HIST Mexican History Midterm

Frontispiece to the codex Mendoza

Primary source, explain in detail and provide significance

Sacred warfare, how they battled, importance of corn, their capital, symbol of the city’s creation, representations of the water bridges, bloodletting

Stone of the Five Eras

Primary source, explain in detail and provide significance

An incredibly large stone that depicted the guardians of the 5th age. It was buried by the Spanish because they believed it was satanic, and only in th e 18th century was it uncovered. Early archeologists believed it was a calendar. It was left out in the town’s main square, so it become eroded over time. Deep markings.

How the Lords responded to the 12

Primary source, explain in detail and provide significance

Wtf r u talking about, get out of my face, im gonna inconvenience you, haven’t you taken enough, you’re calling our religion dog when you dont understand its importance to our culture and people

Casta paintings

Primary source, explain in detail and provide significance

Showed wealthy, abundant couples of mixed race

Painted by Mexica for Spanish audiences

Exotic

Romanticized

Abundance of new world

Intimate family scenes

Racialized

Wealth, health, stability

Working, industrious

Order in caste system

Eight characteristics of the mexica exemplary (behavioral) code

Primary source, explain in detail and provide significance

• dont be lazy or overzealous, be calm, dont be vain, dont stare, be proper

The sacred migration

Term, define and provide significance

A great journey from Aztlan in contemporary Arizona, they were the last of 7 groups from the north moving south into Mesoamerica, in now central Mexico. Their patron deity guided them there, and they eventually settled in the suposedly uninhabitable swampy area of Tenochitlan. Their god Huitzilopochtli, represented by an eagle, and Tlaloc, represented by a snake guided them, with the sight of an eagle capturing a snake on top of a prickly pear cactus marking their home.

Huitzilopochtli

Term, define and provide significance

Mexica patron deity, god of sun and war. Always depicte in blue with banners holding a lightning glyph. He had a dedicated banner festival.worshipped by eagle knights, if died in warfare or childbirth went to go spin the sun with him

Mictlan

Term, define and provide significance

God of underworld and dead. Performed bloodletting with stingray spines or thorns to pierce places like the tongues, ears, fingers, and genitals. A statue of him in the house of eagle warriors was covered in dried blood, done so to preserve the cycle of life and death.

Jornal

Term, define and provide significance

Day laborer, given a portion of salary, can go form a slave to here

Repeninsularization

Term, define and provide significance

Instituting more penninsulares in high government positions, such as priests and bureaucrats and judges, kicking out prominent criollos and setting them to alternative career paths. Bred a lot of hatred.

Carat de libertad

Term, define and provide significance

Letter of freedom for an enslaved person

Tlaxcalans

Term, define and provide significance

Another mighty warrior nation that rebelled frequently to the Mexica. They attempted to strike out and get other city-states to rebel too. The Mexica didn’t attempt to overtake them because their warriors were excellent sacrifices, thus the flower wars began. Eventually they joined the Spanish to fight against them, and became quite

The Grito

Term, define and provide significance

Cry for revolution against the Spanish, led to a cultural practiced that’s carried on until today to discuss displeasure with government, one of the first organized mass protests/massacres

Pochteca

Term, define and provide significance

These were a class of traders that travelled far distance to exchange luxury goods like cacao, quetzal feathers, jaguar pelts, jade, gold, and turquoise. Pochtecas could have elite status and even be nobles. They were highly organized and very successful, even having their own school to become fluent in a variety of languages. They rarely went home due to their long distance travels. Pochtecas were incredibly secretive with their whereabouts of their goods, hidden warehouses, coming to cities in the middle of the night, wearing disguises. They had a variety of jobs and were even spies, collecting information like a city’s valuables, fighting styles, military composition, etc. The higher ones could call for war. They mostly stayed in the empire

Tlacotin

Term, define and provide significance

Slaves. Could be a punishment for thievery, a consequence of the city state becoming conquered, or if pooor and destitute, they gave themselves or children to be slaves to survive. It was contractual. Only had 4 chances to prove themself then get sold off to be a sacrificial victim. IF Texlacopan thought you were treated poorly, he would reverse the dynamic, making slave owners think twice about mistreating their slaves.

Concept of Tollan

For the pre-Columbian/Mexica section, short essay or list

Tollan, a great city, with democracy, cultural center, and education. Basically meant a great city. Great privilege and pride came with identifying oneself as Tollan.

Foundation of Heaven

For the pre-Columbian/Mexica section, short essay or list

Tenochitlan is the foundation of heaven, keeps heaven up, and if the empire falls so does the heavens. Linked the three planes of existence: heaven, earth, and underworld. The cross/axis mundi ran through the Great Temple/templo mayor that was in the center of the city, being the focal point in which the world revolved.

