1. Chapter 7: The People of the Sun
Unit 2: Worldviews in Conflict

2. Inquiry Question
In what ways do a group’s collective beliefs and experiences contribute to shaping a unique identity?

3. Vocabulary
Aztec
Aqueduct
Chinampa
Compulsory
Tribute
Artifact
Dike

4. What’s in a word? Aztecs
19th century historians created the term Aztec.
Referring to the civilization created by the Mexica during the 15th century.
Aztlan.

5. Where Were the Aztecs? In the area of present day Mexico.
Main city is where Mexico City is today.

7. The Aztecs (p.151) Originally were in the desert of northern Mexico.
A god told the people to migrate south.
Aztecs travelled for 150 years.
Eventually got to the Valley of Mexico.

8. Question Period
What effect do you think the experience of hardship and wandering might have had on the Aztec sense of identity?
Can you name another group of people who wandered the desert before being led to a promised land?

9. Codex Mendoza

10. The Physical Landscape
Think of the Rocky Mountains
Is it a place to ski?
A place to go biking or hiking?
A place to relax?
The type of person you are (interests, attitude, knowledge) influences how you respond to geography.

11. The Physical Landscape (con’t)
Aztec’s saw mountains as:
Sacred
Holy
Bringing people closer to the gods.

12. The Physical Landscape (con’t)
Two landscaped:
Physical
Sacred
Connected to each other
Temples that were built for gods were pyramids in the shape of mountains.

13. The Power of Mountains Sense of security.
Like walls of a fort or city.
Protected them from invaders.
Allowed them to see enemies advancing.

14. The Power of Mountains (Con’t)
Caused problems
Flash floods during rain.
Major flood in 1500 forced Aztec engineers to build a dam.
Prevented rain
Built aqueducts (brought fresh water)

15. An Island Home Lake Texcoco provided safety.
3 causeways to connect to mainland.
Bridges were designed to be destroyed.
Population exploded.

16. A Floating Island? Chinampa – floating island. Built new land
Drive stakes into lake to make rectangle.
Laid reed mats and piled on soil.
All done by hand – no animals to help.

17. Changing the Geography
Determined to live on the island.
No rivers fed the lakes.
Through evaporation, natural salt was left behind
Built barrier to prevent flooding.
Fresh water available now

18. FAST FORWARD: Mexico City is Sinking
Built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan.
Spanish rebuilt the city in 1522.
Began draining the city.
Provide water for 20 Million.
9 meters in 100 years.

19. Read Pages 153-155 as a class Student Work:
1) What belief led the Aztecs to live in Tenochtitlan?
2) Show the ways the Aztecs responded to the challenges of geography.
3) Add chinampa,
Aqueduct, Aztecs
to your cornell notes.
4) Reminder: Map is due tomorrow!!!
Geography
Challenge
Aztec Solution
Mountains
Island

20. Homework 2. Complete chart. Mountains…. Challenge? -Flood/mudslides
What belief led the Aztecs to live in Tenochtitlan?
They left northern Mexico to Tenochtitlan because their god told them so.
2. Complete chart.
Mountains….
Challenge?
-Flood/mudslides
Solution?
-Build a dam across the city. (Aqueduct)
Island…..
Challenge?
-Small, not enough room
Solution?
Building chinampas to extend their land.

21. Sacred Landscapes: Aztec Gods
Aztec’s believed in more than one god.
Some more important than others.
Aztec Gods’ controlled every aspect of their world.
Told them how to live.

22. Huitzilopchtli (whets-eel-oh-POCH-tlee)
Told Aztecs to leave the north.
Aztec’s would sacrifice people to give this god strength and overcome the night’s darkness.
Tribal and warlike.

23. Tezcatlipoca (Tez-cah-tlee-POH-kah)
Most powerful god.
Name means “Smoking Mirror.”
Used a black mirror to see the future
Also called Lord of the Night Sky.
Battled with Huitzilopochtli.

24. Quetzalcoatl (ket-zal-COH-ahtl)
God of wind.
Name means “feathered serpent.”
People offered him flowers, incense, and birds.
Fought Tezcatlipoca and left the valley.
Priest argued he would return in the year of “One Reed” and destroy the Aztec empire

25. Tlaloc (TLAH-lzok) God of rain.
He could unleashed deadly floods or prevented rain for years.
Aztec’s believed he caused drought and famine.
They feared him because he controlled survival.

26. Measuring Time Aztec calendar had close connection to gods and humans.
Sacred and physical landscape.
2 calendars – solar and sacred.
Sacred was 260 days
Took 52 years to “catch up” to solar.

27. Stone Calendar
The sacred and the solar calendar make up the stone calendar
Dedicated to Huitzilopochtli.
Shows how world began and how it will be destroyed.
Four eras before present
1st destroyed by jaguars
2nd by hurricanes
3rd by fiery rain
4th by flood
5th will be destroyed by earthquake.

28. Stone Calendar con’t
The god of the fifth sun is in the centre of the calendar
He has his tongue out to symbolize that he wants to be fed blood.

