Native Americans and Explorers How was the idea of “discovery” different for Native Americans and explorers?

Document 1: This poem was composed by an Aztec poet at the time of the conquest. It has been preserved and translated by the editor from an oral history. Flowers and Songs of Sorrow Nothing but flowers and songs of sorrowAre left in Mexico and Tlatelolco,Where once we saw warriors and wisemen.We know it is trueThat we must perish,For we are mortal men.You, the Giver of Life,You have ordained it.We wander here and thereIn our desolate poverty.We are mortal men.We have seen bloodshed and painWhere once we saw beauty and valor.We are crushed to the ground;We lie in ruins.There is nothing but grief and sufferingIn Mexico and Tlatelolco, Were once we saw beauty and valor.Have you grown weary of your servants? Are you angry with your servants,Giver of Life?Miguel Leon-PortillaMiguel Leon-Portilla,- The Broken Spears; The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico (Boston, The Beacon Press,1962). p149.

IF THE SPANIARDS HAD NOT CONQUERED US, WE WOULD NOT SPEAK SPANISH. WE WOULD SPEAK SEVERAL LANGUAGES. AND IF COLUMBUS HAD GONE TO INDIA AND NOT TO AMERICA, WE WOULD NOT BE CALLED INDIANS. WHEN THE SPANIARDS ARRIVED, THEY TOLD US GOLD WAS GOOD FOR NOTHING AND TOOK IT TO EUROPE. ALSO, SINCE THEY HAD HORSES, OUR PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE HALF MAN AND HALF BEAST. WE WERE SCARED WHEN WE SAW THE FIRST SPANIARD ON HORSES. WE THOUGHT THE HORSES WERE FOUR-LEGGED MONSTERS, SO WE MOVED BACK AND LET THEM PASS. LATER WHEN WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY WERE NOT MONSTERS, WE BEGAN TO FIGHT, BUT WE LOST OUR HOUSES AND OUR SHOPS. SO AFTER THEY WON, THEY LEFT US IN MISERY. ALONG WITH THE CRUELTY, THEY BROUGHT ABOUT THE MESTIZAJE, OR MIXTURES, BECAUSE WE WERE THE BRONZE RACE AND THEY WERE THE BLONDE AND WHITE. Document 4: This is a translation of an essay written by a young Mexican student about 20 years ago. Adapted from: Mexico As Seen by Her Children, Robert Goodman, ed. Washington, D.C.: National Foundation for the Improvement of Education, *Who does the student mean when he writes, we and us? *In the student’s view, why did the Spanish win? *In what ways has the conquest influenced Mexico, according to the student?

t Document 3: This is a portion of a mural by the 20th Century Mexican artist, Diego Rivera. *What action is the artist depicting in this mural? *What do you think Diego Rivera feels about the conquest? How can you tell? *What do you think is the purpose of this mural?