Primary Sources: Cortes Describes theAztec Capital of Tenochtitlan, 1520

TOP: In his letter, Hernan Cortes described a marketplace like the one depicted in this diorama of the Tlatelolco

Marketplace at Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois. The largest Aztec market was located in Tenochtitlan's

neighboring town, Tlatelolco. Photo from Wikimedia Commons. BOTTOM: A map of Tenochtitlan by Cortes which was

engraved in Nuremberg in 1524\. Photo from DEA PICTURE LIBRARY/De Agostini/Getty Images.

Editor's Note: Hernan Cortes was a Spanish conquistador who arrived in Mexico in 1519.

He overthrew the Aztec empire and captured its leader, Moctezuma, in 1521. During his

time of conquest, Cortes wrote five letters to King Charles I of Spain, describing the Aztec

people and their capital city of Tenochtitlan. Below is a translated portion of the second

letter, written on October 30, 1520. Cortes describes in detail the geography and culture of

Tenochtitlan.

"It Being The Principal Seat Of Montezuma's Power"

Before I begin to describe this great city, it may be helpful to say something of the layout of

Mexico, in which it is situated, it being the principal seat of Montezuma's power. This

province is in the form of a circle, surrounded on all sides by high and rugged mountains,

and its plain level surface comprises an area of about 70 leagues (242 miles) in

By Hernan Cortes, adapted by Newsela staff on 03.21.17

Word Count 971

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circumference. In this plain there are two lagoons that almost occupy everything and are

both around more than 50 leagues (173 miles). One of the two lagoons is of fresh water

and the larger one is of salt water.

On one side of the lakes, in the middle of the valley, a range of highlands divides them

from one another. The exception is a narrow strait which lies between the highlands and

the lofty sierras. This strait connects the two lakes, and by this means a trade is carried on

between the cities and other settlements.

This great city of Tenochtitlan is situated on an island in this salt lake, and from the

mainland to the denser parts of it the distance is two leagues (7 miles). The city is as large

as Seville or Cordova, its streets are very wide and straight, and some of these are half

land and half water and are navigated by canoes. All the streets stretching from one side

to the other are open, through which the water flows, crossing from one street to another.

At these openings, there are also very wide bridges, composed of large beams, of great

strength and well put together.

"They Could Leave Us To Die Of Starvation"

If the inhabitants of this city should prove treacherous, they would possess great

advantages from the manner in which the city is constructed. By removing the bridges at

the entrances, and abandoning the place, they could leave us to die from starvation

without us being able to reach the mainland. As soon as I had entered the land, I made

great haste to build four ships, which were soon finished. They were large enough to take

ashore 300 men and the horses, whenever it should become necessary.

This city has many public squares, where there are many markets where I try to buy and

sell. There is one square twice as large as that of the city of Salamanca, where there are

more than 60,000 souls engaged in buying and selling. All kinds of merchandise are found

in this market, for instance articles of food, as well as jewels of gold and silver, lead, brass,

copper, tin, precious stones, bones, shells, snails and feathers. They also sell limestone,

adobe bricks and carved wood to work in various ways.

"Every Variety Of Birds Found In The Land Is Sold"

There is a street where every variety of birds found in the land is sold, such as hens,

partridges, quails, wild ducks, fly-catchers, pigeons, turtledoves, reedbirds, parrots,

sparrows, eagles, hawks, owls and kestrels. They sell the skins of some of the birds of

prey, with their feathers, head, beak and claws. They also sell rabbits, hares, deer and little

dogs, which are raised for eating. There is also a street of herbalists, where all sorts of

roots and medicinal herbs that the country affords are sold. There are apothecaries' shops,

where prepared medicines are sold as ointments and plasters. There are barber houses

that wash and shave heads. There are shops where they serve food and drink at a certain

price.

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There are all kinds of green vegetables, especially onions, leeks, garlic, watercresses,

nasturtium, artichokes and thistle. There are many kinds of fruits amongst which are

cherries and plums, similar to those in Spain. They sell honey and wax from bees, and

from the stalks of maize, which are as sweet as the sugarcane. Honey is also extracted

from the plant called maguey, which is superior to sweet or new wine.

