Download The Aztecs- Part 1 - Melillo Middle School

The Aztecs- Part 1
By Jane Runyon
When historians write of the Aztec civilization, they are actually referring
to a merging of several tribes of natives. The largest tribe was called Mexicas
(Muh-hee-kas). It is thought that this tribe originated in the northern part of
what is now Mexico. Some scientists think they may even have come from the
southwestern section of the United States.
1
2
Over the years, people have researched where the word Mexica might have come from. Some say that the
name came from an old Nahuatl word for the sun. Others suggest that it was the name of an ancient leader of
the tribe named Mexitli. Still others think it comes from the name of a weed which grew near Lake Texcoco.
The word Aztec was used to denote all of the people linked to the Mexicas by trade, custom, or religion. The
word translates to "someone who comes from Aztlan."
3
The people in the Mexica group spoke a common language. This language was called Nahuatl (NAH-wahtuhl). Over the years, people began to refer to all the peoples as Aztec. Many words from the Aztec language
have survived into modern times. Mexico, avocado, and chocolate are words that had their beginnings with
Aztec.
4
The combined Mexicas tribes came to Mexico in the 1100's. For many years they looked for a place to build
a city. One of their priests told of a dream he had. In this dream, the priest saw an eagle sitting on top of a
prickly pear cactus. The eagle had a snake in its mouth. He told the people that he believed that this dream was
a sign from their most important god. One day, a group of Mexicas came to a swamp that had several small
islands in it. This lake would become known as Lake Texcoco. The year was 1325.
5
These Mexicas had heard the prophesy of the eagle for years. When they looked at one of the islands in the
swamp and saw an eagle sitting on a cactus with a snake in its mouth, they believed that the prophesy had come
true. The Mexicas gathered at the spot and built their capital city. The town became known as Tenochtitlan. A
series of bridges and causeways were built to connect the islands in the swamp. The city could be defended
from enemies by taking up the bridges. Access to the city was treacherous without the bridges.
6
The merged tribes lived together in the city. They elected a leader. This leader was not the all powerful
leader seen in Europe at that time. The leader of the Aztec people was selected by a group of elders. Leaders did
not inherit the title when their fathers died. The leader had to discuss all decisions with the elders and the
priests. This changed somewhat in the 1500's when Montezuma II became the leader. He did away with the
council of elders. He didn't take complete control, however. He still consulted with some of the elders before he
made big decisions.
7
It was Montezuma II who was leading the Aztecs when Hernan Cortez landed on the southeastern shore of
Mexico in 1519. The city of Tenochtitlan was several hundred miles away. Cortez had heard about cities of
gold. He was determined to become a rich man by conquering these cities of gold. When he landed on the shore
of Mexico, he heard about the city to the west and decided that it would be his target. To be on the safe side,
Cortez made friends with small tribes he met along the way. He knew that these tribes were the enemy of the
Aztecs. He decided that he needed all the help he could get.
8
Cortez heard about more than the gold in Tenochtitlan. He heard about the human sacrifices. He heard that
enemies were captured in battle instead of being killed. They were brought back to the capital city. There they
were either turned into slaves or killed to satisfy the hunger of the Aztec gods. One story was told of 84,000
sacrifices being made in a four day period to appease the gods.
9
Cortez showed up at the Aztec capital and was surprised to be welcomed as a guest. What he didn't know
was that a priest had had another dream. In this dream, one of their gods had come to the city disguised as a
bird. When Cortez and his men showed up in full armor with large feathers on their helmets, the Aztecs decided
that they must be the gods that the priest had seen.
10
By June of 1520, the Spanish had overstayed their welcome. Fights broke out among the Spanish soldiers
and the citizens. The Spanish massacred many citizens including Montezuma II. They fled the city for their own
safety. They returned the next spring and cut off all means of access to the city. This is called a siege. There was
no way for the people of the city to get supplies. They had to depend on what supplies they had. They were able
to hold out until August of 1521. At that time, the Spanish entered the city and completely destroyed it.
