Broken spears book. Summary Of Broken Spears 2022-11-06
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The book "Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico" is a fascinating and thought-provoking work that offers a unique perspective on the events of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. It is a compilation of indigenous accounts of the conquest, translated and edited by Miguel León-Portilla, and provides a valuable counterpoint to the traditional European accounts of the period.
One of the key themes of the book is the devastating impact of the conquest on the Aztec civilization. León-Portilla's translations reveal the Aztecs' own perspectives on the events of the conquest, and the resulting narrative is one of tragedy and loss. The Aztecs describe the arrival of the Spanish as a disaster, and their accounts are filled with stories of death, destruction, and betrayal.
One of the most striking aspects of the book is the way in which it challenges the traditional narrative of the conquest as a triumphant victory for the Spanish. While European accounts of the period often portray the Spanish as heroic conquerors, the Aztec accounts reveal a different story. They depict the Spanish as ruthless and cruel, and the Aztecs as brave and determined in the face of overwhelming odds.
Another theme of the book is the role of religion in the conquest. The Aztecs were deeply religious people, and their accounts of the conquest are infused with religious themes and imagery. They describe the arrival of the Spanish as a divine punishment, and the destruction of their civilization as a result of their own religious failings. This highlights the cultural differences between the Aztecs and the Spanish, and the ways in which religion played a central role in shaping their respective worldviews.
In conclusion, "Broken Spears" is a powerful and thought-provoking book that offers a unique perspective on the events of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. It challenges the traditional narrative of the conquest as a triumphant victory for the Spanish, and instead reveals a story of tragedy and loss from the perspective of the Aztecs. The book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of the Americas, and the ways in which religion, culture, and power intersected during this tumultuous period.
Book Review Example: The Broken Spears
Classic account from Nahuatl texts of the battle between the Spaniards and Aztecs. Finally, his other avenues exhausted, he decided to give them offerings of gold and turquoise and quetzal feathers. Lastly, and I think most importantly, was the spread of small pox virus throughout the country. There're a lot of Mexican names which makes reading it a little bit uncomfortable -- By the way, it was one of my history class requirement, and that is why I am reading it. In stark contrast, the Aztecs humanized the "gods" stating in the nahuatl passages how greed consumed the barbarian's eyes at the sight of gold.
Broken Spears: A Maasai Journey by Elizabeth L. Gilbert
The present English edition, which first came out in 1962, has gone through numerous printings, with tens of thousands of copies sold since 1974. Ultimately, we contend that prevailing public and scholarly narratives that seek to pacify the Amerindian past are in effect predominantly Eurocentric creations that continue to tout an Amerindian past borne of little more than collective martyrology over substance and historical authenticity. León-Portilla's concise historical context and Broken Spears ' narrative is the exclusion of native forces allied with the Spanish Following these accounts, the monograph and its translated work concludes in the Aftermath, where León-Portilla highlights the "difficult relations that have always existed between the descendants of the Aztecs and their "others" — the colonial Spaniards and contemporary Mexicans. Looking back, it is amazing how, despite the fact that these are voices of the "defeated", they also permeated other voices and echoed for long enough to still be "heard" in the present. That is, while The Broken Spear: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico is an historical account that I never realized existed, or indeed, could have existed. It was strange reading of the first contact that happened when the Spanish arrived here in Mexico where I live. And on Novem Second read review April 2020: "We are crushed to the ground; we lie in ruins.
Broken spears or La visión de los vencidos in nahuatl, more info in the comments. : aztec
So, given this information, Moctezuma ordered his people to send the finest gifts to the new-comers, including a serpent mark inlaid with turquoise shells and decorated with gold and mother-of-pearl. Another issue may simply be that no additional perspective can make what happened readily comprehensible; it just staggers the brain and is hard to understand the logic behind the sequence events even though it seems to mainly lie in Monteczuma's indecision and fear. It's as refreshing as it was when it was first published many years ago. Malintzin was from the central Gulf Coast frontier between the Aztec and Maya worlds. If it is just to get a better understanding in a university course, or you are seeking to write a report for class, this is most certainly sufficient. Explore this book This Very Short Introduction employs the disciplines of history, religious studies, and anthropology as it illuminates the complexities of Aztec life.
