselves the Mexica (may-SHEE-kah). This is W E the origin of the name Gulf of VALLEY Mexico of the country Mexico. S OF MEXICO Tula Teotihuacan Tenochtitlan The terms pre-Columbian and the Americas are OLMEC MAYA defining people and lands from a European Monte Alban ethnocentric viewpoint. OAXACA The Indigenous societies of the continent did not Pacific define themselves in Ocean relation to Columbus or as living in the Americas. 0 300 km 229 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 230 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 The Spanish Spain occupies about 80% of the Iberian Peninsula. The Mediterranean Sea is on the southeast side of Spain, the Atlantic Ocean is on the west side, and the Strait of Gibraltar separates it from Africa. Towards the end of the 15th century, the Spanish monarchs wanted to increase the wealth and prestige of Spain by exploring and colonizing new lands. Spain’s location on the Atlantic Ocean was an important factor in their decision. Spaniards living in the coastal regions were already used to travelling the seas for fishing and trading. Spain has several large mountain ranges. The Pyrenees is the largest range and separates Spain from France on the north and northeast. The Pyrenees block easy access to the rest of Europe. The main rivers of Spain flow west to the Atlantic Ocean and south to the Mediterranean Sea. Almost all of the rivers are fast flowing and difficult to navigate. Relief of the Iberian Peninsula Geography of the Iberian Peninsula N N FRANCE FRANCE W E W E S S Eb ro Douro Atlantic MESETA Ocean Tagus CENTRAL Sea Sea nean nean iterra iterra Me d Me d Elevation in metres above sea level Over 2000 Atlantic Strait of 1000 – 2000 Ocean Gibraltar 0 200 km Less than 1000 0 200 km Traditional windmills of La Mancha in the meseta, the central plateau of Spain 230 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 231 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? The central plateau of Spain, called the Meseta Central, is almost semi-nomadic: partially treeless. The summers are so dry that droughts are frequent. The area settled and partially moving around is divided into northern and southern sections by irregular mountain ranges or sierras. There are narrow valleys between many of the incentive: a motivation mountains. The central region of Spain is quite isolated from the rest of Spain and from Europe. The northern coastal plain is very narrow, often no more than 30 kilometres wide. It is often broken up by mountains that descend to the sea and form rocky cliffs. The best harbours are located in the northwestern coastal area. The climate of Spain is generally rainy in the north and moderated by the ocean; the winters are mild and summers are cool, with only slight variations in temperature. The southern two-thirds of the country is very dry with very little rainfall. In Seville, Cordoba, and Granada, the summer temperatures often reach 50° Celsius. When it does rain in these areas, the storms are often intense but short. Most of Spain receives very little precipitation. Throughout most of its history, Spain was made up of individual kingdoms. The mountains and the difficulty in navigating the rivers were often the dividing lines between these separate kingdoms. This regionalism helped shape Spain’s history and culture. REFLECT AND RESPOND 1. Many Meso-American civilizations, including the Aztec, established themselves around the lakes of the Valley of Mexico. Brainstorm the advantages this location provided to these societies. 2. a. Imagine what a semi-nomadic lifestyle would have been like in the harsh northern desert. Describe how the people would meet their basic needs of water, food, shelter, and social interaction. How might meeting these needs in this environment affect the values and beliefs of the Mexica? b. How might the worldview of groups living in the northern desert areas of Mexico differ from those living in the tropical south? 3. Examine the maps of the Iberian Peninsula on page 230. In what ways might the worldview of individuals living in the interior of Spain in 1500 have been different from those living along the coastline? Explain your reasoning. 4. In the 1500s, Spain established the largest overseas empire of any European country. Look at the map of the Iberian Peninsula. Explain why Spain’s location and geography would have been an incentive for exploration. 5. What are some of the ways in which Alberta’s geography affects our lifestyle? What might Alberta’s geography contribute to our worldviews? 