How did the Mexica rise to power

For the pre-Columbian/Mexica section, short essay or list

Great warriors learned about cities, then conquered them, made them pay tribute, made a triple alliance with texcoco and tlacopan. Lots of weapons and clever capturing

Why did other nations agree to be Mexica vassals

For the pre-Columbian/Mexica section, short essay or list

Pay more tribute if they didn’t, got to keep most of their government, kept their religion, not get nation brutalized, warriors only called for occasionally, too hard to rebel

How did they “invite” nations to join the empire

For the pre-Columbian/Mexica section, short essay or list

Sacred warfare. Tell politely, then come with army, then throw down sword and arrows. Always dressed beautifully and spoke eloquently.

What was the relationship between religion and territorial expansion (conquest)

For the pre-Columbian/Mexica section, short essay or list

What were the different social groups in Mexica society

For the pre-Columbian/Mexica section, short essay or list

Slaves, Serfs, Commoners, bureaucrats, nobility, warriors

Slaves: tlacotin, contractual

Serfs: contractual

Commoners: farmers

Bureaucrats: talented artisans, pochtecas

Nobility: leaders

Warriors: eagle knihgts or jaguar knights, had lots of military and political prowess

Emperor: ruled

How were death and the afterlives conceived

For the pre-Columbian/Mexica section, short essay or list

Cycle of life, reincarnation but not truly you, it depended on how you died.

Only water related deaths got you to land of tlalocan, a heaven-like place

For childbirth or war deaths: rode around the sun with huitzilopochtli, men become hummingbirds and used in love potions, women return as a scary ghost

In every other death, you went to Michtlan and had to go through the 9 torturous layers for 4 years to become reinacarnated

What were the flowers wars

For the pre-Columbian/Mexica section, short essay or list

Flower wars were instituted by the Mexica and Tlaxcalans so that each would have warriors to sacrifice for their respective religions. Mexica could wipe them out, but kept them because their warriors were the best sacrifices.

Who were the eagle knights

From team reports, a short explanation

The highest ranked warriors warriors renown for their battle prowess. Must be proven through capturing 4 enemies, although they were usually from nobility. Permanent military figures, had immense political and social power, considered role models. Could have lots of land or jewelers if they did good. Great tacticians, commanders, led charges, had intimidating presence. Partake in mock battles for rituals. Caretakers/defenders of the 5th age and empire, could turn into government officials or ambadassadors.

What role did chocolate play in pre-columbian society

From team reports, a short explanation

Chocolate was a commerce, offering for the gods, trading tool, cultural significance. It was luxurious.

Why was corn so important to pre-columbine society that there was a special god

From team reports, a short explanation

Corn was an essential crop, a staple grain, full of vitamins and minerals. It kept all of mesoamerica alive with its high yield and nutrition and versatility.

What was Xochiquetzal the goddess of

From team reports, a short explanation

Goddess of fertility, beauty, art, luxury, divinity, and sexuality, creator of humans, intermediary between humans and gods. Encouraged love making for pleasure, not just reproduction. Patroness of women and crafts. She guarded young mothers, pregnancies, and childbirth, honored w/ceremonies w/flowers, songs, and dances. Death of Flowers, two noble virgins were sacrificed to her

What innovations to society was Nezahualcoyotl famous for

From team reports, a short explanation

Cultural, poetry, art, metaphors, irrigation engineering, aqueducts, code of 80 laws with four councils to enforce it so democratic, kicked off a golden age, made texcoco a cultural center, guide for the upcoming leaders

Why was it so important to have a god of wind, Ehecatl?

From team reports, a short explanation

Wind was movement, breath, life. He blew the fifth sun and moon in motion, responsible for creation of universe and bringing in agriculture. He brought in the clouds and rain. Had a conical, like a tornado, temple.

An aspect of Quetzalcoatl, patron god of priesthood. Many mesoamerican people worshipped Ehecatl. He created humanity in the MExica creation myth.

What specific variables made the fall of Tenochitlan possible?

Colonial period, short essay or list

Too big, antagonizing neighbors, Tlaxcalans rebellions never tampered, only putting governors in charge of conquered city states, conquered desire for autonomy, onerous tribute demand

What challenges did Catholic priests face in their efforts to Christianize the native population?

Colonial period, short essay or list

Cultural and linguistic differences. Symbols were intrepreted differently, ex: cross, doves. People didn’t care for them or misinterpreted them. Not around much to see if christianization worked. No concept of sin or salvation. Indigenous wanted to add hood to the repertoire of gods, when Spanish said Christianity is that religion where you abandon all of them and only worship the one, confusion. Mostly confusion. Satan got turned into a god of love, luck, and money.

