The Aztecs Downfall: How Religion Shaped the Spanish Conquest of Mexico

Abstract

Historical Theme Paper Introduction “The Broken Spears” is a fascinating book that puts together the account of the conquest of Tenochtitlan and the coming of Spaniards to Mexico. Miguel Leon-Portilla offers a detailed report of the fall of the Aztec Empire to the Spanish in the early 16th century offering a clear understanding of such defeats from the vantage point of the Aztecs rather than the Spanish. Religion is a significant historical theme exemplified in "The Broken Spears" article. Aztecs employed religious approaches in all their daily live activities ranging from political, social, and economic moves defining a solid religious culture that shaped the Aztecs' beliefs. The article offers an account of a profoundly religious society whereby the Aztec society viewed the Spanish as gods due to their presentations and thus worshiped them, leading to their victorious win against the Aztecs. After conquering the Aztec Empire, Catholicism became an integral religious part of every person within the conquered land. At times, perception drives people into the wrong. Arguing religious belief from the Aztecs' point of view as expressed in "The Broken Spear" article, it is clear that the Aztecs assumed Spaniards as superior beings/gods, which though not embraced by Spaniards, played a significant role in shaping their approaches against the Aztecs. (León Portilla: The Broken Spears). One can argue that religion played a significant role in every aspect of life in the Aztec culture. Regardless of the person’s social status or political rank, every decision among the Aztecs became substantial based on its religious significance. It is an approach that defines sacredness in every activity, including routine ones like naming a child, planting crops, and rites of passage. Aztecs' interactions with nature remained imbued with meaning as they closely observed life cycles, patterns, and interconnectedness with humans and their gods. It is a perception that shaped their beliefs and religious practices, involving ritual human sacrifices as the peak of a respected event or experience. Unfortunately, though Aztec religious beliefs played a significant role in shaping their...