Aztecs Miss Bennett

Introduction Located in what is now central Mexico C.E. Legend about the beginning of their empire Snake in eagle’s mouth Crazy Ol’ Aztecs

Start of the Aztec Empire 1250 C.E: Arrived in Valley of Mexico from Aztlan ( legendary homeland ) Difficult time establishing themselves at first People in city-states were barbarians Aztecs warriors hired as mercenaries: a professional soldier who is paid to fight for another country or group Adopted many ways of living from Teotihuacan's( THE-aw-tee-wah-KAHNZ) and Toltecs (TOHL-teks) Feathered serpent god Married into Toltec royal line

Start of the Aztec Empire (continued) War with Culhuas drove Aztecs towards Lake Texcoco Aztecs sacrificed daughter of a Culhua chief Legend: Aztecs saw eagle perched on cactus with long snake in beak Began building Tenochtitlan Lake provided fish, water for birds, island easy to defend

Tenochtitlan Started building in 1325 C.E. Gained power through different alliances: a group of countries/city-states/other groups who agree to work together Itzcoatl (itz-koh-AHT-l): Aztec leader who formed Triple Alliance and defeated Tepanecs Connected Aztec history to Toltecs

Tenochtitlan (continued) Walls: Reclaimed land from lake by sinking timbers in waters Created chinampas: floating gardens Causeways connected to mainland, aqueducts provided water Angry Aztecs Merged a separate island with Tenochtitlan: Tlateloco Large plaza (ceremonial square where people gathered) in center of city Great Temple: located inside the plaza Royal palace: just outside the plaza Marketplace: located in Tlatelolco

Tenochtitlan and the Great Temple (above) Tlatelolco, causeway, and marketplace (below)

Aztec Warfare Empire based on tribute: payment made from one ruler to another Food, cacao, gems, cotton, cloth, etc Warfare was center to Aztec life Every male trained to be a soldier Declaration of war was a ritual First asked to become ally 60 days to agree Refusal=war

Aztec Warfare (continued) Most wars ended after one battle Captured soldiers: slaves or sacrificed Conquered cities Pay tribute, honor Aztec gods, promise obedience Lack of unity

Class Structure Five main social classes Historical Masterchef Top Class: Ruler and his family Ruler: half-god/half-human Not hereditary Called tlatoani “he who speaks” Second Class: Nobles, govt. officials, priests, high- ranked warriors Govt. officials: appointed for life Not hereditary Priests worshipped individual gods, predicted future Commoners could become military leaders

Class Structure (continued) Third Class: Commoners Several smaller classes Pochteca: professional traders Hereditary Special privileges Craftspeople, artisans, farmers, fishers, etc Fourth Class: Peasants 30% of Aztec people Free, inferior to commoners Did not own land Hired out to nobles Fifth Class: Slaves Prisoners of war, lawbreakers, debtors Could own goods and other slaves Children were born free

Aztec Religion Central to life and society Rituals and ceremonies to please gods Adopted gods from other cultures Chief god: Huitzilopochtli, god of the Sun Sun was a warrior who fought against night Every morning priests sacrificed hundreds of birds Most rituals included blood sacrifice Humans highest form of sacrifice, several thousand a year Aztec Priest Song

Family Life Men had higher status than women Married women could still own property, sell goods Children began training at young age All boys attended school part-time Marriage important, part of ritual Arranged marriages ( women at 16, men at 20) Divorce allowed for different reasons Primary food: maize Played ball game: tlachtli

End of Aztec Empire Early 1500s Hernando Cortes, Spanish explorer, arrives in Mexico Cortes leads attacks on Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan Montezuma, Aztec leader, is killed by Cortes 10-50% of Aztecs died from smallpox, no immunity City, civilization eventually is destroyed

Review Arrived Valley of Mexico 1200s Started building Tenochtitlan 1325, in Lake Texcoco Empire began in 1428, victory against Tepanecs Five social classes Believed gods needed blood for nourishment After Spanish arrival of Cortes, civilization quickly is destroyed