231 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 232 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 How Did the History of the Aztec Affect Their Worldview? The Long Migration codex: an ancient The Aztec, who originally referred to themselves as the Mexica manuscript in book form (may-SHEE-kah), were one of several Nahuatl-speaking (NAH-watl) destiny: all that is supposedly groups that included the Culhua-Mexica (KOOL-hwa-may-SHEE-kah), predetermined to happen to the Mexica, and the Tenocha (tay-NOH-chah) who left the desert-like someone or something in country of northern Mexico and migrated southward over many, spite of all efforts to change many years. Related groups, such as the Comanche and Shoshone or prevent it Nations, moved northward into the plains and Rocky Mountain regions of what is now the United States. Aztec (Mexica) origin The pronunciation of stories tell of their leaving their homeland, Aztlan, an island city in Nahuatl words may be the middle of a lake, probably far northwest of present-day Mexico difficult at first because City, around 1100. For 200 years, they led a semi-nomadic life Nahuatl uses letters in different combinations looking for a sign that would tell them where to settle. After a long and sound patterns than and difficult migration, they finally reached the Valley of Mexico. European languages. Throughout their migration, they followed what they believed I wonder … how close were the orders of their patron god, Huitzilopochtli (weets-eel-oh- are the Comanche and POTCH-tlee), who spoke to their priests. On instructions from Shoshone languages to Huitzilopochtli, the priests would force their followers to keep the Nahuatl language moving. The Aztec followed these instructions and continued their used by the Aztec? difficult journey southward through the desert. They believed they were the chosen people of Huitzilopochtli, the god who would lead them to the land of their destiny. One story tells that the Mexica left Aztlan because they had offended their main god, Huitzilopochtli, by cutting down a forbidden tree. They were forced to wander until their god told them where to settle. Aztec drawing from the Boturini Codex showing a part of their long migration 232 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 233 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? Their devotion to Huitzilopochtli often created many hardships. incarnation: a deity or spirit When he told them to move, they did so, even if there was no time taking a physical form to harvest their crops. Sometime during the 12th or 13th century, after several Legend has it that the generations of working their way southward, the Aztec came to the Culhua (KOOL-wah), the Valley of Mexico, led by their chieftain, Tenoch. most powerful society The region was already occupied by a large number of city-states. in the Valley, forced the When the Aztec arrived in the Valley, the best lands were already Aztec to live on the taken. The societies of the established city-states considered the Aztec rocky land of Tizapan (tee-SAH-pahn), an area to be a barbarous and uncultured people. As a result, they were driven full of poisonous snakes. from one location to another and not allowed to settle in one place. The Culhua thought the However, by the 14th century, many of these city-states established snakes would kill the alliances and formed confederations. Among the confederations were Aztec. To their surprise, the independent societies of the Tepanecs (tay-PAH-nakes), Cholulas the Aztec captured the (choh-LOO-lahs), and Tlaxcalans (tlahsh-KAH-lahns). These societies snakes and roasted them for food. would have conflicts with the Aztec. I wonder … what did the Culhua think about the Aztec after they survived the poisonous snakes? Huitzilopochtli: The Patron God The creation stories of the origin of the Mexica and their migration include stories of the birth of Huitzilopochtli, the main god of the Most cultures have Aztec. The Aztec believed he was the incarnation of the stories and beliefs sun and struggled against the forces of night to keep about the creation of the world and the humans alive. In one story, the old goddess origins of its people. Coatlicue (koh-ah-TLEE-kway) found herself pregnant. Her eldest daughter, I wonder … what are some creation stories Coyolxauhqui (koh-yohl-SHAHW-kee), believed by cultures in convinced her 400 brothers to assist Canada today? her in killing their mother. The unborn Huitzilopochtli learned of the plot and just in time, burst from Coatlicue’s belly fully grown and fully armed. He killed Coyolxauhqui and her brothers. Coyolxauhqui rose to become the moon and the brothers rose to become the stars. The Aztec believed that Huitzilopochtli became the sun, which battled and overcame the moon and stars each day as he rose into the sky. Aztec god Huitzilopochtli, from the Florentine Codex 233 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 234 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 Te n o c h t i t l a n , T h e C i t y o f Te n o c h The heart fell onto a stone, and from that heart sprouted a nopal cactus which is now so large and beautiful that an eagle makes his nest [there] … You will find [him] at all hours of the day, and around him you will see scattered many feathers — green, blue, red, yellow and white … And to this place … I give the name Tenochtitlan. — Eduardo Moctezuma, late 20th century After being forced to keep moving for so many years, the Aztec finally The Founding of Tenochtitlan. settled on a swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. They knew The eagle symbolizes both this was the land of their destiny, for they saw an eagle perched on a the sun and Huitzilopochtli; the red fruit of the cactus nopal cactus, holding a rattlesnake — the sign that had been foretold represents the human hearts to their leader, Tenoch, by the god Huitzilopochtli. At that location, offered as sacrifice. he and his people were to build their city and honour Huitzilopochtli. 