In
Depth: The "Troubling" Civilizations of the Americas
lEuropean concepts of civilization did not match with the practices of American Indians.
lJudging a civilization different from one’s own always is a complex proceeding.
lWhile some condemn Aztec sacrifice, others romanticize the Indian past.
lThe arguments over the possible existence of Inca socialism or about the nature of Aztec religion are examples.
lMoral judgment is probably inevitable, but students of history must strive to understand a people’s practices
in the context of their
own time and culture.