Before the Spanish Conquest, they ruled the southern part of what is today Mexico …
Before the Spanish Conquest, there were several native peoples in the Americas. They extended from the Arctic coasts of Canada to the lower tip of South America, and included many cultures and languages. All of them would eventually make contact with white colonists from a variety of European nations. Of those that made contact with Spain, there are a number of great civilizations, including the Maya and the Incas. But in North America, the most famous of these may be the Aztec. The reason for this is because the Aztecs were much closer to home for us. They controlled the southern part of what is today Mexico, at the time that the Conquistadors first arrived on this continent. I live in the United States – and more specifically, in Arizona, a state which shares a border with Mexico. This may explain why we hear somewhat more about them here. Their empire once stretched even further into what is today Central America, and had the beginnings of its own writing system.
Some of the many topics covered (albeit somewhat briefly) in this program
Their writing system is more pictographic than anything else, and seems not to have been as sophisticated as the more famous system of the Maya. Nonetheless, it allows us more insight into Aztec culture than we can get from most of the pre-Conquest cultures of the region. Indeed, this subject has been fertile ground for scholarship, particularly by people in Mexico. Anyone who wants to understand Mexican history would do well to start with the Aztecs, and then go into the Spanish Conquest, and then work one’s way forward from there. Archeology has also been used to shed light on early Aztec culture, as they show in this film. They had a capital city called Tenochtitlan, which is now located in the historic center of Mexico City. Some of the most dramatic encounters with the Conquistadors took place at this location. It was originally called “Mexico-Tenochtitlan,” the origin of the name “Mexico” – which is also related to the Mexica people who lived in the area. But there were several Aztec states, each with its own hierarchy and administration. This film discusses the economy of the state somewhat, and talks about the famous ruler “Moctezuma the Second” – better known by his Anglicized name of “Montezuma.” Ironically, the Arizona town that I now live in (a city called Prescott) has two streets called “Montezuma” and “Cortez,” which are right next to each other. Since they were enemies, there is much irony in this – something that has often amused visitors to Prescott. But I digress.
Moctezuma the Second, usually Anglicized as “Montezuma”
Comments on the Spanish Conquest itself, and how it affected the Aztecs
Aztec culture had legends of a white and bearded god, which have become famous in my church. Some Latter-Day Saint scholars even believe this to be the primary setting of “The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ,” while others in the church have expressed disagreement with this theory. But inside and outside the church, nearly everyone seems to agree that the Aztecs were the most dominant culture in Mexico when Cortés (Anglicized as “Cortez”) first arrived there. To me, this is what this film is really about. This film discusses the civilization that was here in the final days of Pre-Conquest America. When the Conquistadors first arrived, the Aztecs initially believed these explorers to be emissaries from the white god. This was reinforced when they saw the power of the Spanish guns and cannons, a technology that seemed to them to be so advanced as to be magic. Surely, they thought, such magic must have come from a divine source. But when they learned of the hostility of these Spanish explorers to their own cultures, they came to see the Spaniards somewhat differently. The Spanish made no secret of their lust for land, gold, and power. Thus, they quickly made many enemies in the region, who began to view them as a threat. But fear of the European weapons was used by the Conquistadors to great psychological effect, and allowed them to win many victories that their numbers alone would never have gained for them. The Spaniards also made military alliances with many of the local indigenous nations, in their efforts to overthrow the more dominant Aztecs. It was a massive military achievement, even if its ethics were somewhat questionable (which they were). But that’s a subject for another post, more focused on the Conquistadors.
Hernán Cortés, often Anglicized as “Cortez”
Strangely, this film defends the Aztec practice of human sacrifice …
This film is only one hour long, and thus is not able to go into much depth here. It is a companion film to another History Channel program on “The Lost City of the Incas,” which I have not seen. Nonetheless, I do know that “The Lost City of the Incas” is also just one hour long, and goes into their much larger empire in South America. One seldom sees much depth from the History Channel, although some of their programs are good despite their typical brevity. “The Aztec Empire” seems to be in this category. It spends a lot of time on the Aztec practice of human sacrifice, and actually defends this practice. They show its place in the Aztec religion of that time, and how women and children were often sacrificed to Aztec gods. I have a hard time understanding how the History Channel would defend this practice – although, in fairness, it’s reasonable enough for them to portray the practice in its cultural context. But given scholars’ willingness to condemn slavery in America, regardless of any mitigating circumstances from the culture, they seem to have a double standard regarding this notorious Aztec practice. If slavery is still wrong, regardless of what culture it comes from, then why can’t we say the same thing about human sacrifice? And if human sacrifice can be “excused” (or at least mitigated) by reason of cultural context, then what of culturally-embedded American practices like African slavery? This is a contradiction that is hard to resolve, although mitigating circumstances may well be present for both practices – and should be extended to the same degree for each practice, rather than judged by inconsistent (and irreconcilable) double standards.
Human sacrifice among the Aztecs
Conclusion: This is a good (albeit brief) introduction to early Aztec history
Since this film is so short, it’s hard to cover it in much depth here. Those who want a more in-depth treatment may be better served by a book, such as the first chapter of this one. But as an introduction to these things, this film is good despite its brevity (and occasional bias); and would seem to be worth having, at least on this account. If you want a discussion of other cultures from the same setting (such as the Maya), PBS has a film called “Breaking the Maya Code,” which delves into the decipherment of the Ancient Maya language. And there is the aforementioned History Channel film on “The Lost City of the Incas.” These films may also be worth having, for students of Pre-Conquest Mesoamerica. They will help to introduce you to the largest native cultures of the Americas, which proved such formidable foes against the rising tide of Western expansionism.
“Since the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830, members and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have expressed numerous opinions about the specific locations of the events discussed in the book. Some believe that the history depicted in the Book of Mormon—with the exception of the events in the Near East—occurred in North America, while others believe that it occurred in Central America or South America. Although Church members continue to discuss such theories today, the Church’s only position is that the events the Book of Mormon describes took place in the ancient Americas.”
– An article entitled “Book of Mormon Geography,” at the website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
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