El Padre Sin Cabeza y Leon Viejo

Objectives:

As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

  1. identify some of the main colonial buildings of León Viejo.
  2. analyze the motivations of the Spanish conquistadores to settle in León Viejo and their treatment of the Indians.
  3. identify the statue "El Monumento a la resistencia indígena."
  4. evaluate the role Fray Antonio de Valdivieso played in helping the Indians of Leon Viejo and how this cost him his life.
  5. explain how the story, El Padre Sin Cabeza, represents the traumatization
    of the indigenous people by the conquistadores.

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Materials:

  1. Map of Leon Viejo with boxes labeling 11 of its important buildings.
  2. Photos of León Viejo
  3. Student Map Handout: León Viejo
  4. Teacher Map Handout: León Viejo Answer Key
  5. Student Handout: León Viejo Guía Turística
  6. Student Handout: El impacto de la conquista
  7. Student Handout: El Padre Sin Cabeza
  8. Taped interview given by Imara Saavedra, tour director of the Museum.

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Activities, León Viejo:

  1. Begin by taking students on a tour of the ruins of León Viejo.

    a. Display the photos of León Viejo. (You may wish to distribute a copy to each student or to display them on an overhead.)
    b. Take a virtual tour of Leon Viejo from the following websites:
    -www.ideay.net.ni/servicios/imagenes
    -www.centroamericana.com/nicaragua/patrimonio.htm
    -www.manfut.org/leon/complejo.html

  2. Distribute a copy of the student map handout entitled León Viejo, with empty boxes denoting the areas of the ruins, and the student handout entitled León Viejo Guía Turística to each student.

    a. Place the following list on the chalkboard or on an overhead transparency:
    • La Plaza Mayor
    • La Catedral
    • El Ayuntamiento
    • La Casa del Gobernador
    • La Calle Real
    • La Casa de Fundicion del Oro
    • La Casa de Gonzalo Cano
    • La Iglesia de la Merced
    • El Convento de los Mercedarios
    • El Monumento a la Resistencia Indígena
    • La Fortaleza

    b. Direct students to read the descriptions provided in the León Viejo Guía Turística and to label the map with the corresponding name or number.

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Activities: El Impacto de la Conquista y la Disminucion de la Poblacion indigena:

  1. Distribute a copy of the student handout entitled El impacto de la conquista to each student. Direct students to read the handout.

  2. Following the reading, ask students to answer the following questions:

    a. The indigenous population of the Pacific coast of Nicaragua was estimated to be around 100,000 before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. What was the estimate in the middle of the 16th century? (50,000) What was the estimate in 1610? (12,000)
    b. Ask students to list four reasons that Vargas gives that account for this drop? (wars, deportation to the north, diseases, and slavery)
    c. Which of the above reasons does Vargas give as the leading cause for this drop in population? (slavery)
    d. What was the name of the first Spanish governor who headed the slave trade?

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Activities: La Resistencia Indigena y los Tapaliguis:

  1. Display the photo of El Monumento a la resistencia indigena.

  2. As students examine the photo, ask them the following questions:

    -Why do you think the sculpture shows a dog attacking the man's leg?
    -What do you think the Indian warrior is holding in his hands?
    -Why did the sculptur Matus portray him with his head in the air and his arms raised high?

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Pre-reading Activities:

  1. Display the photo of El Padre Sin Cabeza from the Museo de las Leyendas in Leon.

  2. Ask students to explain, based on the photo, what they think the story is about.

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El Padre Sin Cabeza:

  1. Distribute the student handout entitled El Padre Sin Cabeza and direct students to read the story.

  2. After students have read the handout, ask them to answer the following questions:

    a. Who planned the death of Fray Antonio De Valdivieso?
    b. Why did they decide to murder him?
    c. According to legend, what natural disaster happened to Leon Viejo as a result of this sacrilege?
    d. According to Milagros Palma the bishop was decapitated because he objected to the (wars, deportation to the north, diseases, and slavery) Indians being used as slaves. Could the appearance of the headless bishop wandering along the dark roads have deeper meaning?

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Post-reading Activities:

Play the interview given by Imara Saavedra at the Museo de las Leyendas. After listening to the interview, discuss why El Padre Sin Cabeza is her favorite legend.


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