Mr. Millican’s Humanities Class THE AZTECS A Z T E C S Mr. Millican’s Humanities Class

Geography A Z T E C S Spanned both highlands and coastal regions Stretched from Atlantic to Pacific

Geography A Z T E C S Mountains with fertile valleys (volcanic ash) Warm temperatures, long growing season

Religion A Z T E C S Quetzalcoatl, the feather serpent god of wind, was known as the creator of humanity

Religion A Z T E C S Huitzilopochtli, the war god, told the Aztecs to build their capital where they found an eagle, clutching a snake, on a cactus

Religion A Z T E C S In order to appease Huitzilopochtli and ensure the sun rose every day, Aztecs committed human sacrifice, often by cutting out the heart

Achievements A Z T E C S Tenochtitlan was built in the middle of Lake Texcoco, only accessible by causeways Dikes were built along the edge of the city to prevent flooding

Achievements A Z T E C S Chinampas were floating farm plots built in the middle of Lake Texcoco, eventually anchored by willows

Achievements A Z T E C S Triple Alliance of Aztecs, Texcoco, and Tlacoplan in 1428 led to an empire of 5 million by 1520

Political System A Z T E C S Emperor chosen from among brothers and sons of previous emperor by high council of 4 nobles Had to be educated at a calmecac school, be over 30 and an experienced warrior

Political System A Z T E C S Emperor took tribute from the altepetl (city states) that made up the empire A Tlatoani led the altepel and a Cihuacoatl was the chief judge, both directly responsible to the Emperor

Political System A Z T E C S The emperor was also the chief priest of the land and oversaw rituals (and sacrifice) as dictated by the Aztec calendar

Economics A Z T E C S Pochteca controlled the vast Aztec trade network and often served as spies for the Emperor

Economics A Z T E C S Aztecs exported such goods as maize, gold, copper, obsidian, and jade in order to gain cacao, quetzal feathers, rubber and jaguar skins

Social Structure A Z T E C S Roles seldom changed, although in very rare cases talented commoners could attend a calmecac school and become priests or government officials

Social Structure A Z T E C S Warfare was constant to keep a steady influx of prisoners to be used as sacrifice—those spared became slaves, mostly working on farms