1. Aztec is a word meaning "sun god."
False
True
2. What was the largest tribe of Aztecs called?
Mexicans
Texecocos
Mexicas
Birdmen
3. On what lake did the Aztecs build their capital?
Lake Mead
Lake Tenochtitlan
Lake Texcoco
Lake Montezuma
4. Why did the Aztecs choose the spot they did for
their capital?
5. How did an Aztec become leader?
6. What language did the Aztec people speak?
Nahuatil
Aztec
Spanish
Mexican
7. What did Cortez think he would find in Mexico?
An army
A trade route
Silk
Gold
8. What did the Aztecs think Cortez was?
A visitor from space
A new ruler
An enemy
A god dressed as a bird
The Aztecs- Part 2
By Jane Runyon
The life of an Aztec could be quite interesting. The people lived on islands located
in a swamp. Because land was so limited, they created their own growing spaces by
creating floating islands. The islands would be planted with seeds and then pushed out
into the water to grow. When the crop needed tending, the island was pulled back to
shore. Most of the people of Tenochtitlan lived inside the city. By the 1520's, only
about one of every five citizens made their living by growing food. Many of the rest of
the people were warriors, craftsmen, or traders.
1
2
Warriors were important to the Aztec civilization. They believed in war. They
attacked and conquered other tribes all over Mexico. They would rather capture their
enemies in battle than kill them. They preferred to take their captives back to the capital and make a few into
slaves. Those who weren't slaves were killed in human sacrifices to their gods. This treatment made enemies of
many of the tribes in the area. These tribes backed Cortez in his plan to destroy the Aztec nation. When the
Aztecs conquered an area far from the main city, they didn't take over its government. They left the original
leaders in charge. They did, however, demand that the captured people pay tribute to the Aztecs from one to
four times a year. This tribute could be paid in the form of food, cloth, jewels, and even firewood. The Aztecs
could get the luxury items they desired in this way. They demanded colorful feathers, decorated costumes, and
beads from the conquered towns.
3
Transportation in the Aztec nation was usually by foot. The Aztecs created an intricate system of roads from
place to place. These roads were not large enough for animals or wagons. Messages were sent regularly to
distant towns by couriers who ran along the paths. Every six to nine miles, a rest station was built. Here the
traveler could eat or sleep. After the Spanish conquered the Aztecs, the roads were no longer maintained. They
disappeared from the land.
4
Education was important to the Aztec people. Children were taught at home until they reached the age of
15. They learned sayings that taught them about the Aztec ways. When the children turned 15, they were ready
for school. Both boys and girls were required to attend classes. The course of study was different for each,
however. Boys were expected to go into one of two schools. The first school prepared the boys for a life in the
military. The second school taught writing, astronomy, and religion. Girls were taught how to take care of a
home. They learned about crafts, religion, and how to tend to children.
5
The Aztec people ate a lot of beans, squash, and maize or corn. They grew small shrimp in the waters of the
swamp. They grew chiles and tomatoes which they added to spice up their dishes. Much of their protein came
from eating crickets, worms, ants, and the larvae of insects. They grew a plant called maguey. From the maguey
they were able to get sugar, fibers for cloth and rope, and a liquid used to make a beverage similar to beer.
Cocoa beans were often used as a form of money. They also made a bitter chocolate drink from them. They kept
beehives to produce honey.
6
It is estimated that over 15 million people lived in or near Tenochtitlan before the Spanish arrived.
Unfortunately for the Aztecs, the Spanish brought with them a weapon more deadly than guns. The Spanish
introduced smallpox to the natives. These natives had never been exposed to a disease like this and had no
immunity against it. During the siege of the Spanish in 1520 and 1521, an epidemic of smallpox hit the capital
city. It has been estimated that up to half of the citizens died from small pox during this time. This disease has
often been given as a major reason for the conquest of the Spanish over the Aztec people. By 1581, it is
estimated that only 2 million Aztecs had survived.
