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The Azteca
I am Peter
I eat Boogers
Early 1200s-early
1500s
aka Mexica
History of the Aztec Nation
The Aztecs are believed to have come
from the north. They spoke the Nahuan,
or Nahuatl, language. This tongue
belongs to the Uto-Aztecan linguistic
stock. It is related to the languages of
the Piman and Shoshonean tribes of the
western United States
mexico
Mexico
• The emblem-shield symbolizes the
Aztec heritage.
• According to a beautiful legend, the
gods had advised the Aztecs that the
place where they should establish their
city was to be identified when they saw
an eagle, perched on a prickly pear
tree, devouring a serpent. They saw
this mythical eagle on a marshy lake
that is now the zócalo or main plaza in
Mexico City. Lake Texococo.
Aztec Empire Map
Aztecs at Conquest
Warriors at Play
Sons of Dogs-Chichemecas
• Azitlan-S. of Mazatlan on coast,
possible origin point.
• They have really old chinampas
Nomadic Farmers
• Their legends reveal the early Aztecs as a
nomadic farming people, wandering about in
search of fertile land. In the Valley of Mexico,
they fought with the settled tribes and at times
were forced to serve them. Eventually, they
forced others to serve them.
What did they eat?
• Finally they took refuge on islands in the
shallow lakes and founded Tenochtitlán
on the site of modern Mexico City in
about 1325.
Prosperous?
• Here they prospered and reached out to win
new lands. They allied themselves with other
Nahua tribes. Soon the Tenocha Aztecs
dominated the Aztec Confederacy. They were
at the height of their power when the
Spaniards attacked them. The Indians living
in the Mexico City region today are largely
descendants of those whom Cortez
conquered.
Civilized Barbarians
• The Aztecs had the most advanced
civilization in North America at the time
of Cortez, but they did not originate it.
When they invaded the region, they
took over the culture of earlier, more
advanced peoples— the Toltecs,
Mayas, Zapotecs, and others. The
barbarian Aztecs came to Mexico in
about AD 1200
religion
• Religion was the great controlling force in
Aztec life. In architecture and sculpture they
gave their best efforts to building and
decorating huge temples. They had picture
writing, hieroglyphics, and number symbols
with which they recorded religious events and
historic annals.
Aztec Temple
Astronomy
• They had learned from the Mayas how to
determine the solar year accurately. . . . With this
knowledge their priests kept an exact solar
calendar. An almanac gave dates for fixed and
movable festivals and listed the various deities
who held sway over each day and hour.
Aztec Calendar
Trade
• A trade system linked the far parts of
the empire with Tenochtitlán. Soldiers
guarded the traders, and troops of
porters carried the heavy loads, for the
Aztecs had no pack animals. Canoes
brought the crops from nearby farms
through the canals to markets in
Tenochtitlán.
• Their chief produce included corn,
beans, peppers, squash, alligator pears,
tomatoes, tobacco, cotton, and turkeys.
Trade was carried on by barter, since
the Aztecs had not invented money.
Change could be made in cacao beans.
Life in the Capital
• The Aztecs used their wealth and power to
provide a brilliant life in their capital.
Montezuma lived in a splendid palace. He
was surrounded by his nobles and served by
thousands of slaves. In the palace grounds
were beautiful gardens and menageries.
Read article on Tenochititlan.
Tenchititlan by Europeans
El Chapultapec
• The city streets and palace walls were
scrubbed dazzlingly white by sweating
slaves. Bridges carried the streets over the
network of canals which laced the city. An
aqueduct brought drinking water from
Chapultepec, a rocky height nearby
Chapultapec castle today
Chinampas
• Strange floating islands fringed the oval main
island. They were made of mud dredged up
from the lake bottom, supported on a network
of branches and water grass. At first, the
farmers could tow them with canoes. Then,
as trees sent down roots, they became
permanent island farms, called chinampas
Chinampas-then and now
Mud Huts
• Farmers lived in wattle-and-daub huts
on these islands. In the older sections of
the city officials lived in houses of stone
and adobe. Each house was built
around a patio and raised on a platform
for protection against lake floods. Most
Aztecs were farmers. There were also
traders and craftsmen.
Aztec Family Life
• Custom governed many details of child
rearing—even the number of tortillas to
be fed at various ages. Children were
taught courtesy, respect for their elders,
truthfulness, and self-control.
Boys Life
• Aztec boys learned practical tasks from their
fathers at home, then went to the house of youth
(called telpuchcalli) at the age of 15. Here older
men of each clan taught the boys the duties of
citizenship, religious observances, the history
and traditions of their people, and arts and crafts.
Training for war included learning to use the
javelin thrower (called the atlatl), bows and
arrows, and wooden war clubs with sharp blades
of obsidian. In another school, the calmecac,
boys studied for the priesthood. Girls could learn
to be priestesses in temple schools.
Tribal Organization
• Aztec tribes were divided into families and
clans. Each clan had its own elected officials
and sent representatives to the council of the
tribe. The council appointed officials to govern
the four quarters (phratries) in which the city
was organized. The council also elected and
advised the supreme chief, who led the tribe
in wars and alliances. A second chief
supervised internal affairs.
Tribal
organization(continued)
• Although the system was theoretically
democratic, actually the chiefs were selected
from powerful families. It was theocratic rule.
The priesthood had a strong influence in tribal
affairs but probably took no active part in
government. Strict laws and courts protected
common citizens and even slaves from many
forms of injustice. Crimes and disorder were
severely suppressed. Theft of growing corn
was punished by slavery or execution
Land Ownership
• Land was held in common by the tribes. The
council apportioned shares to heads of
families. They controlled the land, however,
only as long as it was cultivated. Sections
were also farmed to provide food for chiefs
and priests. Everybody paid tribute to the
Emperor. He liked payment in goods and
girls.
The Gods
• The Aztecs worshiped a host of gods who personified the forces
of nature. To obtain the gods' aid, the worshipers performed
penances and took part in innumerable elaborate rituals and
ceremonies. Human sacrifice played an important part in the
rites. Since life was man's most precious possession, the Aztecs
reasoned, it was the most acceptable gift for the gods. As the
Aztec nation grew powerful, more and more sacrifices were
needed to keep the favor of the gods. At the dedication of the
great pyramid temple in Tenochtitlán, 20,000 captives were
killed. They were led up the steps of the high pyramid to the
altar, where chiefs and priests took turns at slitting open their
bodies and tearing out their hearts.
Aztec Warrior
Fine Young Cannibals
• The Aztecs sometimes practiced cannibalism;
that is, they ate the flesh of their victims,
believing that they would then absorb the
virtues of the slain. The sacrificed victims
were thought to win a high place in paradise.
The need for collecting captives led Aztec
warriors to seek prisoners instead of killing
their enemies in battle.
Spaniards Freaked Out at
This
• The Spaniards were horrified by these Aztec
rites, and after the conquest they ruthlessly
destroyed the temples in order to blot out the
old faith. The friars who came to convert the
Indians to Christianity and to educate them
added to the destruction by burning records
and shattering idols. They frequently built a
Christian church on the rubble left when the
old temple was torn down.
Hernan Cortez in D.F.
Cortez
• Cortez lived for a time in the
temple area- he had crosses and
virgin Mary statutes erected over
paganistic symbols and cleaned up
the bloody mess. They forced the
Aztecs to worship Mary and Jesus.