In 1519, life for the indigenous people of México changed forever. Hernán Cortés came to Mexico, looking for gold and fame. With him came priests and monks from the Roman Catholic church. They wanted to convert the indigenous people from their worship of multiple deities to Christianity.

Lee el párrafo de un monje del orden del San Francisco. El convento de San Miguel es uno de los primeros conventos construidos en México. Estuvo* en Huejotzingo que hoy se llama San Juan Loma o Huejotzingo.

"La gente* de México es muy diferente de nosotros los españoles. No son cristianos, pero nosotros les enseñamos* de Nuestro Señor, Jesucristo. Algunos* de los indios creen* ahora en Jesús, pero es muy difícil. Los conquistadores sólo desean* el oro* y la plata* de los indios, pero los sacerdotes quieren convertirlos*. Si podemos* educar a los niños, será* más fácil*. Los indios tienen muchos dioses, pero Quetzalcoatl es el dios más importante de todos. Muchos de los indios creen que Hernán Cortés es Quetzalcoatl y le dan* muchos regalos* de oro y plata, pero pronto sabrán* que Cortés es soldado*, y no es un dios."

Ahora, completa las frases siguientes: (Complete these sentences.)

1. El convento en San Juan Loma se llama___________________.
2. Los indios creen en muchos ____________________________.
3. Los sacerdotes desean educar a los ______________________.
4. Los conquistadores sólo desean ________________________.
5. El dios más importante de los indios es ___________________.
6. Los indios le dan a Cortés muchos _______________________.
7. Los indios creen que Cortés es realmente _________________.
8. Cortés no es un dios, pero es ___________________________.

***As you can see, the Spaniard conquerors were determined, not only to find riches and fame, but to convert the Aztecs and other people to Christianity. However, the Aztecs felt just as strongly about their gods and faith as the Catholic Spaniards did.

"¿Por qué dicen* los españoles que* Jesucristo es el único dios del mundo? Nosotros los Aztecas creemos que Quetzalcoatl es el dios más poderoso del mundo. Pero, ahora, Móctezuma cree que Hernán Cortés es Quetzalcoatl, y nos parece* que nuestro dios de guerra, Huitzilopochtli, no nos ayuda* contra * los españoles. Los soldados nos dicen que necesitamos* convertirnos al cristianismo o morir, pero si Jesucristo es buen dios, por qué tenemos que* morir si no somos* cristianos?"

*dicen que -- say that *necesitamos -- we need

*nos parece -- it seems to us *tenemos que -- we have to

*no nos ayuda -- is not helping us *somos -- we are

*contra -- against

--Escucha a una india (sound bite)

Ahora, escoge la respuesta correcta: (Choose the correct answer.)

1. La señora está muy a) contenta b) confundida.

2. Los españoles son a) simpáticos b) crueles.

3. La señora pregunta si a) Jesús es cruel b) Jesús ama a ella.

4. La señora a) comprende b) no comprende cristianismo.

5. La señora quiere a) vivir en guerra b) vivir en paz.

***Eventually, the Aztecs either accepted Christianity, at least outwardly, or were killed by disease or war. The Spaniards built many beautiful churches in México, some of them on the very site of indigenous temples and places of worship. Today, many archeological sites are being excavated very near Roman Catholic churches or where churches have been built, but are no longer standing. The Aztecs had written works which were called Codices.

Read the haunting lines from two passages which were written by Aztecs who knew that their once great civilization was doomed.

¿¿Sabías que…..?? Did you know that …..??

Many priests and monks came up into the western and southwestern part of the United States to set up missions to educate the indigenous people and convert them to Christianity/Roman Catholicism. There are many cities which have Spanish names because they were originally mission sites. The area which stretches north into California is called El Camino Real, Spanish for The Royal Road. It was called that because it is the route that the conquistadors, and the priests and monks who accompanied them, took into what is now the western United States. Also, a number of our state names have Spanish meanings. Here are a few examples of state and city names: