SOURCE2 A scene from an Aztec codex (an early type of book) showing ritual human sacrifice. Such practices were part of Aztec religion.
SkillBuilder discussion Using historical sources 1. What does SOURCE2 tell us about the values and religious beliefs of the Aztec people? 2. What factors should we consider when deciding how reliable or useful this source is for understanding Aztec society? How reliable are the sources? All historical sources reflect the values and beliefs of the people who created them, so they are subjective to some extent. For example, the Aztecs believed that their gods needed blood and human hearts to remain strong, making human sacrifice an important part of their religion. In contrast, the Spanish viewed human sacrifice as barbaric, using it as evidence that the Aztecs were uncivilised and inferior to Europeans. 6.2.3 6.2 SkillBuilder activity USING HISTORICAL SOURCES Examine SOURCE2 and think about what primary sources can tell us about the past. Answer the ‘W’ prompts below to see how the codex image in SOURCE2 can help us understand aspects of life the past. Who created this? What was the purpose of the codex? What does your knowledge of the content tell you about the past? What does it suggest about the practices of the Aztec religion? How might their perspective on human sacrifice differ from that of the Spanish? Keeping questions like these in mind will help you unpack key points about the past and deepen your understanding.
TOPIC6 The Spanish and the Americas 125
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