The Aztecs Book Review

The book “The Aztecs: This Very Short Introduction” by David Carrasco goes back more then two thousand years. Itillustrates the punishments of history, religious practice, culture as it lightens the difficulties of the Aztec life. While reading the book, the readers are able to learn about their people highly skilled in sculpture, astronomy, poetry, city planning and philosophy as well. In the eight chapters of the book Davíd Carrasco allows the Aztec voices speak about their stories, the enormous importance of their city, their methods about child rearing, and the offerings women made to daily life and the empire. Carrasco changes perspective from Spanish bases to the Aztecs archaeology. He also discusses the appearance of the Spaniards,

“The primary roles of Aztec women were homemakers, priestesses, and midwives as well as rearers of children, known as “precious necklaces,” in family and school. But their work, social roles, and symbolic value extended throughout the daily life of the Aztec empire even as they ruled the domesticated spaces of village and city”. (78) They were basically suppose to be experts in cooking, cleaning, taking care of the children etc. The Aztec believed education included youths into the wider world. They provided the children harsh punishment whenever they misbehaved. They were taught about the afterlife when they were young . As they grew up they were taught about choosing the right path in life. They were provided with a good and informative

The main question was how? How could the Aztec empire, with its powerful military tradition, complex religious institutions, and long-range trading and spy system, fall to a conflicted group of Spanish invaders in less than two years and on home ground?”( 102). Hernán Cortés men killed Aztecs at an important ritual. This came up to a revolution which drove the Spanish from the city. During the following months the Spanish regrouped while the Aztecs were damaged by smallpox which then resulted an end to Tenochtitlan. Lastly at the end of the book was the return of the Aztecs which basically describes the Aztecs in the colony, the ones that are still in Mexico today and the Aztec moments and the return of