234 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 235 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? The city they built was called Tenochtitlan (tay-noach-tee-TLAHN), the city of Tenoch. The lands surrounding Tenochtitlan were occupied by the three most powerful societies in the Valley: the Chichimec (chee-CHEE-make), the Culhuacan (kool-WAK-kahn), and the Tepanec. Although the Aztec settled, they still had to deal with continuing tensions with the neighbouring peoples on the mainland. Despite these problems, they worked hard to improve the quality of their lives. In order to survive these difficult times, many Aztec worked as mercenaries and servants for their most powerful neighbours, the I wonder … what other Tepanec. They had learned patience, toughness, and other traits during cities in the world use their migration and they had become ferocious warriors. They were canals as streets? skilled, hard workers. They built aqueducts to bring fresh water to the island city and connected the city to the mainland by three causeways. Tenochtitlan proved to be an excellent site. The Aztec could travel by water to trade with other city-states along the lakes in the Valley. By 1500, the city was larger than any city in Europe. Historians believe at least 1 000 000 people lived in the Valley, with over 150 000 living on the island city alone. The limited access to the city through the causeways provided protection from possible attacks. Information gained from Over time, the Aztec absorbed the manners and traditions of the archaeological studies illustrates that as long societies around them. Their traditional society had been based on ago as 7500 BCE, people constant movement, but after settling at Lake Texcoco, they began were hunting huge to develop a new culture built on the history of their migration, their mammoths in the strong religious beliefs, and the legacy of societies that had flourished central Valley of Mexico. before them. REFLECT AND RESPOND Form groups and choose two of the following to discuss: 1. Imagine that you are a teenaged boy or girl travelling with the Aztec during their long migration. What types of hardships might you have to endure? Do you think that people who experience hardships would have a different worldview than those whose lives are easier? Explain. 2. What personal qualities would the Aztec have had to develop in order to survive their difficult journey? 3. Huitzilopochtli is described as a demanding god. Why do you think it was important for the Aztec to believe that they had a patron god? Why do you think they believed he took on the role of the sun and not that of another heavenly body? 4. How might the Aztec destiny have been different if their belief in Huitzilopochtli had not been so unquestioning? 5. The Aztec eventually build an empire in Meso-America. How might the Aztec worldview have been influenced by how they were treated by other societies? Explain. 235 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 236 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 How Did the History of Spain Affect Its Worldview? Through its history, the Iberian Peninsula had successive waves of invasion and colonization by different peoples. The Romans arrived around the beginning of the 3rd century and maintained power until the 5th century. The legacy left by the Romans included a Christian belief system. Northern European tribes that included Ostrogoths, Franks, and the Visigoths then established themselves in much of southern Europe and throughout the peninsula. These groups also followed the Christian faith and dominated the peninsula until 711 when the Moors crossed over the Strait of Gibraltar from North Africa. They dominated most of the southern region of the peninsula, called Al-Andalus. The Reconquista Muslim rule in Spain lasted more than 700 years. From the 1100s on, Cordoba and then Granada became important cultural centres in Europe. Muslims, Jews, and Christians were all allowed to practise their own beliefs. A few northern regions, however, resisted the Muslim invaders and remained Christian. Over the centuries, the Christian kingdoms became more powerful and continuously struggled to take back the southern lands ruled by the Muslims. At this time, the people in most of Europe followed only one religion, Christianity. Muslims and Jews were often not accepted in the rest of Europe because they were not Christians. Iberian Peninsula, 1147 N KINGDOM OF FRANCE