7
It was mentioned earlier that cocoa beans were sometimes used as money. The Aztecs didn't have an
established monetary system. They used the barter system. Two or more people who wanted a product would
work out a deal among themselves. You might have corn. A neighbor might have beans. You would work out a
trade that was fair to both of you. You might even trade for work. Cocoa beans were often used in this way.
8
You didn't have much time to live the life of an Aztec. If you lived to the age of thirty-seven, you were
considered to be an elder. The life expectancy of an Aztec was pretty short.
9
It has been hard to learn as much about the Aztec people as some scientists would like. One of the early
Aztec rulers ordered that all books be destroyed and replaced with his ideas of what the history had been. When
the Spanish conquered Tenochtitlan, they destroyed most of the books that existed at that time. What is known
of Aztec life has been passed on from one generation to the next. The capital of Mexico, Mexico City, is now
built on the site where Tenochtitlan once stood.
1. Tenochtitlan was the Aztec capital city.
False
True
2. At what age did Aztec children begin school?
5
6
15
2
3. How did people get from place to place in the
Aztec Empire?
Horse
Cart
Wagon
Walking
4. How is bartering done?
5. How did the Aztecs treat their enemies during
war?
6. What was maguey not used for?
Rope
Animal food
Sugar
Fiber for cloth
7. What caused the death of millions of Aztecs?
Starvation
Guns
Small pox
War
8. From what did the Aztecs get protein?
Milk
Insects and worms
A mine
Beef
The Incas- Part 1
By Jane Runyon
1
Far to the south of Mexico, the largest empire of the western hemisphere was
established. At its height, Inca land covered most of the western edge of what is now
South America. This empire began somewhere around 1200 A.D. Three stories have
been passed from generation to generation about how the Inca Empire was founded.
2
The first story tells of a man who decided to start his own village. He and his four
sons, four daughters, and their husbands and wives walked until the grandchild of the
man led them to a valley. It was there that they decided to live. The child's father,
Manco Capac, became the leader of the village.
3
In another story, Manco and his wife were ordered to leave the bottom of Lake
Titicaca and go into the mountains to create a city by the sun god, Inti. They discovered a series of underground
caves and tunnels which led them to where the city would be built. The city was to be called Cuzco.
4
The third version of the story has a sun god complaining to his wife that he is lonely. She suggests that he
create a whole new civilization. He could order the people to worship him. That way he would never be lonely
again. He liked this idea and created the Incan people. He put the people high up in the Andes Mountains so that
they would be closer to him. It would be easy to worship the sun god from there.
5
The Incas left no books or written history so all of these stories were told to succeeding generations.
However the Incas came to be there, scientists can trace their existence to the late 12th and early 13th centuries.
The capital of Cuzco was a city-state. There is proof that Manco Capac was the first leader of note.
6
About 1438, the Incas decided to organize their kingdom. The land they had acquired through war and
through peaceful negotiation was divided into four sections, the northwest, southwest, northeast, and southeast.
At the corner where each of these sections met was the city of Cuzco. If the Incas found a territory that they
wished to add to their kingdom, the leader sent messages to the leader of the territory. He offered them luxury
goods and protection if they joined the Incas. The weaker territories couldn't pass up this opportunity. The
children of the territory's leader were sent to Cuzco. Here they were trained in ways to govern the territory and
to be good rulers. They then went back to their homes and did the bidding of the Inca leaders.
