SJS8- "An Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico"

Source: Binkerhoff, Thomas J. “Reexamining the Lore of the ‘Archetypal Conquistador’: Hernán Cortés and the Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire.” The History Teachef, vol. 49, no. 2, Feb. 2016, pp. 169–187. Academic Search Premier [EBSCO], doi:113536402. Accessed 25 May 2017.

Credentials: The author Thomas J. Brinkerhoff, is a University of Pennsylvania graduate student currently working on Ph.D certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, World History, and Pedagogy. He has written and submitted three peer reviewed articles into cultural and historical focused journals. I believe this source is trustworthy because it made it past the peer review process and into The History Teacher, which is an accredited publication published quarterly.

Summary: Although Hernan Cortés in modern culture is viewed as immensely pragmatic  and skillful  conquerer, this mainly because of the European exaggeration to prove their superiority. Furthermore, most of the historical perspective in the past was provided by the Spanish conquisdores and Spanish translations of indigenous accounts by their allies. It is undisputed that the Spanish had superior weapons and borrowed some military ideas from other civilizations to great effectiveness, like brutality to scare the people.  Cortés challenged the native forces and entered Tenochititlan, taking the Aztec leader, Montezuma, hostage. This event led to an Aztec uprising that culminated in La Noche Triste. The Aztecs drove the Spaniards out of Tenochititlan, even though Cortés survived and the Spaniards came back to take back Tenochititlan. Throughout the warfare, the Spaniards were aided by their advantage of disease, because the Europeans brought ailments that the Aztecs had no immunity to.

Analysis: In general, I believe that Brinkerhoff offers the information professionally and with a minimal amount of bias. His argument that Cortés has been glorified by the lenses of time, Spanish propaganda, and  selective choice is well constructed and backed up with facts. I think his construction of his thesis in addition to his factual reporting show the value of this article.