W E KINGDOM OF NAVARRE S COUNTY OF BARCELONA KINGDOM OF KINGDOM OF CASTILE AND LEON ARAGON KINGDOM OF Atlantic PORTUGAL Ocean Sea nean iterra Me d Controlled by Moors 0 200 km 236 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 237 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? The move to retake the Iberian land under Muslim control, the conquistador: one who reconquest, was called the Reconquista in Spanish. The Reconquista conquers; specifically, a leader in the Spanish was first led by the rulers of the Kingdom of Castile who captured conquest of America and the Muslim city of Toledo in 1085. During the 1100s, the rulers of especially of Mexico and Aragon and Catalonia united their armies to fight the Muslims. The Peru in the 16th century pope declared his support for this crusade in the 1200s, and Castile captured the cities of Cordoba and Cadiz. The Muslims now held only the one small kingdom, Granada, in southern Spain. Granada was captured by the conquistadors of King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella I in 1492; Moorish control of Spain was now over. These wars between the Moors and the kingdoms of Spain were intermittent, but lasted for over 700 years. Many Christians believed that it was their duty to carry forth the word of God and convert non-believers to Roman Catholicism. Spanish conquistadors carried on this tradition, as they felt they were fighting for God and for their country. They fought for both religious and nationalistic reasons. Although the Muslims were defeated, there were still many separate kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula with regional loyalties. The two largest kingdoms, Aragon and Castile, were unified with the marriage of Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile who became king and queen of the combined areas in 1479. At this time, Spain was not yet a nation as we know it today; the Iberian Peninsula was made up of several kingdoms brought under the authority of the monarchy. Conquistador sword and armour belonging to King Charles V. The photo also shows a letter written by Cortés to the king. The Reconquista, 1147–1269 N KINGDOM OF FRANCE W E KINGDOM OF S NAVARRE KINGDOM OF KINGDOM OF CASTILE AND LEON ARAGON KINGDOM Atlantic OF Ocean PORTUGAL Sea nean iterra Me d GRANADA Taken from Moors 0 200 km 237 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 238 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 Spanish Inquisition The Spanish believed the conquistadors At this time, throughout most of Europe, a citizen was considered a symbolized the ideal loyal subject only if he or she practised the same religious beliefs as man: an individual who the ruler in power. After the Reconquista, the Roman Catholic faith was a dedicated Roman was considered the only true faith in Spain. Ferdinand and Isabella Catholic, a strong and used this to their advantage. Isabella, in particular, believed that the valiant soldier, and a proud Spaniard. The country would be united only if everyone followed one religion. idealized conquistador Ferdinand saw the struggles around religion as an opportunity to was similar to a control the people. In 1492, the two Roman Catholic monarchs medieval knight. reinstated the Spanish Inquisition. The Inquisition was both a civil and a religious court. Originally, the court was set up to judge if the Jews and Muslims who had converted to Roman Catholicism were true Roman Catholics. Soon it was judging any citizen who was accused of not following the Roman Catholic faith. If the court Following the Protestant found an individual guilty, punishment could include confinement Reformation in Europe, to dungeons, torture, or death. If an individual was simply accused, many individuals began but not proven guilty, property was confiscated and the person was to realize that one could forbidden from holding any public office. Eventually, all Jews and be a loyal citizen of the state and yet follow Muslims, including those who had converted to Roman Catholicism, religious beliefs that were expelled from Spain even though many of their families had differed from their ruler. lived in Spain for 700 years. The Spanish Inquisition did not officially end until 1834. Desire for Exploration The Reconquista came at a time in history when Western Europeans were benefiting from better economies, new technologies, and more stable government institutions. Spain was ruled by a strong new monarchy. Ferdinand and Isabella proved to be competent rulers who worked to extend the powers of Spain. The Spanish were developing a strong desire for exploration to new, undiscovered lands because the routes to the East around Africa had already been explored by other countries. They looked in two directions for expansion: towards the Western Mediterranean and west across the Atlantic. In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed west across the Atlantic, reaching land in the Caribbean and claiming it for Spain. 