PDP 8 - The True History Of The Conquest Of New Spain

Author Bio:
Bernal Diaz del Castillo used to be a soldier during the conquest of the Aztec's who joined Hernán Cortés. Diaz was only 18 years old when he left Spain for the New World and had journeyed to Cuba as well as the Yucatan peninsula before the conquest with Cortés. Diaz accompanied Cortés to Honduras for an expedition in which failed after Diaz's conquest in Mexico. In Central America, Diaz wrote The True History of the Conquest of New Spain because he believed other written accounts did not describe an accurate representation of the conquest in New Spain.

Date/Context:
Between the time of 1552 to 1568 C.E. it was the conquest of New Spain between the Aztec's and the Spaniards. From a previous article, it described how the Spaniards defeated the Aztec's and wanted to look for revenge, but again the Spaniards destroyed the Aztec's and then the Aztec's thought to themselves that the the God of the white men is stronger than theirs. This was also a period where various merchandises were sold. For instance, they sold gold, silver, precious stones, feathers, cloth, embodied goods, and many others such as ointments.

Summary:
In the text, it describes the great square which showed lots of people, merchandises being displayed, and most importantly the productivity and efficiency. Each specific merchandise had its own place in which they were to be sold. Many goods were sold varying from gold, silver, and precious stones to slaves, clothing, and certain ointments. Diaz, his captain, and his crew went to the top of the cu where they met Montezuma and saw the entire view of the great city. Montezuma showed them the gods within the temples and each giant figure which was covered with precious stones, gold, and pearls, but had a evil look to them. Diaz's captain told Montezuma, "Lord Montezuma, I do not understand how such a great prince and wise man as yourself can have failed to come to the conclusion that these idols of yours are not gods, but evil things--devils is the term for them." Montezuma felt offended because captain Malinche had disrespected his gods because it has proved them, "...health, water, good seed-times and weather, and all the victories we desire."

Key Quotation:
"Montezuma agreed, but he said that before he left he had to pray and make certain offerings to atone for the great sin he had committed in permitting us to climb the great cu and see his gods, and for being the cause of the dishonor that we had done them by speaking ill of them."