How is Mexica Religion and/Society Portrayed in the Text?
Many civilizations in the Americas, before and after meeting Europeans were polytheistic. However, the Mexica (Aztecs) thought to be polytheistic, did put one god above all others Huitzilopochtli, which could signify that they possibly leaned towards a monotheistic culture. According to Anna Suranyi, “They had elevated the bloodthirsty god Huitzilopochtli to the head of their pantheon and had enormously amplified the role of human sacrifice in religious ceremonies…” (Suranyi, Atlantic, 31). This statement does not completely discredit that this society is polytheistic, it is just the one god they favored above all others, was it due to fear? Many civilizations worshiped deities because they were afraid of what the gods would do if they didn’t. Another testament that indicates the Mexica might have been more monotheistic is from “The Broken Spears.” Miguel Leon writes, “They gathered in front of the idol…offered it gifts of food…” (Leon, Spears, 73). As stated above these statements do not necessarily say this culture was monotheistic, they just showed favoritism.
As for the society of the Mexica, they did have social hierarchies, not everyone in the city of Tenochtitlan were the same. The city did have nobility, and Cortes’ statement when he arrives to the city asking for the king, the text says, “Cortes asked him…Is it true that you are the king Motecuhzoma?” (Leon, Broken, 64). This affirms the nobility standing. Something else to note opposite of social hierarchies is that unlike the Spaniards and all their gear for war, this civilization was more warrior like and did not have the same weapons as Cortes and his men. They had not advanced in this area yet.
References
Leon, Portilla Miguel. The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2006. EPUB.
Suranyi, Anna. The Atlantic Connection. London, UK: Routledge, 2015. Taylor & Francis Group