238 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 239 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? As the Spanish monarchy began to build its empire, it had religious, economic, and political motives. The monarchy felt that an empire should serve Spain economically. Ferdinand and Isabella dealt with any new lands the same way they did with the Iberian kingdoms recaptured during the Reconquista: resources and goods from anywhere within the empire were considered the rightful property of Spain. They also sent missionaries to these lands to teach the beliefs and customs of the Roman Catholic Church. When the conquistadors came into contact with societies of the New World, they carried forth the idea that they were serving both God and country. Spanish ethnocentrism led them to regard their culture and religion as far superior to any other; they treated other cultures and religions as inferior. They used these attitudes to justify their harsh treatment of the peoples they conquered and their forced conversion to Roman Catholicism. From a tapestry showing the meeting of Columbus with Ferdinand and Isabella. With the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella in 1479, most of Europe treated the two kingdoms, Aragon and Castile, as being unified. However, Ferdinand and Isabella really just laid the foundation for a unified Spain. Even under their rule, the two regions continued to have separate parliaments and laws, and remained quite distinct from each other. It was not until 1715 that a united constitution was established to formally join them together. REFLECT AND RESPOND 1. Explain why the worldview of Spain might have been different from other Western European kingdoms. Consider the effects of both Spain’s geography and history. 2. In what ways might the wars to unite the country have influenced the Spanish worldview? 3. Many Jews and Muslims outwardly converted to Roman Catholicism but continued to practise their religion in private. What would have been their reasons to outwardly convert? How did the forced conversions reflect the Spanish worldview of the time? 4. What does the desire for new lands tell you about the Spanish worldview at this time? 239 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 240 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 FOCUS ON INQUIRY How Did Geography Influence the Pre-Columbian Aztec Worldview? Meso-America (1519) SIERRA refers to a geographic N SIE region in which MAD RR VALLEY Gulf of A many of the cultures RE O OF Mexico M MEXICO E shared common W AD CC RE IDE characteristics such as S NT OR AL religion, dress, trade, IEN TA agriculture, lifestyle, L and technology. SIER RA MAD It refers to the area RE DE L SUR between North America and South Pacific America, in particular, Ocean the areas of present- 0 300 km day Mexico and Central America. Tenochtitlan and Area, 1519 H i s t o r y Te l l s U s … The Mexica (or Aztec) legendary search for N a new homeland ended in the part of Meso- America known as the Valley of Mexico. W E This high central Mexican plateau provided S Lake Zumpango Lake all the essentials of life: water; rich, deep soil; Xaltocan Teotihuacan all kinds of plant and animal life; and a comfortable climate. Surrounded by forested mountain ranges on three sides, and large hills on the fourth, Lake Texcoco Texcoco the area was easy to protect from invaders. Tlatelolco One of the ranges, the Sierra Madres, had Tlacopan Chapultepec Tenochtitlan rich deposits of gold and silver. The large interconnected lakes covering the length of Coyoacan the Valley provided a reliable source of water Lake Lake Xochimilco Chalco and a fast and efficient transportation system. Xochimilco Chalco Cuitlahuac All of these features were part of the geography of the area. Not to scale Within 100 years of their arrival in the Valley, the Aztec had become the most Tenochtitlan was built on an island on prosperous community in the Valley. They Lake Texcoco, one of the two saltwater lakes. formed alliances with the stronger city-states, The other lakes in the Valley were freshwater and within 200 years of their arrival, controlled lakes. Why would it be useful to the peoples much of Meso-America from the Pacific to of the Valley to have both kinds of lakes? the Caribbean. 240 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 241 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? U s i n g Yo u r I n q u i r y S k i l l s In this activity, you will be using skills related to the Processing phase of Planning the Inquiry Model. You will create and use a topographic map of the Valley of Mexico in 1500 to explain how geography influenced the Creating Reflecting Retrieving Aztec worldview. and and Sharing Evaluating How did geography influence the pre-Columbian Aztec worldview? Processing Processing Phase Step 1 — Choose pertinent information I wonder … why Geography and create a map wouldn’t the Internet be the Use resources such as historical atlases, your text, best source for other school library resources, and an