Humans Without History Summary

The key issues addressed in this reading are the variety of indigenous groups in Mesoamerica, the understanding of Spanish historical developments that encouraged the conquest, and the various ways each group have told the same story. Schwartz places a particular emphasis on the biases, whether they are timeliness, self-interest, or another, that affect the various narratives of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. In this manner, Schwartz challenges the audience to reconsider their preconceptions about Mesoamerica and the conquest of the Mexica. He also emphasizes the most recent developments in historical research on the era and helps the audience sort through the complex network of groups and individuals that made up pre-Columbian and post-Columbian …show more content…
In the introduction of Humans Without History, Wolf calls for researchers to focus increasingly on not simply the economic, political, and social aspects of civilizations, but rather how these forces interact. He claims that no group is ever truly isolated. In a manner, Schwartz seems to agree with such a philosophy when he details the complex interactions between the various indigenous groups of Mesoamerica. While others try to simplify the “indigenous” experience, Schwartz examines different cultures and discusses their role in the fall of the dominant Mexica. Furthermore, in Schwartz’s description of Tenochtitlan we see proof of the principles Wolf establishes in Chapter Two. He emphasizes the effects of the environment on the formation of various civilizations and how it can dictate societal interactions. Tenochtitlan was built on water, and the Mexica developed various technological innovations to adapt to this environment. They had aqueducts and canals and water gardens, all of which demonstrate how the environment affected the group’s establishment. Furthermore, due to their location around Lake Texcoco, Tenochtitlan could expand and come to involve other cities that belonged to different political subgroups, such as the Tlatelolco, who became famous for their markets. Finally, Schwartz describes how the Spanish taught many Nahua individuals Spanish while also helping them develop their own alphabet. Seed’s work, Ceremonies of Possession, would classify such Spanish instruction and influence as a method of colonization that helped establish the Spanish colonial presence in Mexico. Thus, through his introduction, Schwartz sets the scene for a more in-depth, multi-sided narrative of the Spanish conquest of Mexico, and a more nuanced discussion on the effects Spanish colonization has had on the development of indigenous culture and their constructions of