My JJD Conquest of America............. (2 Viewers)

[lancer]

Al, here are some suggestions:

When Montezuma Met Cortes: The True Story of the Meeting that Changed History, by Matthew Restall

Conquest: Montezuma, Cortez and the Fall of Old Mexico, by Hugh Thomas

Thanks, Brad. I like Hugh Thomas so I'll give that a shot. -- Al

 

[mikemiller1955]

Mike, those are astounding numbers. Does the total include all causes...disease...battle casualties...or is it all battle casualties? I have virtually no real knowledge of this era so I would also like a suggestion as to what one book might be the best to read, if one such exists. Thanks in advance. -- Al

Al...yes...I think it does...disease and starvation were the main causes...but the Spaniards were brutal in what almost amounted to genocide by Cortez and his domestic allies...I have read of several large scale massacres by Cortez and his officers...

I think for almost a year...he laid siege to the Aztecs...which basically lived on an island on a lake...a very intricately engineered...almost man made and designed island with 3 major causeways for entrance....the siege lasted about a year...he blocked the 3 causeways and they starved and died of smallpox...

here are some pictures of an artist's rendition of the island...it's really quite amazing...bigger in population and more advanced in technology than anything in Europe at the time (1500's)...it kind of reminds me of the Dubai Palm Island...incredible and unbelievable engineering for it's time...

 

[jazzeum]

Besides deaths due to war, there were significant amounts due to disease. The Aztecs and other natives in the Americas didn’t have the immunity to disease that Europeans did. For example, the Taino, a native people on Hispaniola (the island that forms Haiti and the Dominican Republic) were virtually wiped out by exposure to Columbus and his men.

A good book from the Aztec side is Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico by Miguel Lopez-Portilla.

 

[mikemiller1955]

it's absolutely incredible what the Aztecs created...their technology in agriculture was so advanced...

these man made canals running through the entire island were so specifically designed with dams to control the flow of water...they had canoes in abundance to travel them and work the agriculture...

this is why when people talk of aliens visiting us in the past...like the History Channel's..."Ancient Aliens" series...they always refer to the Aztecs advanced technology as proof of visits...Cortez and his army wrote that were absolutely amazed at the city...

and with all this technology...the Aztecs had not invented the wheel...^&grin

 

[Guest1]

it's absolutely incredible what the Aztecs created...their technology in agriculture was so advanced...

these man made canals running through the entire island were so specifically designed with dams to control the flow of water...they had canoes in abundance to travel them and work the agriculture...

this is why when people talk of aliens visiting us in the past...like the History Channel's..."Ancient Aliens" series...they always refer to the Aztecs advanced technology as proof of visits...Cortez and his army wrote that were absolutely amazed at the city...

and with all this technology...the Aztecs had not invented the wheel...^&grin

The canals are still there, went on a boat tour in the middle of Mexico City back in July

 

[mikemiller1955]

Howard...

I have read that the cartel violence has spread to parts of Mexico City...
is it safe to travel there...
not speaking of food/water...
but crime?

are American's widely accepted by the locals?

 

[jazzeum]

Michael,

Several years ago I accompanied my wife to Mexico to serve as translator on a jewelry buying trip. We stayed in Mexico City one night (but not downtown) and I tried to walk outside to buy a coke and the guard stopped me because it was too dangerous.

Another story: About 10 years ago my company was trying to sell a piece of property down there and on a Sunday, one of our local attorneys was out driving in the countryside with his girlfriend when they were attacked and beaten. Fortunately, no major injuries.

I was thinking of going there about five years ago for a meeting and was told not to. At that time, Colombia was considered safer than Mexico.

 

[marco55]

It's a shame that the decent people have to live with this horror all the time.As long as so many of the government officials are corrupt it will never get better.
Mark

 

[jazzeum]

I should add that when we went to the bus station, I felt perfectly comfortable. I’m sure I could have purchased the coke safely but the hotel was being extra cautious.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Michael,

Several years ago I accompanied my wife to Mexico to serve as translator on a jewelry buying trip. We stayed in Mexico City one night (but not downtown) and I tried to walk outside to buy a coke and the guard stopped me because it was too dangerous.

Another story: About 10 years ago my company was trying to sell a piece of property down there and on a Sunday, one of our local attorneys was out driving in the countryside with his girlfriend when they were attacked and beaten. Fortunately, no major injuries.

I was thinking of going there about five years ago for a meeting and was told not to. At that time, Colombia was considered safer than Mexico.

Brad...

that's a pretty definitive answer...doesn't sound like a relaxing trip for me...I would really like to visit one day...to see the ancient culture and art of the Aztec history...but I think I'll settle for the Internet...

I had a friend who works for Shell Oil...alternative fuel...they sent her to Mexico City...the Phillipines and Columbia through her tenure with the company...each time they made her group take a self awareness and kidnapping class...

 

[mikemiller1955]

better safe than sorry...I understand the cartels have now made a strong presence there lately...mostly confined to some specific districts...

 

[Terp152]

Brad...

that's a pretty definitive answer...doesn't sound like a relaxing trip for me...I would really like to visit one day...to see the ancient culture and art of the Aztec history...but I think I'll settle for the Internet...

I had a friend who works for Shell Oil...alternative fuel...they sent her to Mexico City...the Phillipines and Columbia through her tenure with the company...each time they made her group take a self awareness and kidnapping class...

"they sent her to Mexico City...the Phillipines and Columbia through her tenure" sounds like they were not very fond of her. {sm2} Chris

 

[mikemiller1955]

Chris...this seemed like it was in the height of the "Americans get kidnapped time"...I don't know if that's so prevalent anymore...

 

[jazzeum]

Brad...

that's a pretty definitive answer...doesn't sound like a relaxing trip for me...I would really like to visit one day...to see the ancient culture and art of the Aztec history...but I think I'll settle for the Internet...

I had a friend who works for Shell Oil...alternative fuel...they sent her to Mexico City...the Phillipines and Columbia through her tenure with the company...each time they made her group take a self awareness and kidnapping class...

Mike, it was actually a great trip, except where I got sick at the end; Cuzco was a lot of fun. Good food and enjoyed it quite a bit.