Sourcing the Spanish Conquest: Perspective & Purpose

​Sourcing the Spanish Conquest: Perspective & Purpose

By Isiah Jones

Poll

You see two news reports about the same major event. One is celebratory, the other is critical. Why might they be so different?

• A) The reporters made up facts.

• B) They have different goals, audiences, and perspectives.

• C) One reporter is a better writer than the other.

• D) They are reporting on different events.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Today I Will:

• Analyze two primary sources about the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs.

• Focus on completing the Historical Context and Purpose sections of my Sourcing Tool.

• Answer: What motivated the Spanish? How did the Indigenous people respond?

Open: Sourcing Tool and Sourcing Excerpt in google classroom (2 docs)

DIRECT INSTRUCTION

Let's Review the Sourcing Tool!

• Historical Context: The situation when the source was created. Think about what was happening at that time and place.

• Purpose: The author's goal. Why did they write this? To inform? To justify? To mourn? To persuade?

• Keep these questions in mind: What were the motivations of the Spanish conquerors? What were the responses of the Indigenous peoples to the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire?

• We will practice this together with the first source.

  
  

DIRECT INSTRUCTION

DIRECT INSTRUCTION

Let's Model Historical Context

• Source: "Flowers and Songs of Sorrow"

• Author’s name: Aztec/Mexica poets

• Location/Date: Mexico, c. 1523. Right after the conquest. The city is in ruins.

• Other Info: It's a poem/song, a traditional way for their culture to express deep emotion.

DIRECT INSTRUCTION

Let's Model Purpose

• While we read keep these questions in mind: What were the motivations of the Spanish conquerors? What were the responses of the Indigenous peoples to the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.

  
  

DIRECT INSTRUCTION

Let's Model Purpose

• Goal: To express profound grief, loss, and confusion about why their gods allowed this to happen.

• Evidence: "We are crushed to the ground," "nothing but grief and suffering," "Have you grown weary of your servants?"

  
  

Multiple Choice

Question: Source: Cortés's Letter. Read the introduction and the first few sentences. Based on the Historical Context, who is Cortés writing to?

• A) The Aztec people

• B) His family back in Spain

• C) King Charles V of Spain

• D) Other conquistadors

Poll

Looking at Cortés's description of the fighting and the "great wealth," what is one of his main purposes?

• A) To apologize for his actions.

• B) To justify his actions and highlight the wealth he's securing for Spain.

• C) To write a balanced history for future generations.

• D) To describe the beauty of Tenochtitlan.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

• Step 1: Open your Sourcing Tool worksheet (on paper or in your digital classroom).

• Step 2: Carefully re-read both primary sources.

• Step 3: Independently, complete the Historical Context and Purpose rows for BOTH documents on your tool.

• You have 12 minutes. Use your notes from our "I Do" and "We Do."

Open Ended

Source 1: Intended Audience

Who was the source created for (that is, was this written for anyone to read or was it private, for one specific person or group)?

Multiple Choice

Source 1: Based on your analysis, which statement BEST answers our key question: "What were the responses of the Indigenous peoples?"

• A) They welcomed the Spanish as liberators.

• B) They were filled with grief and saw the conquest as a cosmic tragedy.

• C) They immediately adopted Spanish culture and forgot their own.

• D) They did not resist the Spanish invasion.

Open Ended

Source 2: POV

Can you identify anything about the author that might explain why they wrote this? For example, does their economic class, occupation, religion, nationality, political group, ethnic group, or gender help explain why they wrote this?

Open Ended

Source 2:WhY (Importance)

What is the main idea of the source?

Open Ended

Source 2: What are the limitations of this document? In other words, where does it fall short?

Exit Ticket: Voices of the Conquest

Question:
Hypothesize how the history of the Spanish conquest might be different if we only had Cortés's letters and the Aztec "song of sorrow" was lost to time. Explain not just what would be different, but why the absence of the Aztec perspective would fundamentally alter our historical understanding of motivations and responses.

Criteria for Success:

• Logical Hypothesis: Do you state how the story would change for both the Spanish and the Aztecs?

• Analysis of Perspective: Do you explain why the Aztec poem is uniquely valuable?

• Critical Thinking: Do you show that you understand how missing perspectives create biased history?