1. Changing A Worldview
Now that the Aztecs were conquered, a reformation began in the America’s. The first step was to introduce Christianity to what was left of the Indigenous tribes in the America’s.
The priests that were responsible for this conversion were called the Franciscan Order.

2. Exploring Sources
Read the orange box on page 240. Complete the two ‘Think it Through’ questions.
Did all Aztecs who converted to Christianity actually practice Christianity? What parallels can be found with the Muslims and Jews that got caught up in the Spanish Reconquista?

3. New Economy
Because of the political system that the Aztecs had in place, where other tribes were expected to pay increasingly expensive tributes, hatred for the Aztecs continued to grow.
The Spanish used this hatred for the Aztecs as a weapon and recruited these people to go to war against the Aztecs.

4. New Economy cont…
This led to a serious change in the political system.
It wound up looking very similar to the political system in the other Spanish colonies; with the Spanish on top and the conquered on the bottom.
The system they used was called the encomienda system.
This system led to cruel treatment of the Aztecs and other indigenous tribes.

5. A New Worldview Emerges

6. What was “Encomienda”? What was its significance?
Read the ‘Voices’ box on page 248. Answer the 3 ‘Think it Through’ questions.

7. Setting Up a Colony
Now that the Aztecs were conquered, Cortez’ conquistadors wanted their promised riches.
What could Cortez do? Most of the riches that the conquistadors gained was sent back to Spain.

8. Cortez’s Solutions
Hernan Cortez had a goal of establishing and expanding this new Spanish colony of New Spain. But how was he to do this if he could not keep his soldiers satisfied.
What were the conquistadors upset about?
What could Cortez do to keep them happy?
Explain what was meant by ‘Cortez’s solutions’ and how could these solutions be effective?

9. Cortez Used His Mind
Many people believe that Cortez’s smartest move after defeating the Aztecs was to refocus his conquistadors. He helped them turn their attention from short term goals of Gold and glory to the long term project of colonizing New Spain.
How did Cortez turn his
conquistadors attention to
the long term?
How would this bring them
“closer” to the colony?

10. Mestizo
Info bit
A Mestizo is a person of mixed blood. Spanish and Native American.
A pure blooded Spaniard living in South America is called a Peninsularie.
Martin Cortez, the son of Hernan Cortez, was the first ever Mestizo to arrive in Europe.
Today, Mexico is primarily made up of Mestizo people.

11. Backfire
Because Cortes was so good at what he did, the Spanish Crown took away his power in New Spain and named Don Antonio de Mendoza the new viceroy of New Spain.
Why do you think King Carlos took away Cortes’ power?

12. Discontent in New Spain Trouble Brewing?
Everyone that was living in New Spain saw the injustice that they were forced to live in.
The Spanish government took everything from them to finance the European wars that they were involved in and left them with very little to operate a society.
How would you react if
someone took away all
your well deserved
earnings and gave them to
someone else?

13. What Did This All Lead To?
Share your thoughts with the class.
What do you think came of this discontent that was brewing in New Spain?

14. 1821 - Mexico Gains Independence
Finally, after hundreds of years of unrest in New Spain, a bloody war broke out which left Mexico as an independent nation from Spain.

15. Mexican Culture Today
Today Mexico is a fusion of Indigenous, Mestizo and Spanish traditions. Although Spanish culture tends to dominate, ancient traditions can still be witnessed through art, literature and even religious festivals.