READING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR "FIRST CONTACT: UNDERSTANDING THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO"
Week 8
I. Reading Questions
From Bernal Diaz, The Conquest of New Spain [Pages: 57-69, 85-87, 216-219,
220-244, 245-248, and 278-312]
[57-69]
1. Make a list of all things mentioned in the inspection of Cortes' army.
2. Who is Melchior [correct spelling is Melchor]?
3. Who are Gonzalo Guerrero and Jeronimo de Aguilar?
4. Why does Gonzalo Guerrero not want to join the Spaniards?
5. What is Aguilar's social status while he lived with the Indians?
6. Why do the Spaniards think that Aguilar is an Indian?
[85-87]
7. Who are Doña Marina's parents? Why does her mother give her away to the Indians of Xicalango?
8. How come Doña Marina speaks two languages? [From Lecture] What languages are they?
9. Why does Bernal Diaz think that meeting Doña Marina was the "great beginning of our conquests"?
[216-219]
10. Why is Bernal Diaz so impressed by the city of Mexico. Explain the wonder and fear that goes through the Spaniards' minds upon entrance into the city.
[220-244]
11. How does Cortes reinforce the Aztecs's idea about the return of their god Quetzalcoatl?
12. What did Montezuma [Moctezuma, in Spanish] used to eat?
13. When and why did Moctezuma drink chocolate? Is this drink new to the Spaniards?
14. What type of weapons did the Aztecs have?
15. Why do the Aztecs have a large house with wild animals?
16. What kinds of things are available at the Tlatelolco market?
17. What does Cortes propose to do at the Great Temple, on the platform at the very top of the tower [pyramid]?
18. Where do the Spaniards find the treasure of Moctezuma's father? How does Bernal Diaz react to that wealth?
19. Why does Cortes decide to make Moctezuma his prisoner?
[245-248]
20. How is Moctezuma convinced to become a prisoner?
[278-312]
21. What is the purpose of Pánfilo [de] Narváez's trip to Mexico? Is his fleet bigger than the one brought by Cortes?
22. How does the epidemic of smallpox originate?
23. What happened in Tenochtitlan during the absence of Cortes? What is the explanation given by Pedro de Alvarado?
24. How did Moctezuma die?
25. How is the battle of Otumba won by the Spaniards?
26. How did Moctezuma's successor (Cuitlahuac) die? Who replaced him?
From Bernardino de Sahagún, excerpts from Conquest of New Spain [Aztec Account], Reader, pages 414-419.
27. What are the bad omens predicting the conquest of Mexico?
28. How does Cortes react to the idea that he is a lord and a king named Quetzalcoatl? What does he do?
29. After being "dressed" from head to foot with precious ornaments, why does Cortes order cannon shots fired?
30. In what context does the massacre (page 418) occur? Compare with answer to question 23.
31. How did Moctezuma die? Compare with answer to question 24.
From "Epic Description of the Besieged City" [The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico], Reader, page 420.
32. How is grief expressed in this poem?
II. Discussion Questions
1. Discuss Moctezuma's indecisiveness. Was he a fool not to have killed the Spaniards upon their arrival?
2. Was Cortes a good captain? How would you describe his attitudes?
3. Why does Bernal Diaz give such importance to Doña Marina? Why is translation so relevant? If we often consider that interpreters are invisible (today, they will be located in a booth), why is it so relevant that Doña Marina remains visible? How can an interpreter become visible? Is Doña Marina a traitor to the Indians?
4. Analyze the complexities of a bi-cultural society. Symbolically, Mexicans are children of Spanish conquerors and raped Indian women, what does that mean for the national identity? Should the independent nation identify with the oppressed or with the oppressor?
5. Discuss question 4 in the context of our lives in Southern California. If we are living in a multi-cultural society, what does that mean? Is it good or bad that many languages are spoken?