seven myths of the spanish conquest matthew restall’s 2003 book
TRANSCRIPT
RESTALL
“THERE SEEMS TO BE A HUMAN IMPULSE TO PERSONALIZE THE PAST, TO RENDER COMPLEX PROCESSES INTELLIGIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE BY REDUCING THEM TO EMBLEMATIC CHARATERS AND A NARRATIVE OF THEIR ACTIONS.”
MYTH OF THE KING’S ARMY
CORTEZ AVOIDS USE OF WORD SOLDIER- THEY ARE “PAID MEN” SEEKING PATRONAGE AND OPPORTUNITIES TILL ABOUT 1540
MYTH OF COMPLETION
SPANISH AS AGENTS OF PROVIDENCE AND CONQUEST AS “DIVINE INTERVENTION”
IDEA THAT ALL NATIVES SUBMITTED TO THE CONQUISTADORS QUICKLY AND WILLINGLY
PACIFICATION CONTINUED FOR DECADES ON BOTH CONTINENTS
ILLUSION OF PAX COLONIALQUESTIONS TODAY STILL
OVER “NATIONAL IDENTITY”
MYTH OF (MIS)COMMUNICATION
PROBLEMS OF TRANSLATION
ETHNOCENTRISMMYTH OF LITERACYCULTURE AND SOCIAL
CUSTOMS
MYTH OF NATIVE DESOLATION
EUROPEAN INVENTION OF CULTURAL AND SOCIAL BREAKDOWN OF NATIVE AMERICAN SOCIETIES
NATIVE ADAPTATIONS TO OCCUPTION
MANY LOCAL LEADERS PRESERVED THEIR LOCAL STATUS