Aztec Images

Before you analyze the artistic interpretations of culture, war, and daily life in the Americas, provide a brief description of the conquistador most prominent in Mexico as well as a brief description of the Aztecs and their culture before the Europeans arrived.

Select four engravings from one of the lists to describe in detail. Consider how the artists portray the Spaniards and the Aztecs. Then select three or four of the following questions that specifically relate to images that you chose and answer them thoroughly. What do the engravings indicate about the culture of the Americas? What do you notice about the science or technology available in Peru or Mexico and how does this compare or contrast with the way the Spanish portrayed the Aztecs? What do you notice about the treatment of the Aztecs by the conquistadores? What changes do you imagine occurred in Mexico City from the time of Montezuma’s defeat to the 1720s and what evidence suggests change? How might Europeans have interpreted these engravings at the time they were published? How might the Aztecs have depicted this story differently than the European artists?

Click on a thumbnail to view the full-sized item:


1. Guatimozin taken in his R	2. Kings of Mexico,1698	3. Mexico City, 1724	4. The Meeting of Cortes and	5. The Engagement between ye

6. The great Temple of Mexic	7. The road the antient Mexi	8. Seculo Mexicano, 1698

Suggested Readings:

Documents in World History 1: Tribute under the Aztecs.

Readings in World Civilizations 2: The Aztec Civilization of Mexico: A Spanish Description, the Aztec Account of the Conquest. This is a long section similar to one in The West and the Wider World.

Traditions and Encounters 2: 670-675 discusses the conquest of Mexico and Peru and provide good background material for this project.

The West in the Wider World: Sources and Perspectives 1: Two Worlds Collide, pages 348-356. This seems to be the best, and most concise, source for primary documents on the Aztecs and Cortes.

World History 2: “An Aztec’s Lament” page 396.

Artists obviously make choices about the images that they portray in their work and about what details to include or to disregard. Considering the information you learned from the readings, what details are missing in these engravings? Do you think the artist was present at the time and witnessed the event firsthand, or do you believe the artist put the image together after the event? What evidence leads you to your conclusion? After viewing the engravings online and reading the primary sources, which source do you believe is more accurate and why?

Finally, briefly discuss the widespread implications of the conquest of the Americas. How do you interpret the significance of these engravings in telling this story, and what do they indicate about the changes brought to the New World by the Europeans? What might you conclude about Spain’s attitude toward cultures and peoples outside of Europe? What eventually happened to either the Aztecs of the Incas as a result of European conquest?

Grading Rubric

Substantially Developed: The student answers all questions and displays the ability to synthesize information and draw appropriate conclusions. The student also is able to think about and clearly express the historical implications and the significance of the conquest of the Americas over time. The student reflects on the potential biases of the artists who created the engravings and explains how those conquered by the Spaniards might tell a different story. Most importantly, the student defends his or her opinions about the validity of the sources and thoughtfully considers the influence of art and its interpretation over society. Finally, the student considers the scope of the project and examines what the engravings indicate about the future of Aztecs and Incas in the Americas.

Scant/Average: The student answers some of the questions but fails to interpret the changes brought by the Europeans to the Americans or fails to adequately describe the significance of the engravings and their portrayal of history. The student does not outline the story told through the engravings or does not adequately defend his or her conclusions on the validity of the sources. The student does not connect the engravings to the larger historical context.