During the 1500-1700 the course of global history changes dramatically due to Western Europe. Sellers and other colonial forces linked the continents with techniques never before came to the realization causeing this to be the dawn of a new amount of global interchange. The Americas were transformed culturally and demographically due to the influences Europeans. The Aztecs on the other hands conquered and ruled over Central Mexico and their culture was wealthy and they acquired a rich living. The Spanish and Aztecs experienced different viewpoints from one another. They had religious differences, scientific and of the conquest.
When the Europeans showed up, they were honored as guests by the Mexicas. Upon the entrance, Spaniards were astonished by the growth of their towns. "Gazing on such wonderful sightsthere were great cities, and in the lake ever so a lot more, and the lake itself was crowded with canoes, and in the causeway were many bridges and intervals, and before stood the fantastic City of Mexico. " (Stuart B. Schwartz, Victors and Vanquished, 133). The natives were also startled by the Spaniards. "Their war items was all in iron Plus they wrapped their bodies around; only their encounters could be observed, very white. Their encounters were the color of limestone and their wild hair yellow-reddish. " (Stuart B. Schwartz, Victors and Vanquished, 97) The natives offered them rare metal, gifts, food, and even women. The Mexicas viewed them as greedy. The Mexicas offered them precious metal and this made them eager for further. This conquest itself experienced a positive result. The Spaniards and the Aztecs could actually trade with each other. They exchanged goods such as vegetation, religious beliefs, ideas, domesticated pets, and even diseases. The Europeans looked at the Mexicas as barbaric; the Mexicas disfigured their faces and pierced their human body with ornaments. Disease was one major factor that influenced nov the Mexica Empire. The Spaniards distributed smallpox, which wiped out, half the population in your community because the natives in your community lacked immunity to the diseases helped bring by the Europeans. These few factors helped Spaniards overcome Tenochtitlan.
The ruler Montezuma and his people looked at the Europeans especially Hernando Cortes as a god (Quetzalcoatl). Religious beliefs was a significant aspect in their lives. They had different gods and goddesses who handled different areas of their lives. For example that they had a god for agriculture, God of conflict (Huichilobos), Sunlight god, their main patron deity (Huitzilopochtli) etc. When the Europeans first came they looked at their pagan faith as evils. The Europeans despised the huge statues of these gods in the temples. Individual sacrifices were major part of their religious beliefs. Aztecs made captured victims of war as their slaves and these slaves would later be sacrificed alive and they sacrificed victims for appeasement. The Spanish could not tolerate such cruelties. "And several hearts of Indians that that they had burned in fumigating their idols and everything was so clotted with bloodstream, and there was so much of it, which i cursed all if it" (Stuart B. Schwartz, Victors and Vanquished, 151) Along with slavery and sacrifices they utilized cannibalism. For Aztecs faith described the unexplainable. Their Astronomical knowledge resulted in very highly appropriate calendars, and higher understanding of mathematics. "Extensive pantheon was honored through the every year religious calendar by complex ritual and ceremonial activities of feasting, fasting, dance, penance, and sacrifice. " (Stuart B. Schwartz, Victors and Vanquished, 9) On the other hand the Spaniards employed Catholicism. The Spaniards presumed in the trinity and in the fact of "One true God". They also gave high mention of the Virgin Mary and other saints. The Europeans thought that it was their obligation to spread Christianity to these indigenous civilizations so when they attempted to convert the Aztecs, Montezuma kindly refused. "I've recognized your words and arguments here throughout all time we have worshipped our own gods, and thought these were good, as no doubt yours are, so do not trouble to talk with us any more about them at the moment. " (Stuart B. Schwartz, Victors and Vanquished, 139).
The Aztecs were known for engineering of the city called Tenochtitlan, a city build on an island in the middle of a lake in Central Mexico. The town was dominated by religious structures like the great natural stone pyramids and statues of gods and goddesses. That they had long lasting and safer living constructions. The town was constructed with building and great monuments and they had flourishing market segments. "At the fantastic market place, called Tlalteloco, we were astonished at the number of people and the amount of merchandise" (Stuart B. Schwartz, Victors and Vanquished, 147) These were based on an agricultural society. They built irrigation works that increased creation and thus backed a very large populace. The civilization depended on cultivated foods such as beans, corn, potatoes etc, however they possessed few domesticated pets or animals (llamas and pet dogs). Warfare was another essential requirement of Aztec society. Their city Tenochtitlan was closely defended city and they excelled as great warriors. The Aztecs were one of the very most powerful Indian groups at the time of Spanish introduction. Spanish at the time was highly structured. The Spaniards were highly advanced than of the Mexicas. The Spanish acquired a greater benefit in comparison with the Aztecs. That they had horses, swords, firearms, explosives, armor, and cannons and on the other palm Aztecs possessed two handed swords and arrows. The natives were intimidated by their weaponry. "It especially made him faint when he read how the guns proceeded to go off at [the Spaniards'] control, sounding like thunder, creating people actually to swoon, blocking the ears. . he grew concerned and disturbed. "(Stuart B. Schwartz, Victors and Vanquished, 97). The Mexicas were greatly fearful of the horses and weaponry they possessed.
In bottom line, the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlan changed the viewpoint of one another's culture. Besides from negative result the conquests also possessed lots of positive effects for example ideas, plants, animals etc. Within couple of years, Spain conquers almost all of the new world, with the aid of local allies, better weaponry, translators, and diseases.
