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Difficulty: HardEuropean Exploration and Spanish Conquest

Source: Bernal Díaz del Castillo, Spanish soldier and chronicler, *The True History of the Conquest of New Spain*, describing events in 1519.

"The chief of Cempoala complained bitterly of Montezuma and his tax-gatherers, saying that they took all their property, and if their wives and daughters were beautiful, they took them... He related how the Mexica [Aztecs] had conquered them and forced them to pay tribute, and how they had to give their sons for sacrifice... Hernán Cortés comforted them, saying that the great King of Spain, his master, had sent him to punish evil-doers and stop these sacrifices, and that he would protect them. The chief was so glad of this promise that he swore they would do whatever we commanded them, and would join their forces with ours against Montezuma."

The interactions described in the excerpt best support which of the following arguments regarding the Spanish conquest of the Americas?

  1. Spanish colonizers successfully overthrew dominant indigenous empires by exploiting political divisions and rivalries among diverse Native American societies.Answer
  2. B
    The Spanish overcame indigenous resistance primarily because Native American populations operated under a single political structure.
  3. C
    Spanish conquistadors secured native alliances by granting ownership of encomienda estates directly to indigenous laborers.
  4. D
    The Cempoalans collaborated with the Spanish in order to gain access to newly introduced European crops such as maize and tobacco.

Answer

Spanish colonizers successfully overthrew dominant indigenous empires by exploiting political divisions and rivalries among diverse Native American societies.
The correct answer is correct because the excerpt illustrates how the Spanish capitalized on existing conflicts and tribute demands imposed by the Mexica (Aztecs) on surrounding indigenous groups like the Cempoalans. By forming military alliances with these subjugated groups, Cortés was able to build a large force to overthrow the Aztec Empire, demonstrating that the conquest relied heavily on exploiting political divisions among diverse native societies.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document for key historical context and dynamics.
The excerpt shows the Cempoalans complaining to Cortés about the Aztec (Mexica) empire's harsh tribute and sacrifice demands, and Cortés offering protection in exchange for alliance.
This establishes that there were significant divisions, resentments, and rivalries among different indigenous groups prior to and during the Spanish arrival.
2
Evaluate the historical accuracy of each option in relation to the stimulus and general knowledge of Period 1.
Identify that Native American groups were politically diverse, that the encomienda system coerced labor for Spanish benefit rather than granting land to natives, and that maize/tobacco originated in the Americas.
This eliminates options that rely on common misconceptions about indigenous homogeneity, the nature of the encomienda system, and the direction of agricultural transfer in the Columbian Exchange.
3
Select the option that best matches the evidence in the source and historical consensus.
The option stating that Spanish conquest was facilitated by exploiting political divisions among diverse Native American societies is selected.
The source directly demonstrates a native group offering alliance to the Spanish to fight a common enemy (Montezuma/Aztecs), showcasing the exploitation of these divisions.

Key Concept

Spanish conquest of the Americas and alliances with indigenous groups
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Topics

European Exploration and Spanish Conquest

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