Aztec Society

1519. In the centre of Tenochtitlan, Moctezuma stood alone on the roof of his palace, observing the stars. Moctezuma, the leader of the Aztec people, was known as The Great Speaker. One of his many responsibilities was to watch the night sky for signs that might tell of future events and interpret these for his people. His decisions as emperor were influenced by the movements of heavenly bodies. Lately, there had been some bad omens, or signs, for Aztec society. Many people had heard a strange voice in the night that sounded like a mother wailing for her children. Then one day the lake waters surrounding the city turned as red as blood. And, of course, there was the ever-present threat of the fifth sun being destroyed by an earthquake. Moctezuma turned his gaze from the sky to the Great Temple just across the square from his palace. Could it really be possible that this building, the centre of the Aztec universe, might someday lie in ruins? Then suddenly there was a terrifying sign. Flaming across the night sky, was what the Aztecs called a “star serpent,” a comet with a fiery tail. This was a terrible omen, foretelling death and destruction. Q: The Aztecs had a strong belief in fate. How might a belief in fate affect the action of an emperor?

Aztec Hierarchy Emperor Nobility and Priests Merchants, Artisans, Soldiers Farmers, Fishers, Women Slaves Commoners Nobles

Nobles and Commoners There were two main classes in Aztec society – nobles (pipiltin) and commoners (macehualtin) Each of these were divided into different levels You were generally born into your class or level Although there were opportunities to work your way to a higher level Emperor: The emperor was from the nobility, but once in power he was in a class of his own The emperor was not born into their role, they were appointed by a council of nobles who voted on who should be next emperor Nobles: Approximately 10-15% of the Aztec population was in this class They held the most wealth and power Priests came from the noble ranks, but had their own internal class system Nobles worked as scribes, government officials and teachers Commoners: Anyone who was not a noble belonged to the commoner class This included slaves and merchants, who potentially could be wealthy

Role of the Emperor The emperor was at the top of Aztec society He had the title Huey Tlatoani (way tlah-toe-AH-nee) which means “Great Speaker” Although the emperor was human, and they knew this, he was still treated like a god Respect was shown by obeying him without question and giving him every possible privilege and luxury Lived in an enormous palace with gardens and a zoo He was carried through the street by servants on a screened platform Although he lived a life of luxury, his responsibilities were great

Emperor Cont'd The emperor was the commander-in-chief of the Aztec army He had to be a skilled warrior himself He had to know military strategy and how to lead others Decision making involved the emperor and his council Council is made up of priests and nobles He would ask for their advice The final decision, however, was his alone

Family Clans Aztec society was organized into units called calpolli (call-POLE-lee) Members of a calpolli lived in the same neighbourhood and worshipped at the same temple Some calpollis were based on the work that people did A group of goldsmiths may form a calpolli Others were those who had close family ties The calpolli owned the land where its members lived and farmed Each elected a captain and a council The council assigned land and houses to its residents It collected taxes It had the responsibility of keeping the neighbourhood clean, washing the streets, and painting and scrubbing buildings Electing local leaders gave citizens a small measure of political power

Merchants Merchants made up the richest calpolli in Tenochtitlan They travelled into the far areas of the Aztec empire to bring back prized goods They sold goods in Tenochtitlan's markets upon their return They paid taxes on their profits which enriched the empire as a whole They also acted as spies They were valuable advisors as they had knowledge of geography and foreign cities

Farmers Farmers grew crops and were responsible for feeding the vast population of Tenochtitlan They were also skilled hunters and fishers They sold what they caught in the markets to add to their income Paying taxes was considered one of the most important aspects of citizenship Farmers gave up a share of their crops as taxes They didn't just grow for themselves, but for the welfare of everyone They might also have been expected to donate hours of labour to working on projects for the state

Artisans Because Tenochtitlan was a large and wealthy city, there was demand for fashionable clothes and art Artisans, or skilled craftspeople, were in high demand Mask makers, goldsmiths, and feather workers were highly respected artisans The creations of feather workers were the most valued items in Aztec society Tropical birds were hunted and raised in captivity Their feathers were fashioned into fans, headdresses, tunics and used to decorate shields Only those in the nobility could wear feather garments Quetzal feathers were the most sought after They were associated with the god Quetzalcoatl Feathers were also taken as tribute from people the Aztecs conquered

Signs of Status In Aztec society, you usually can easily distinguish a person's status by outward signs Three key indicators were clothing, jewellery and the size and location of one's house – The quality and patterns printed on it determined the wearer's position in society Q: What are some symbols of status we have today? The common people will not be allowed to wear cotton clothing, under pain of death, but only garments of maguey (cactus) fibre. No one but the great noblemen and chieftans is to build a house with a second storey, under pain of death. Q: Why do you think it was important for the Aztecs to be able to tell the commoners and the nobles apart by just looking at them? Q: What does the first law remind you of that we have learned about already? Q: Why do you think only nobles were allowed to have taller houses?

Moving Up in Society How would one “move up” in Aztec society? The best way was to achieve success on the battlefield Killing was not the goal of battle – capturing prisoners was – Why would they want to capture prisoners? For what purpose? A warrior who captured four enemies immediately became eligible for membership in a higher social status This means a commoner could theoretically become a noble Uniforms changed with the amount of prisoners one captures – The warrior starts with just a loincloth, and then wears the uniform of a jaguar warrior when they move to the nobility

Think-Pair-Share Discussion Topic: Comparing Aztec society to Medieval European society Think about: – How are they similar? – How are they different? – Which do you prefer? Why Talk about this with a partner Share with larger class in a discussion