outline Worldview: finding map map of Meso-America. Values and features, especially Beliefs for 500 years ago? Draw the topographical features of the Contact Valley of Mexico during pre-Columbian Ideas and with other knowledge times. groups Label major cities, lakes, volcanoes, and mountain ranges. Use symbols to identify farming areas, forested areas, causeways, aqueducts, and the gold and silver mines of the Sierra Madres. Include other interesting features such as terraces and dikes. Step 2 — Make connections and inferences According to your map and other sources, the Aztec lived in a highly populated region with good farmland; lots of natural resources; fresh and salt water; waterways for transportation; fuel for cooking, heat, and light; a mild climate; plenty of fish and wild game; and plentiful and varied foods and spices. As a class, review what you have already learned about worldview from other case studies. Then, brainstorm how the three elements of the Aztec worldview in 1500 might have been influenced by their location or geography? Step 3 — Share your understandings Use your topographic map to help explain to a partner or group how you think geography influenced the Aztec worldview. Reflecting and Evaluating Phase Working alone, think about what you learned about the Processing phase of the inquiry process. What types of activities are done during the Processing phase? What parts of this inquiry did you find most challenging and/or frustrating? Which geographical feature do you think most impacted the Aztec worldview? 241 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 242 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 How Did Contact with the Moors Influence Spain? For almost 700 years, the Islamic Empire controlled a huge empire Over 4000 Spanish stretching through Asia, northern Africa, and into the Iberian words came from the Peninsula. However, it never had control over the rest of western Arabic language. Europe. When the Moors conquered regions of the Iberian Peninsula, they imported their Islamic culture. During the Middle Ages, the epoch: a period of city of Cordoba, in southern Spain, was looked upon by all of Europe history marked by as a major centre of learning and the arts. The library in Cordoba notable events contained some 600 000 manuscripts. Historian James Cleuge explains the importance of Cordoba in his book Spain in the Modern World. For there was nothing like it, at the epoch, in the rest of Europe. The best minds in that continent looked to Spain for everything which most clearly differentiates a human being from a tiger. The legacy left by the Muslims influenced Spanish learning, architecture, and design. The Muslims had developed magnificent architectural styles and exquisite mosaic tiles and carpets. Since Islam prohibited the depiction of the human or animal form in artwork, geometrical shapes were used in sculpture and art. Muslim scholars, along with Jewish scholars, were involved in the revival of the study of ancient Greek and Roman culture and philosophy. The legacy included the following: important schools of astronomy, mathematics, and architecture illuminated manuscripts and murals from the 9th and 10th centuries that showed the strong influence of the Islamic and Byzantine artistic style known as Mozarabic. Mozarabic is known as the first genuinely Spanish national art Mozarabic manuscript illumination of the Angel and the Dragon Avarroes, also called Ibn Rushd (1126–1198), from Cordoba, was regarded by medieval Europeans as the greatest scholar of the Muslim world. He was a doctor of medicine, a philosopher, and a judge. He became the chief judge in Cordoba and the personal physician of the Muslim rulers. He is most famous for his commentaries on the works of Aristotle. Moses Maimonides (1135–1204) was a Jewish philosopher, physician, and jurist. He is considered the greatest intellectual of medieval Judaism. His contributions in religion, medicine, and philosophy are greatly valued. Maimonides wrote both in Arabic and Hebrew. 242 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:34 PM Page 243 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? great libraries containing books on varied topics such as architecture, astrology, astronomy, pharmacology, psychology, zoology, botany, optics, chemistry, physics, mathematics, navigation, and history a large collection of classical documents, especially works of the ancient philosophers such as Aristotle. These classical works were first translated from Greek into Arabic, and then later into Latin by the Spaniards. The books revealed the Greek belief in questioning and in logic, ideas that were later used by the European humanists. At this time, many Jewish scholars translated important works from Arabic to Hebrew. beautiful buildings that included enclosed courtyards with fountains and decorative tiles. Magnificent palaces and mosques were built in the cities. The Great Mosque of Cordoba is one of the most famous Moorish structures. REFLECT AND RESPOND 1. How might the legacy of the Moors have influenced the Spanish worldview so that it supported exploration and becoming an imperialist state? 