What did the process of christianization look like? How did it work in practice? Who was in charge of it?

Colonial period, short essay or list

would put on plays, show big books with pictures, get Indigneous scholars to translate and put on odd sermons, blended became norm, permanent priests. Small group of penninsulares priests and Indigenous nobility led the christnaization efforts.

What was the impact of the demographic collapse?

Colonial period, short essay or list

Indigenous culture lost, people scrambling for hope and looking to get to a new religion, depression and suicide

What did the New Spanish governing system look like?

Colonial period, short essay or list

Viceroy/soanish crown > Spanish officials > native nobles and rulers > spa law/indian court. If Indians sued Spaniards in Indian court, they’re more likely to win. Dual system to ensure no rebellions.

How did Natives seek justice in the 16th century and why it was significant?

Colonial period, short essay or list

Went to Indian court where they got representation and heard for their demands, winning over in petty lawsuits or things about getting sent free. This kept them at bay and didn’t lead to demands for change until this court system no longer ruled in their favor.

How did enslaved Africans garner their freedom?

Colonial period, short essay or list

Bartering for their freedom, exchanging it for working there, being transferred to a more favorable owner that would free them, being emancipated by a lover or friend

What was the role of African cultural brokers?

Colonial period, short essay or list

Telling other Africans how to beat the system, for example, damning god and telling them how their owner beat them when getting arrested, how to barter for their rights, how to understand legal code

Define the caste system and why it was created

Colonial period, short essay or list

Caste system: classification based on ethnicity designed 2 favor privileged groups and attempt to stop racial mixing. It was created because the Spanish felt threatened by the racial mixing

How did the caste system work in actual practice?

Colonial period, short essay or list

Most people lied about their ancestry to gain social favor, crillos and penninsulares got more access to land and stuff tho. Depending on the courts, diff ppl would get favored. Only penninsulares cared, really

What were the primary designations of the caste system

Colonial period, short essay or list

Penninsulares: Spanish born in Spain

Crillo: Spanish born in Mexico

Mestizo: Spanish/native

Mulatto: black/spanish

Then descending from there as getting more mixed

Why did Bourbons believe that reform was necessary?

Colonial period, short essay or list

For Spain to gain more control over its colonies and most importantly: MONEY!

What were the Bourbon economic, administrative, and social/cultural reforms?

Colonial period, short essay or list

• fire Criollos in high government positions. Undeserving.

• Institute more penninsulares, Spanish born in Spain, to positions like judges and bureaucratic ones

• Increase taxes

• Pro-Spanish industry; tax domestic production and industry into ground

• People lose their property and industry, takes until end of 20th century for Mexico to produce wine again

• Tax collection improved 100%. Used to be relaxed, now tax collection came with militia and expect full payment.

• Forced sale of unwanted and unneeded goods at exorbitant prices to native communities to augment the salary of poorly paid officials in the country side. Was illegal, now legal. Alienates indigenous population

• Reduce number of clergy and convents, closed another career opportunity for Criollos. They’re integrated and pro-community, so must be a threat.

• Consolidation of 1804: high forced loan demanded from Church, causing the Church to call in loans outstanding from colonists, affecting anyone holding property. Church handles loans, negligible interest rate, recordkeeping, pay in increments. Made people lose their property and businesses, affects Natives and Criollos

• Bourbons wanted education, cultured, modern society, fifths against superstition and backward culture.

• How to dress, town community chests and feasts taken/prohibited. Every town celebrates a saint, save up all year to celebrate a nice festival on a date. Putting community in spiritual jeopardy. Anything that looked too indigenous, pre-Colombian rituals, prohibited. Emphasize interior piety, don’t celebrate with festivals.

• Educational reform and literacy. Mexico, NOT SPAIN, to pay for teachers.

• Real Pragmatica de Matrimonios (1776) parents have complete rights over choice of bride or groom for their offspring; maintains elite status by barring marriage to poorer or racially mixed individuals.

Why did patriots want independence?

Colonial period, short essay or list

High taxes, no court representation, not allowed 2 marry who they want, controlling rules, lost property, freedom of religion

Who were the Guadalupes?

Colonial period, short essay or list

Guadalupes were revolutionaries in Mexico City that put up posters against the Spanish. They raised money and arms to rebel. Carried banners and propaganda of Spanish being dicks and all Indigneous peoples coming together to overcome them,

Why were Bourbon reformers surprised when Mexicans rebelled?

Colonial period, short essay or list

They didn’t believe they could rally all of those differing people together, much less lead something successful