7
The leader of the Incas was called the Inca. The Inca usually remained in the same family. It was tradition
that the son of the Inca would be the leader of the empire's military forces. One such son was able to take
territories in what is now Peru and Bolivia. He also took parts of Chile, Argentina, and Columbia. Territories
conquered by the Inca were required to pay taxes to the ruler. Since there was no official money system, the
taxes could be paid with goods or even by working for the empire. It was understood that each family under
Incan rule would provide one member of the family to work in the silver and gold mines. When this person
died, another would be sent to take his place. It has been told that the tax collectors even took lice from the
heads of people too old to work or unable to work. This was a sign that everyone was responsible for tribute of
some kind.
8
A Spanish conquistador named Francisco Pizarro landed in Panama in the early 1520's. By 1526, he and his
men had reached the Inca territory. They knew right away that this was a very wealthy kingdom. It didn't take
Pizarro long to decide that this was a territory that Spain needed. It also didn't hurt to know that conquering this
kingdom would make him a very wealthy man. He went back to Spain to tell the king of his findings. The king
sent him back in 1532 with orders to make this kingdom a Spanish territory.
9
Pizarro had only 180 men to the Inca's army of over 80,000. The new leader of the Inca was Atahualpa. He
had just become the leader after defeating his own brother in a civil war. Smallpox had killed many of his
people. He looked at Pizarro as someone who could help him maintain control of his country. Pizarro and
Atahualpa met with a few of their people. A Spanish priest tried to explain Christianity to the Incan leader. Both
sides had trouble understanding each other. Pizarro got tired of trying to explain things to the Incan leader and
finally took him prisoner.
10
Atahualpa tried to bargain with the Spaniards. He offered to give them enough gold to fill the room in
which he was being kept. He offered twice that much silver also. Pizarro took the gold and silver. He then had
Atahualpa executed, saying that he had committed crimes against his own people.
11
Although another Inca was put on the throne, the Spanish were now in control of Cuzco and the Inca
Empire. By 1572, all traces of Inca rule had been erased from the vast empire. The Spanish were brutal leaders.
They destroyed all of the innovative systems that the Incas had created for farming, trade, and government. The
courage of the Incan people to resist Spanish rule served as an inspiration to generations in future.
1. The Incan Empire was located in South America.
False
True
2. According to myth, which god created the Incas?
Star god
Earth god
Sun god
Moon god
3. How do we know the myths told about the creation of the
Incan Empire?
They were written in Incan history books.
They were told from father to son.
They are found on scrolls.
They are recorded in cave paintings.
4. How was the Incan Empire organized?
6.What did Atahualpa offer Pizarro to let him free?
A room full of gold and twice as much silver
All the slaves he could use
Enough land to start his own city
His throne
5. What did Pizarro believe he would get from conquering the
Incas?
Slaves
Dignity
Land
Wealth
7. When did the Incan civilization begin?
Before Columbus arrived in the New World
After Columbus discovered the New World
At the same time Columbus arrived in the New World
In the 20th century
The Incas- Part 2
By Jane Runyon
1
The people of the Inca civilization lived high in the Andes Mountains. They had
to adapt their way of living to their surroundings. Can you imagine trying to plant
crops on a hillside? Can you imagine living in a civilization that had no written
language? Can you imagine living thousands of miles away from other people in
your empire?
2
The Inca Empire was divided into four different regions. The regions all met at
one corner. Located at that corner was the city of Cuzco. The ruler, called Inca,
lived in the city of Cuzco. He ruled all of the lands around him from his palace. Each of the four regions had
their own governor. He watched over the local officials. The local officials were in charge of the farms, the
cities, and the mines. The military and the religious groups had their own officials. In a way, having these
different leaders worked much like the checks and balances found in the United States government. No one had
too much control. The local officials helped settle disputes among the people. They also were in charge of
making sure everyone contributed to the mita. Mita was their word for mandatory public service. Each family
was expected to volunteer one of their members to work for the benefit of all of the people. In most cases, this
meant that one member from each family had to work in the gold or silver mines.