2. Do you think expelling Jews and Muslims ended up harming Spain in any way? Explain. The Great Mosque of Cordoba was begun between 784 and 786 during the reign of ‘Abd al-Rahman I, who escaped from Syria to the Iberian Peninsula after his family was massacred by a rival political dynasty. The double arches in the interior of the Great Mosque are found throughout Islamic architecture at this time. 243 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:35 PM Page 244 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 How Did Contact with Other Meso-American Societies Influence the Aztec? Each of the Meso-American societies had its own unique customs and traditions. The societies also had many similarities because they all had incorporated the ideas and beliefs of the ancient Meso-American civilizations that had existed before them. In Meso-America, cultures of the past greatly influenced the societies that came after them. Earlier Societies of Meso-America The three greatest earlier civilizations in the Valley of Mexico were the Olmec (OHL-make) (1200 to 400 BCE), the Teotihuacan (tay-oh-tee- WAHK-ahn) (peak of power between 150 and 450), and the Toltec (TOHL-take) (900 to 1150). The Olmec The Olmec are said to be the founding society, or mother culture, of all Meso-American civilizations. They lived in the lowlands near the Gulf of Mexico in the south-central part of Mexico now known as Veracruz. San Lorenzo is the oldest known Olmec centre. They are considered to be the greatest sculptors of the early Meso-American societies. Their most striking sculptures were the colossal heads. The Olmec had several gods, including a fire god, a rain god, a corn god, and the Feathered Serpent. Olmec head The Pyramid of the Sun in the city of Teotihuacan, 232 metres square and 79.5 metres high, was the largest structure in the Western hemisphere until a building to house the space program at Kennedy Space Centre was built in the late 1960s. 244 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:35 PM Page 245 H o w D i d G e o g r a p h y a n d H i s t o r y A f f e c t t h e Wo r l d v i e w s o f t h e A z t e c a n d t h e S p a n i s h ? T h e Te o t i h u a c a n The word Teotihuacan refers to the ancient civilization and to its altepetl: a Meso-American altepetl where a mysterious people dwelled. The altepetl was located city-state about 40 kilometres northeast of what is now Mexico City. The Aztec, who were impressed by the enormous ruins left behind by the Teotihuacan, believed it was a holy place where the sun, moon, and universe were created. The name meant “City of Gods.” In building their city of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec copied the way Teotihuacan was laid out into four quarters with two large avenues crossing at right angles and the temples in the city centre. Within the centre of Teotihuacan was a temple to the god Quetzalcoatl (kets-ahl-KOH-ahtl). T h e To l t e c The capital city of the Toltec was called Tula (TOO-lah), located about 100 kilometres northwest of present-day Mexico City. The Toltec society had the greatest impact on Aztec culture. The Aztec believed the Toltec were masters at creating a refined civilization. The Aztec wrote many poems and told many stories about the Toltec. Totems from the city of Tula 245 Gr8SS-AB-Ch07GOOD 2/25/07 10:35 PM Page 246 O u r Wo r l d v i e w s Chapter 7 The legacy of the ancient civilizations and the contact with different societies they encountered during their migrations influenced Aztec religious beliefs and practices, social structure, architecture, and art. Each time they lived among new people, they absorbed many of their customs and beliefs. They learned new skills that would help them survive their long journey. Later, these new skills helped them build a new city and create a new society at Tenochtitlan. By the time the Mexica settled, they had learned and modelled new behaviours and attitudes so that they were able to command respect from their neighbours. Some historians suggest the Aztec destroyed whatever form of documents they may have had of their life before they settled at Tenochtitlan in order to reinvent themselves as the direct descendants of past civilizations such as the Toltec. Effects of Other Meso-American Societies on Aztec Culture Religious Beliefs and Practices Social Systems Architecture and Art the belief that gods could take on different forms a hierarchical society with huge pyramid-shaped such as the jaguar (an earth mother goddess) both a noble class, priests, temples to honour the gods and the serpent (a water goddess) and commoners beautiful murals, large a belief in many gods, including Quetzalcoatl a government with a sculptures, and monuments (the gentle plumed serpent god), Tezcatlipoca strong central authority of both humans and (tays-caht-lee-POH-kah), Smoking Mirror (who