Corteswasadrunk,alecher,andaliar.

Noneofthekingsmenwhoareanyofthesethingsare
trulyundertheparadigmand
Continuedhistripevenafterhisrightwererevoked.
ShamesthenameoftheCatholicChurchandthePope,himself,whoisaSpaniard.
Consistentlycallsthekingmostpotent,mosthigh,etc.AsamanofGod,heshouldknowthat
thekingisnotomnipotentasmostthingsareleftuptoGod,himself,
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1520cortes.asp
SecondletterisanextensivepitypartyinwhichCortesclearlywrongsthepeopleoftheAztec
civilization,adeedthatIneverorderednorcondoned.
ProsecutioninDefenseofKingCharlesV

V.CORTES

1)UponleavingCuba,sentKingCharles1stletter.Summarizestatements/eventswithinthat
letter.
Withinthisfirstletteryoustatedseveraltimesthatyouwereconcernedabout
bringingChristianityintothisnewworld.True?
DoyoubelieveSpainisaHolyNation?
"HeleftthemalsoacrossofwoodinaloftyhouseandandimageofOur Lady,
theVirginMary,makingthemunderstandperfectlywellwhattheywere obligedtodo
tobecomegoodChristians?"
Whyareyourletterswrittenin3rdperson?
Didyouevercontemplatetheideaofyourmenmutinizing?
Isthatwhyyouburnedships?
Disobeyingadirectorderfromthekingisanactoftreason.Treasonispunishableby
noneotherthanwhat?
Therefore,doyounotoweyourlifetotheunfathomablemercyofKingCharlesV?
2)Doyouthinkyourtripagendawascompletedthroughyouractions?

V.CORTES'MEN

Howwouldyoudescribeyourcaptain,HernnCortes?
DidyouwitnessfirsthandthestoriedtreatmentoftheAztecs?
Howwouldyoudescribethistreatment?Holy?
AreyounotEuropeansundertheHolyCatholicChurch?
DoyounotbelieveandstudytheteachingsandbeliefsoftheOneTrueGodandHisSon,
JesusChrist?
Whatisthe2ndCommandmentafternoneotherthanHonoringyourfatherandmother?

V.THESYSTEM

Wheredosystemscomefrom?
Isaperson'shumannaturenotinfluencedbythesystem/outsideforces?
Systemhascreatedtheindoctrination/catechizingofhumanity.Isreligionthereforenotpartof
thesystem?
Domenhavetheabilitytorebelagainstthesystemifitisalltheyknow?

V.AZTECS
InCortes'firstletter,wouldyouagreewithhisstatementsaboutyourunprecedentedviolence?
CortesclaimedtohavegivenyouornamentsofChristianitydidyouacceptthesegifts?Were
youleft"contentedandhappy?"
DidyoususpectCortes'andhismenofanypossibleinjustice?

NOTES

"Whydidyouburntheships?"
"Whendidthepowerbecomemoreimportantthanthemoney?"
"That'swhatthekingwanted.Hewantedustoconquerthelandandifthemendecidedthat
conqueringmeantraping,that'swhathappened."Cortes
"Didyoufeellimitlessinyourpower?"@Cortes'Men

"Youcouldhavekilledme..."Cortestohismen
"Hecamebackwithgold,whichiswhywerewardedhim."KingCharlesV
"DidyouknowwhattypeofmanCorteswasbeforeyousenthimontheexpedition...Ifeelthat's
somethingyoushould'veknown."Cortes'Men

ProudofSpain,whygoelsewhere?
"Howwouldyoufeelif....?"

Doesn'tmeandestroytheirlandandkillthem,threateningisnotkilling.
"Ourintentionsweregood"KingCharlesV
"Theyweretobecomeourbrothers"KingCharlesV
Righttoselfdefense(okay,Zimmerman)
Kingchosetooverlookthebadandrewardedhimwithbountiesuponhisreturnto
Spain/Castile

Q:Whydidyouassumetheirlifestylesneededtobefixed?(Notchanged,fixed)
Theybenefitmorefromoursystem
Iftheydidn'twanttobehelped,wewouldhavepulledback.
Justforexploration

Kinddidwhatwasexpectedofthesysteminwhichhelived

Thistrialactuallyshowedmehowtherearetwosidestoastory,butthosesidesareboth
influencedheavilybyoutsidesources.Duringthistimeperiod,anageofexplorationandtechnology
abounded.Anageofimperialismandchurchstatecombinationflourished,whetherinfavorofthosewho
createdthesystemorinfavorofthosewhosuccumbedto/abidedbyit.Thiswasatimewithverylittle
directcorrelationtothepresentday,althoughtiescanbemade.Ifeelasthoughthisisamajorreasonfor
multiplethingsthattranspiredduringourmocktrial.
Theideaofreparationshasbeendebateduponforcenturiesshouldapersonapologizeforthe
transgressionsofhisorherancestors?Ifeelasthoughthiswastheprimaryreasonforthetrialinthefirst
placeisCortestrulyguiltyforhisactions?DuringatrialIfeltanobstacleinthewayofmyimpartiality
towardCortes,butalsomyimpartialitytowardtheAztecpeople.Murderismurder,andisthemalefactor
ineverysituationinwhichitispresented.However,itwasveryhardtofindabenefactortosidewithallI
hadandcouldtryandconnectwithwasthetransgressionsofCortes,hismen,andKingCharlesV.When
recreatingatrial,oractuallyparticipatinginacurrentamoderntrial,itsdifficulttoempathizewiththe
defendant.
AnotherthingInoticedisthattheanalysisofthehistoricalcontenthadtobethoroughand
unmatchedhistoricalevidenceandfactspertainingtothiscasewerecrucial.Cortesletters,excerpts
frombooks,evidencefromvariousdatabasesthesewereallcrucialmeasurestotakeduringinvestigation.
Overall,Ifoundthatduringsomethinglikethis,itsalwaysimportanttofullyinvestigatethesubject
andunderstandthecontextinwhichyoullbedebating.