"Everything Throughout The Country Is Sold In The Markets"

There are many ways to sell cotton of all colors in skeins in one-quarter of the market,

which is similar to the silks sold in Granada, although this is in many more quantities. They

sell colors for painters in as many excellent shades as can be found in Spain. They sell

deer hides with hair and without it, dyed white and of different colors. They sell many large

and small pots, jars, bricks and other vessels, all of clay, and most if not all are glazed and

painted. They sell poultry and fish pies. They sell a lot of fresh and salted fish, raw and

stewed. They sell hen’s eggs and goose eggs and eggs of all the other birds I’ve

mentioned in large quantities. Finally, everything that can be found throughout the whole

country is sold in the markets, including articles so numerous that I cannot recall all of their

names. Every kind of merchandise is sold in a particular street or quarter in a particular

order. They sell everything by number or measure, except that now we have not seen

anything sold by weight. There is in this grand plaza a grand house, where there are

always 10 or 12 people who are judges and weigh in on cases and things that occur in the

market and send thieves to be punished.

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Quiz

1 Read the paragraph from the section "They Could Leave Us To Die Of Starvation."

If the inhabitants of this city should prove treacherous, they would

possess great advantages from the manner in which the city is

constructed. By removing the bridges at the entrances, and

abandoning the place, they could leave us to die from starvation

without us being able to reach the mainland. As soon as I had entered

the land, I made great haste to build four ships, which were soon

finished. They were large enough to take ashore 300 men and the

horses, whenever it should become necessary.

Which idea is BEST supported by the information in this paragraph?

(A) Cortes made a deal with the Aztecs to allow him to stay on the mainland in

return for teaching them how to build ships.

(B) Cortes had more military skill than the Aztecs, which is why he feared they

would try to remove the bridges to the mainland.

(C) The Aztecs purposely built Tenochtitlan in such a way that one section could

be isolated from the other if needed.

(D) The Aztecs intended to abandon Cortes on the island, but he built four large

ships before they could trap him.

2 Did Cortes admire some aspects of the city of Tenochtitlan and the Aztecs? Which selection

from Cortes' letter supports your answer?

(A) Yes; Before I begin to describe this great city, it may be helpful to say

something of the layout of Mexico, in which it is situated, it being the

principal seat of Montezuma's power.

(B) No; This city has many public squares, where there are many markets where

I try to buy and sell. There is one square twice as large as that of the city of

Salamanca, where there are more than 60,000 souls engaged in buying and

selling.

(C) Yes; There are many ways to sell cotton of all colors in skeins in one-quarter

of the market, which is similar to the silks sold in Granada, although this is in

many more quantities. They sell colors for painters in as many excellent

shades as can be found in Spain.

(D) No; There is in this grand plaza a grand house, where there are always 10 or

12 people who are judges and weigh in on cases and things that occur in

the market and send thieves to be punished.

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3 Read the two sentences from the sections "They Could Leave Us To Die Of Starvation" and

"Every Variety Of Birds Found In The Land Is Sold."

All kinds of merchandise are found in this market, for instance articles

of food, as well as jewels of gold and silver, lead, brass, copper, tin,

precious stones, bones, shells, snails and feathers.

There is a street where every variety of birds found in the land is sold,

such as hens, partridges, quails, wild ducks, fly-catchers, pigeons,

turtledoves, reedbirds, parrots, sparrows, eagles, hawks, owls and

kestrels.

Which option BEST describes the relationship between these two sentences?

(A) The first sentence introduces a topic, and the second sentence provides

specific examples.

(B) The first sentence introduces a problem, and the second sentence

describes a solution.

(C) The first sentence makes a claim, and the second sentence offers a

counterclaim.

(D) The first sentence poses a question, and the second sentence provides an

answer.

4 How do the first and final paragraphs of the article relate to one another?

(A) The first paragraph explains why Cortes desired to travel to Tenochtitlan,

and the final paragraph explains how he convinced others in Spain of the

value of the products made and sold in the markets.

(B) The first paragraph provides a general description of the area in which

Tenochtitlan was located, and the final paragraph provides a specific

description of activities that occurred within Tenochtitlan.

(C) The first paragraph illustrates the beauty and hospitality of Tenochtitlan, and

the final paragraph contrasts that description with information about crime

and thieves in the city.

(D) The first paragraph provides detailed directions on how to get to

Tenochtitlan, and the final paragraph evaluates the value of Tenochtitlan's

economic system.

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