That is, while the Aztecs were not exactly pre-literate, I thought the pictographic writings of the Aztecs had all been destroyed, along with most of their cultural artifacts, by zealous Christian Conquistadors and Roman Catholic priests. Over 120 images capture the rituals, secret ceremonies, and landscapes of the Maasai, documenting the life of this extraordinary tribe in the most comprehensive collection of photographs ever assembled. Leon-Portillo's constructed account of "the vision of the vanquished" has been somehow rejuvenated with new "Nahua" sources i. In the book the Broken Spears, he gives account to the different factors apart from Spanish power that led to the defeat of the Aztecs. From the time The Broken Spears was first published in 1959. I was taught at university that English was the only language my professors knew to have kept thein lan A must-read for all those interested in a history not often written: A history written by the nearly vanquished.
A History by the Defeated, for the Defeated History has always been written by the winners and for the winners. Some Coyotes are saying that we Nahuas will disappear, will vanish, our language will be heard no more, will be used no more. I have been herded in by the history that I was spoon fed through early education. Motecuhzoma received reports of ships that looked first like mountains and then like castle towers. Sometimes we hear that we Nahuas are vanishing, but the census figures speak very differently. The journey has tired you, but now you have arrived on the earth.
He summoned local seers so that he might learn more of these returning gods, but when the seers ran away from him, he had the One of my favourite genres is first-contact sci-fi, where mankind travels the stars to meet aliens on a distant planet or when those aliens come to meet us here. Compare And Contrast Christopher Columbus And Cortes 957 Words 4 Pages The Aztecs were quite different. Emiliano Zapata's statements , which confirm the continuity, and transformation, of this "vision" throughout time. . Told in the words of one of the most robust and memorable characters in modern fiction, Mixtli-Dark Cloud, Aztec reveals the very depths of Aztec civilization from the peak and feather-banner splendor of the Aztec Capital of Tenochtitlan to the arrival of Hernán Cortás and his conquistadores, and their destruction of the Aztec empire. David Carrasco looks beyond Spanish accounts that have colored much of the Western narrative to let Aztec voices speak about their origin stories, the cosmic significance of their capital city, their methods of child rearing, and the contributions women made to daily life and the empire. .
In an effort to reassert the role of the Amerindian warrior in assuring self-autonomy and assuming defense against European forces throughout the Americas, this essay will address three primary themes. The Spaniards took away so much pride and mandhood form the the Aztecs that their women told them they would no longer follow tradition of respect towards their men. The story of Mixtli is the story of the Aztecs themselves---a compelling, epic tale of heroic dignity and a colossal civilization's rise and fall. Mexico has a long history prior to the sixteenth-century Spanish conquest, none more fascinating than that of the Aztecs. It's a great compliment to any study of the origins of America and exploration. Motecuhzoma then sent wizards to assail the Spanish, but their magic failed. This introduction-the prelude to the Spanish seizure of Mexico City and to European colonization of the mainland of the Americas-has long been the symbol of Cortes's bold and brilliant military genius.
It served as a template for the forging of much of Latin America and initiated the globalized world we inhabit today. Broken Spears is the stunning result of that remarkable journey. This has never been truer than the account of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. It was strange reading of the first contact that happened when the Spanish arrived here in Mexico where I live. Why is it that they want us to disappear? In many ways this reminds me of Herodotus' "Histories," being that it is comprised of accounts, written down by natives at the behest of interested interviewers, within a generation of the actual events surrounding the fall of Tenochtitlan.
The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico by Miguel León
. Doesn't mean I loved reading every section of it as far as the art of the words and the sentences and all that fun stuff. The content is interesting and brings about the viewpoint of the conquest of mexico from the point of view of the conquered. But the Native Americans were intrigued by the Roman alphabet and, unbeknownst to the newcomers, they used it to write detailed histories in their own language of Nahuatl. The Aztecs, a nation possessing an intricate culture and complex political organisation, were destroyed and plundered beyond all recognition. However, I felt there was a lot to be gained just by understanding this loss.
Broken Spears: A Maasai Journey by Elizabeth L. Gilbert
That was what my professors of English and rhetoric knew. Good primer for thinking about all the fun historical questions, the poetry at the end is super interesting, a lot of the repetition or even sometimes mundane description of almost otherworldly events can hurt my enjoyment. I was, therefore, profoundly surprised to discover this text, which I had never remotely heard of before, but which offers one of the most singular and dramatic pre-history narrative accounts of first contact I've ever read. Even though famine, specifically smallpox would've killed off a lot of their people, the lack of courage and valor demonstrated by Motecuhzoma opened the doors for a swift conquest. Quite unfortunately, this perspective of a virtually alien culture seems to be almost entirely lost. I know part of that is issues in Spanish treatment of native records of course and respect the effort and inten i would ideally give this a 2.
