Name:_____________________ Class:____________

Chapter 7: People of the Sun

VOICES Source – Gods or Devils? (page 162)

Read page 162 and answer the following questions:

1. What was Cortez suggesting to Moctezuma? How is his attitude similar to the explorers you read
about in chapter 5 and 6?

2. Why did Moctezuma reply angrily to Cortes’s words? How would you respond if someone
insulted one of your beliefs?

3. Restate, in your own words, Moctezuma’s defense of the Aztec gods. Why does he believe they
are good? In what ways do they benefit the Aztec people?
4 a.) Brainstorm reasons why we consider Aztec practices to be wrong. In what ways do those actions go
against our society’s values?

b.) What obligation do we have as individuals to speak up when we believe someone is being wronged?
Consider situations such as:

- someone being bullied in your school

- places of worship or neighborhoods in your community that are targeted by vandals

- people in countries overseas who are punished, injured, or killed because of ethnic or religious identity