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THE AZTECS CONTROL CENTRAL AMERICA THE VALLEY OF MEXICO • Mountain basin 7,500’ above sea level • Large lakes and fertile soil • Originally inhabited by the Teotihuacan (200 B.C.-700) and Toltec (900-1100) civilizations TEOTIHUACAN • • • • • • • “Place of the Gods” Outside Mexico City obsidian (volcanic glass) “Avenue of the Dead” “Pyramid of the Sun” “Pyramid of the Moon” Power and wealth based on trade • Decline – 750 TOLTECS TAKE OVER • 900-1200 • A warlike people • They worship fierce war god and offer human sacrifices • Topiltzin – Encourages worship of Quetzalcoatl • Rebellion forces Topiltzin, and Quetzalcoatl, into exile • Legend of Quetzalcoatl • AZTEC ORIGINS • Wandering nomads in the Valley of Mexico • The sun god, Huitzilopochtli, speaks and nothing is ever the same. FOUNDING OF TENOCHTITLAN • Lake Texcoco • On one of the islands, saw an eagle standing on the prickly pear cactus on a rock • Built their city • Eventually linked islands • Palaces, temples, markets, residential areas • Other cities formed around the lake TENOCHTITLAN • Causeways connect island city to mainland areas • Canals enable people to carry goods to city and its huge main market • Chinampas, floating islands, used to grow crops • Central area has palaces, temples, government buildings AZTECS GROW STRONGER • Triple Alliance—1428 agreement of Aztec , the Acolhua, and the Tepanec • 10 -15 million people by 1500 • Power from tribute AZTEC SOCIETY • Emperor – Power is absolute – Lives in palace – Revered • Noble class – Military leaders, officials, priests— rules Aztec society – Nobles own vast estates, live life of wealth and luxury • Commoners: – Merchants, artisans, soldiers, farmers • Lowest class: – Enslaved people AZTEC WRITING AZTEC CALENDAR • Derived from the Maya • 2 main calendars – Religious: 13 months of 20 days – Solar: 18 months of 20 days w/ 5 day period • Every 52 years, the 2 calendars started on same day & marked by ceremony of fire RELIGION: THE CENTER OF AZTEC LIFE • Major role in Aztec society • Over 1,000 gods • Public ceremonies and festivals – Priests make offerings, ritual dramas, songs, dance by masked performers SACRIFICES FOR HUITZI • Sun god: Huitzilopochtli • Human sacrifice carried out on massive scale – as many as 200,000 a year • Object of war was to obtain victims for sacrifice PROBLEMS IN THE AZTEC EMPIRE • In 1502, Montezuma II was crowned emperor • Beloved ruler • New demands • In 1519, the Spanish arrive – Why is this year significant? 1480?-1520 THE ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH • 5’4” tall, bow-legged, thin • 1519 Cortes w/ 600 men reach Tenochtitlan • Montezuma II offers him gifts of gold & his palace to stay • Demands more gold and silver REBELLION OF THE AZTECS • In 1520, the Aztecs rebel against the Spanish and drive them out • Montezuma II pleads for Aztecs to make peace – The crowd denounced him as a traitor – He is stoned to death by his people FALL OF THE AZTEC EMPIRE • 1521, Cortes and his men return & conquer the Aztecs • They destroy pyramids, temples, palaces & use the stone to build government buildings and churches • The rivers & canals were filled in