After reading the accounts of Native American societies recorded by Diaz, de Charlevoix, Le Clercq, and Sagard, why do you think that some early European explorers/settlers insisted on characterizing them as savages? How do these articles demonstrate the diversity and complexity of American Indian cultures? Does this change your own perception of the Aztecs (most people tend to focus on the human sacrifice aspect of Aztec culture and forget the rest) or other Native American groups? Why or why not?

Q&A Education