THE FALL OF THE AZTEC EMPIRE, 1520
Topic Summary
The year is 1520, and Montezuma II, the (former) ruler of the Aztec Empire, has just been killed. This has started numerous chaotic events throughout the Empire, and it is your job to fix them or submit to the invading forces.
For one, Cortés and his Spanish army are becoming more powerful and looking to take over the Aztec Empire entirely. Before he died, Montezuma II paved the way for them to do this, but you must protect your people and keep the Spanish at bay. On top of this, there is increasing friction between the city-states due to differing opinions and resources, and the common people are upset with you about it. Plus, with the arrival of the Spanish, another unwelcome guest is also at your doorstep - smallpox.
This is a time of madness that you, a mixed court of nobles, rulers, and generals must learn to navigate. Will you save the Aztec Empire, or will you let your internal problems and greed take over and get everyone killed?
Director’s Letter
Hello delegates!
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the seventieth iteration of Harvard Model United Nations and The Fall of the Aztec Empire, 1520.
By way of introduction, my name is Maitri Shah, and I am a sophomore at Harvard College studying Neuroscience and Computer Science. I was born in Toronto, Canada and lived in Calgary, Canada for my entire life until I came here to Harvard. I have been involved with Model UN since I was in high school and have continued to do it in college as I compete on the collegiate circuit. To me, MUN is a place for people of all backgrounds to come together and spend the weekend getting to know one another through exciting debate and collaboration. While I am a GA (with the occasional crisis committee) delegate on the circuit, I am super excited to be navigating this crisis with all of you!
The Fall of the Aztec Empire will place a strong emphasis on teamwork and strategic thinking. As you navigate the climate of this Empire in 1520, you will see various factors at play either meant to support or hurt you. Montezuma II was often regarded as one of the greatest Aztec Emperors because successfully expanded the Empire around the region, developed efficient processes for governing his people, and was the first to meet with Cortes and the invading Spanish. After he died, however, the Spanish became stronger and tensions among the Aztec people arose.
In this committee, it is your job to help the Aztec Empire get through numerous problems after the death of Montezuma II. This will start with finding the next capable ruler of the Empire, move on to deal with resource crises and internal tensions, and then protecting your people against invading forces. It will be imperative that you work with one another to get through this difficult time, even if it means putting your personal goals aside to help the court and Empire as a whole.
I am really excited to get to know you all throughout this weekend, from solving fun problems to hearing fruitful debate on these issues. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have - I want this to be an enjoyable experience for everyone. See you soon!
Maitri Shah
Director, The Fall of the Aztec Empire, 1520
Harvard National Model United Nations 2024
Crisis Director’s Letter
Dear Delegates,
Greetings!
My name is Shahmir Aziz and I’m a junior at Harvard College, pursuing a Joint Concentration in Biomedical Engineering and Mathematics, along with a Secondary in Computer Science and a Language Citation in French.
I am from Lahore, Pakistan, where I was born and raised, and where I lived for all my life before coming here for college. I’ve been heavily involved in Model UN, both competitively and staffing, since the start of high school, where I was the President of my high school’s Model UN Society.
At Harvard, I served as a Deputy Director of our competitive Model UN Team, and was a Director at both our high school and college conferences last year.
Model UN, for me, is a way for students to engage in thought-provoking discourse about the challenges and crises our world faces today, while making great friends and memories along the way. Diplomacy and deliberation are key to doing well at a Model UN Conference, and I would like to see you all come with the mindset to solve problems through collaboration, creativity and an open mind!
That being said, the ultimate purpose of this activity is for us to think about broader problems and hone our problem-solving and diplomacy skills, and so I hope that you don’t forget this goal and don’t forget to have fun along the way!
If anyone has any questions about the committee or otherwise, feel free to email me at any point!
Good luck, and I hope to see you all soon!