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The article by Townsend focuses on the alternative narrative in the conquest of Mexico. The author suggests that while many believed that Mexicans perceived Hernando Cortes as Quetzalcoatl, there is little evidence that the Indians believed in the divine origin of the newcomers. This essay will define the point that I found most interesting in the article and how it influenced my opinion on the overall importance of alternative accounts of historical events.
In the article, the author discusses the difference in the technological progress of the Spanish and Aztecs. In particular, the author discusses how the Spanish were more technologically advanced, as they had a wider variety of technology, including navigation tools and military equipment. I find it interesting that the author pointed on how technological advantage in agriculture and the use of ships resulted in Spanish being exposed to more diseases (Townsend 661). It was interesting to learn the authors opinion that exposure to diseases could be acknowledged as a contrary factor to the nations technological progress. In addition, I also found it interesting how the article featured an alternative opinion on the definition of technology in the context of Aztecs. According to Fernandez-Armesto, the Aztecs could not be acknowledged as technologically undeveloped as their accurate calendar and poetry testify to their high intellectual development (qtd. in Townsend 661). Therefore, comparing the levels of technological advancement of nations of the past lacks objectivity as it does not concern the individual intellectual development of the people.
In conclusion, the article provides several valuable arguments that question the initial narrative of the conquest of Mexico. The author explains how even in defining what makes one nation more technologically advanced than others, focusing on physical technological development instead of overall intellectual development can negatively influence the objectivity of the information. Therefore, it is important to explore alternative narratives to define an objective interpretation of historical events.
Work Cited
Townsend, Camilla. Burying the White Gods: New Perspectives on the Conquest of Mexico. The American Historical Review, vol. 108, no. 3, 2003, pp. 659-687.
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