Three basic texts you are to read. First, Carol Quigley argues in Cultural Evolution of Civilizations that civilizations rise and fall systematically through an organic (biological) process. The Aztec Empire rose like all civilizations, reached its peak and then collapsed. Nothing new here Quigley argued. Next, Jared Diamond of UCLA argued, in Guns, Germs, and Steel, that certain civilizations had advantages over other civilizations and this in part led to thier conquest or demise over millennium. According to Prof. Diamond the Conquistador’s and Europeans in general had a form of technology different than the MesoAmericans and came with deadly germs, a thirst for wealth and a christianizing zeal. This helped lead to the conquest and led to the destruction of MesoAmerica. The first question is this: Did the Europeans have real advantages as Prof. Diamond suggests or was the Aztec civilization simply old and decayed anyway? Or some combination of the two? Your thoughts are required. Lastly, with all of these advantages Prof. Townsend shows us, in Listening to the Indians, that the Spanish may have fabricated the entire story of the Aztecs believing that Cortes was a god. Based on the evidence from the readings describe why the Spanish may have fabricated history? What may have caused them to perpetrate the lie of Cortez being seen as a God? What purpose would this serve the Europeans?

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The intent of this assignment (SLO) is for you to better understand the nature and evolution of all civilizations no matter where or who lives in them. Whether they be African, Roman, American, Russian, or English all civilizations will and do fall. Also, this will enable you to begin to think about the ways in which the victors construct history, and how the losers lose control of their own historical narratives. You can begin to appreciate how old stories get perpetuated from generation to generation with no basis in fact. And lastly how hard is it for us to let go of these old fabrications?