Columbus and Cortes Essay Example

The Natives encountered by Columbus seemed non-aggressive, despite some reports of them possessing weapons. Likewise, in Cortez's letter about the Aztecs, he describes them as being protected by their weapons and shields. Although both groups treated the newly arrived Spaniards similarly, they differed greatly in their religious beliefs. The Aztecs were highly religious, evidenced by their numerous temples and black-clad priesthood who refrained from grooming. Cortez attempted to redirect their devotion towards his God through persuasion.""The Aztecs demonstrated the strength of their beliefs by refusing to convert. In contrast, the Native Americans encountered by Christopher Columbus did not have any religious beliefs or practices. As mentioned earlier, the Aztecs had numerous temples and houses for their idols. The architectural structures of the Aztecs were highly advanced. Firstly, it should be noted that their State was built in a circular shape, surrounded by rugged mountains. Although not explicitly stated in Cortes’ letter, it could have been strategically located there for protection in times of conflict, using the surrounding land as a defense. Cortes states, with great admiration, that "the main streets are very wide and straight, and the smaller ones are half land and half water, navigated by canoes." The city was strategically planned and built in a fortified manner. According to Cortes, there is one temple that surpasses all others and cannot be described using human language. He describes one castle as having marble columns and jasper floors. In comparison to the city encountered by Columbus, the Aztec city seems like paradise. The towns encountered by Columbus were basic and appeared poor. Columbus mentioned that "none of the small towns I saw contained more than

12 or 15 houses." In his account, he compares these houses to collapsible shelters. Therefore, I conclude that the Native American structures encountered by Columbus were much less sophisticated."Both the lodging and the arms of the Native Americans encountered by Columbus were drastically different from those of the Aztecs, as described in letters by Cortes and Columbus. Cortes explains that the metropolis had many fine and impressive houses, some of which had upper and lower levels. In contrast, Columbus encountered collapsible shelters with high chimneys, but he noted that they were well-maintained and orderly.

When it came to weaponry, the Native Americans defended themselves with seemingly ineffective arms, possibly because they lacked iron. Columbus mentions that they used sticks or fishbone on the ends of their javelins and struggled to handle the Spaniards' blades correctly, often injuring themselves. On the other hand, Cortes describes the Aztecs as having blades and shields for protection.

Overall, the two civilizations were as different as night and day in terms of education and technology. The Aztecs appeared more sophisticated and technologically advanced, evident through their organized markets and devoted idol worship.Cortes mentioned that the edifice constructions in his provinces had a highly advanced engineering system of pipes for water distribution. On the other hand, the Natives encountered by Columbus appeared to be less sophisticated, as both men and women went around without clothing and seemed to have little technology. This can be seen in their lack of weapons and advanced architecture. Through various observations in the letters by Christopher Columbus and Cortes, it is evident that their encounters with Native Americans were quite distinct. The Aztecs were clearly superior to the

Native Americans encountered by Columbus in terms of education and technology.