text:  Deprived of its religious and customs its priesthood and legitimate sovereigns mercilessly tortured and slain its temples and institutions annihilated its very history and traditions blotted out Mexico in the hands of the Spaniards was rapidly transformed from a flourishing and independent empire into a huge province; while its inhabitants became a disposable horde on whom the conquerors seemed to think they were conferring a benefit when they made gift of them by hundreds and thousands like sheep or oxen to a lawless and reckless soldiery