The Broken Spears: Cultural Contact
Cultural contact is defined as contact between two different cultural groups with differing ideals and customs, usually resulting in a change in both. Cultural contact can be the result of many different factors, but the most common examples found in history have been the result of colonization and conquest. While cultural contact does not always result in negative changes, more often than not one group is subjected to and forced to accept the culture of the other or face dire consequences. This was the exact case in the contact between the Spaniards and the Aztec peoples of 16th century Mexico, with the ending result being the complete destruction of the Aztec civilization.
Prior to the arrival of Cortes and his men in Mexico, the Aztecs resided in Northern Mexico and under the leadership of Motecuhzoma maintained control over several other native groups in the areas. In general, the Aztecs showed no mercy and ruled nations beneath them with an iron fist, plundering and seizing control whenever they pleased. Despite this, there was no system in place for direct rule. Instead, the Aztecs followed a tribute system in which each group under Aztec control was required to pay varying amounts of tribute to them. Religiously, the Aztec people practiced polytheism, believing in multiple gods which were based on human activities and elements in nature. By contrast, the Spanish were practicing Christians and believed in a single God. The Aztecs saw and observed most things from a spiritual standpoint. One such example of this was the idea that they were given signs or omens, approximately 10 years prior to the arrival of the Spanish people. The disastrous nature of these omens, such as the spontaneous burning of the temple of Huitzilopochtli and fire falling from the sky, told of the potential threat that was to come.
When the Spanish