This clip from PBS’ Civilizations presents the initial encounter between the Aztecs and Hernan Cortez’s Spanish army. Thinking Cortez might be the long-awaited god, Quetzalcoatl, Aztec chief Montezuma attempted to appease the Spaniards with gifts of art and treasure. The gesture only increased the Spaniards appetite for wealth, and the Aztecs were swiftly and brutally conquered. It seemed as though the Aztec’s artistic legacy would be all but obliterated. 

Catholic clergy moved in, tasked with squashing any semblance of Aztec religion. In an effort to monitor their new converts, Christian friars commissioned Aztec painters to create a series of books that detailed the everyday lives and rituals of the Aztecs. The images mirrored those of Christian rituals and Aztec rituals found their way into Christianity. Spain was also transformed by its conquest spiritually by a new artistic sensibility. Students should be able to answer the post-viewing questions in the support materials below after watching the segment, and will also be prepared to engage in a discussion about the irony of the Catholic Church attempting to eradicate traces of Aztec religion and culture while Christian friars inadvertently helped to preserve these traditions in their codices.