Born in Blood and Fire

1. Born in Blood and Fire By Eleanor Runde Ashley Rotonto

2. The Fall of Aztec & Incan Empires • 3 Centuries Mexico & Peru Remained Richest/Most Populous in Americas • Spain Had Advantage • Experience (Divide & Conquer) • Indigenous Allies • People who were taxed heavily • Superior weaponry • Intimidating New Stuff • Horses, Cannon, Ships, Dogs • Fought to kill vs. to capture • Knew about Americas/the world: Aztecs knew nothing • Story About Cortes Being a God Appears to be Incorrect • Originated several decades after arrival of Spaniards • Word translates to spirit [godly] but doesn’t show admiration • Incan Emperor Captured by Pizarro • Incans waked into ambush • Treasures of Incans & Aztecs Attracted Spaniards

3. The Birth of Spanish America • Spanish Immediately Divided up Resources • Encomienda: indigenous people “entrusted” to conquerors • Worked as slaves, were Christianized • Familiar system to the indigenous people (paying tributes, etc.) • Epidemics Reduced Native Populations Greatly • Villages did NOT disappear in Mexico and Peru like they had in Caribbean, Brazilian coast • Indigenous People Adapted: • Spanish language • Encomienda systems • New Spanish-style governments • Spanish integrated themselves into nobility (married into noble families)

4. The Birth of Spanish America • Spanish Women Were Scarce • Lots of indigenous women • Spanish men & indigenous women were often married in the beginning • Children were mestizo, second –class to Spanish • Marriage decrease, illegitimate children rose • Female Figures • Malinche (traitor who was also betrayed) • Isabel de Guevera helped conquer Argentina, Paraguay • Marriage & Religion • Marriage was pillar of society & culture • Religion was important as well • Spanish churchmen arrived to preach & teach • Priests and holder of encomienda worked together • Two representatives of Spanish authority • Converted kings (and communities) • Spaniards Built Over Indigenous Peoples • Religion: churches on top of sacred sites • Settled agricultural societies forced into labor draft • Caribbean/Brazil coast: Europeans and Africans took place of indigenous populations