29. Human Sacrifice
For the Aztecs , killing another person for a sacrifice is a religious custom.
To them it is the strongest act they could perform that showed their devotion to their gods.
Victims blood actually fed and nourished the gods.

30. Human Sacrifice World would end if gods not feed.
This made war so important to the Aztecs as it gave them new victims for sacrifice.

31. Tenochtitlan: Center of the World
Earth was flat and round like a pie.
Divided into four sections.
Tenochtitlan was center.
Gods assigned them here.

32. Tenochtitlan Also divided into four.
Middle of city were numerous temples.
Hundreds around city
Brought gods closer
Tenochtitlan was a model of the world.

33. Section 2: The Sacred Landscape
In this section we explored the Aztec religious rites and gods including human sacrifice and why it was so important to their society.
Read page 163 as a class.
Copy and Answer:
Which god lead them to their home of Tenochtitlan?
Which god left after having a fight with Tezcatipoca?
Which god is predicted to come back and destroy the Aztec empire?
Which god did the Aztec fear?
Why did the Aztec use human sacrifice?
What did they believe would happen if they stopped using human sacrifice?
If you finish early, work on your chapter 7 questions.

34. Which god lead them to their home of Tenochtitlan?
Huitzilopchtli
Which god left after having a fight with Tezcatipoca?
Quetzalcoatl
Which god is predicted to come back and destroy the Aztec empire?
Which god did the Aztec fear?
Tlaloc
Why did the Aztec use human sacrifice?
To show their devotion to their gods.
What did they believe would happen if they stopped using human sacrifice?
They believed the world would end, as the gods would not be fed.

35. Expanding an Empire
The Aztec attitude toward other cultures was rooted in their legendary trek to find a new home
Along the way, they evolved into an independent, and resourceful people
Aztecs expanded their empire in two ways – trade and war.

36. Expanding through trade
The Aztecs formed trading and defensive alliances with their neighbors.
Wait a Second!!!!
If the Aztecs were such good farmers and builders, why would they need to trade with other people???
Aztecs lived up in the mountains.
The climate is not good for growing all types of food such as the tropical fruits.
No gold or silver where they lived.

37. Trade cont’
Aztec merchants often set off with hundred of slaves to carry the goods they purchased on trading expeditions.
They might be gone for months as they traveled to remote parts of the empire
Merchants also acted like spies.
Drew maps
Told Army leaders which cities looked well defended and which ones could be easily conquered

38. Expanding Through War
By the time the Spanish arrived in 1519, the Aztecs controlled an empire larger than any in North America.
The Aztecs firmly believed that the group-their society- was much more important than the individuals within it.
Every Aztec was prepared to sacrifice his or her own life for the good of the group.

39. Expanding through war cont’
When a boy was born, he was given a small bow and shield.
This symbolized his commitment to protect the Aztec empire.

40. Expanding through war cont’
Military service was compulsory
Every young man was required to serve in the army.
“coward” was the worst insult an Aztec to say to someone.

41. Tribute How did the Aztecs profit from the wars they fought?
After they conquered a group, they began to collect tributes
Valuable gifts from the conquered group.
Tributes included: cotton blankets, shields, jewels, cocoa beans.

42. Cocoa Beans Cocoa beans were very important
They made a special drink with it that they believed gave them wisdom and power.
Cocoa Beans were also used a currency.

43. Read pages 165-168 Copy and Answer
How were the Aztec merchants like spies?
Why would the Aztecs need to increase trade with other nations?
How were the worldviews of the Aztecs and Spanish were similar?
Cornell notes: tribute, compulsory
Work on Chapter 7 questions if you are finished early.

44. Homework...... How were the Aztec merchants like spies?
Visit different villages and scope them out
Report back to the military leaders if villages looked strong or weak.
If weak, they would attack.
Why would the Aztecs need to increase trade with other nations?
- the climate in their village is not good for all types of food
-need to trade in order to get food, and resources that they need.
ex. Avocado, gold, silver, tropical birds

45. Homework....
3. How were the worldviews of the Aztecs and Spanish were similar?
Both conquered and took over other people’s land

46. Looking Ahead.... Tomorrow- Chapter 7 Test = Tuesday February 21st
Chapter 7 Questions Rough Copy Due
Good Copy Due : Wednesday February 15th
Chapter 7 Test = Tuesday February 21st
Starting Chapter 8- Wednesday.

47. Over to You - Review
Give a description to the layout/location of Technoctitlan. (draw pictures to help)
What was “tribute?” What forms did it come in?
What was the main weapon for an Aztec warrior?
In what ways did the Aztecs alter their geography in order to be more successful? (4 ways)
Name the two Aztec calendars.
What are codices (codex)? How did the Aztecs use them?
If you are finished early, work on your chapter questions.
Remember- rough copy due TOMORROW!

48. Cheat Sheet Chinampas P.162 (Spanish) Calendar People of the Sun
Relationship with Huitzilopochtli
City of Tenochtitlan