First, however, we should truly address the situation being discussed. Many firmly believe in the notion of conquest, as it relates to Mexico and Spain. Rashkin asks, however: "Conquest? Is that the right word?" (conquest.html). Many activists, such as those gathered on the Zocalo to celebrate Cuauthemoc's birthday and fight for the rights of indigenous people, prefer the term "invasion." And still others like "holocaust," believing it is the only term, which "adequately expresses the evil perpetrated on native Americans b

"Let us begin with the dealers in gold, silver, and precious stones, feathers, cloaks, and embroidered goods, and male and female slaves who are also sold there. They bring as many slaves to be sold in that market as the Portuguese bring Negroes from Guinea. Some are brought there attached to long poles by means of collars round their necks to prevent them from escaping, but others we left loose. Next there were those who sold coarser cloth, and cotton goods and fabrics made of twisted thread, and there were chocolate merchants with their chocolate. In this way you could see every kind of merchandise to be found anywhere in New Spain, laid out in the name way as goods are laid out in my own district of Medina del Campo, a center for fairs, where each line of stalls has its own particular sort. So it was in this great market. There were those who would sisal cloth and ropes and the sandals they wear on their feet, which are made from the same plant. All these were kept in one part of the market, in the place assigned to them, and in another part were skins of jaguars and lions, otters, jackals, and deer, badgers, mountain cats, and other wild animals, some untanned, and other classes of merchandise."

We can see, thus far, from Cortes' writings that much of what he sees and illustrates has a great deal to do with the fact that his mind stems from a perspective that foresees conquest. He continues, stating "Foreseeing that if the inhabitants of the city should prove treacherous, they would possess great advantages from the manner in which the city is constructed, since by removing the bridges at the entrances, and abandoning the place, they could leave us to perish by famine without our being able to reach the main land, as soon as I had entered it, I made great haste to build four brigantines, which were soon finished, and were large enough to take ashore three hundred men and the horses, whenever it should become necessary."

Clearly his writings are based on the fact that the plan is to conquer the region and take control of the area and its resources as he illustrates when stating "where are found all kinds of merchandise that the world affords, embracing the necessaries of life, as for instance articles of food, as well as jewels of gold and silver, lead, brass, copper, tin, precious stones, bones, shells, snails, and feathers."

Rashkin, Peter. "The Conquest of Mexico." The Dagger, (1998): October, at: http://www.thedagger.com/conquest.html

Some common words found in the essay are:
Seville Cordova, Negroes Guinea, Comparison Contrast, Letters Mexico, Granted Castillo, Conquest Spain, Rashkin Conquest, Bernal Diaz, Temixtitlan Mexico, Castillo Introduction, bernal diaz, resources mexico, city temixtitlan, letters mexico, precious stones, slaves sold, main land, letter charles, conquest spain, gold silver,
Approximate Word count = 1707
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)