3
The Inca were highly skilled architects. They were able to construct stone buildings without using any
mortar to seal the stones together. They used a process of placing one large stone on top of another and then
lifting it up again to chisel any rough spots off. By the time they were finished chipping and sculpting the
stones, they fit together perfectly. Not even an earthquake could topple the stones in the building. The temples
at the Inca city of Machu Picchu are a standing monument to the engineering genius of the people.
4
Another incredible ability of the people was their farming. The hills surrounding Incan cities were steep.
Fields could not be plowed in the normal fashion. Any seeds planted on the hillsides would slide down to the
bottom in a good rain. The Incans developed two types of farming which have survived the centuries. They
developed terrace farming that surpassed any other attempt in any other part of the world. They were able to
create flat fields in stair steps up the mountain side. They incorporated a watering system that kept the crops
from washing away. They planted different crops at different levels. This way, if one crop failed, it was likely
the other wouldn't. The Incas also developed "raised fields." The fields were on platforms built by the farmer.
The field was surrounded by canals which provided water to the roots of the plants. These fields and the use of
bird droppings as fertilizer helped provide outstanding crops for the farmer. The Incas also believed in storing
food for emergency. It has been estimated that the Incas were able to store enough food to feed the people of
any city for seven years. They didn't worry about drought or bad weather. They knew they would have enough
to eat.
5
The Incas enjoyed a variety of foods. They raised corn, tomatoes, peppers, lima beans, and squash. Their
most successful crop was potatoes. They were even able to develop a primitive form of freeze drying their
potatoes. They would put them out to dry during the sunny days and then leave them out in the cold nights.
They learned to stomp on the potatoes to squeeze excess water out of them. These potatoes could now be stored
for long periods of time without spoiling. They also preserved meats by salting and then drying them. The
nutritional value was not lost by doing this. Very little cooking was done in Inca villages. They were so far up
in the mountains, there were few trees. What wood they had was used very sparingly.
6
The Incas believed that when they died they would go somewhere else to live according to how they had
spent their life on earth. They had a code which they were expected to live by. The code was "ama suwa, ama
llulla, ama quella" which means "do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy." If they were able to keep the rules of
this code, when they died they went to live in the sun's warmth. If they did not live by the code, they were
doomed to stay in the cold earth.
7
Although the Incas had no true written language, they developed a form of communication that was
fascinating. A series of multi-colored threads with knots at different places told the whole story. The threads
were called Quipu. Many of the Inca people were able to communicate in this way.
8
When the Spanish entered the Inca world and tried to conquer it, the people of the Inca civilization held out
as long as they could. When the Spanish took over one city, the leaders fled to another hard-to-find city and
continued to rule. It took over 36 years for the Spanish to finally wipe out the Inca Empire. Yet, the
creativeness, the engineering, and the courage that the Incas displayed have stayed around for centuries.
1. The Incan people were ruled by an Inca.
False
True
2. In what mountains did the Incas live?
Alps
Himalayas
Berkshires
Andes
3. What did you have to do to live in the sun after
death?
Do your best in school
Not steal, lie, or be lazy
Follow the Golden Rule
Be kind to others
4. What did the Inca have instead of written words?
5. What is unusual about the way buildings were
constructed in Incan cities?
6. How many years of food were the Incas able to
store in case of emergency?
Two years
Five years
Ten years
Seven years
7. What was the Inca's most successful crop?
Corn
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Peppers
8. What form of farming did the Incas perfect?
Slash and burn
Hydroponics
Crop rotation
Terrace farming
A Mayan Tale- Where Did Men Come From?
By Vicki Chao
1
A long, long time ago, the Mayas said the world was quiet and empty. Back then, an expansive sky and a
vast ocean were all the world had. There was no earth. There were no trees. There were no flowers. There were
no animals. And there were no men.
2
One day, the gods got together. They talked and talked. They all agreed that the world was too empty. They
needed to make some changes. So they made the earth. They made mountains and valleys. They made trees.
Then they made animals. They created deer. They created birds. They created snakes. They created pumas. And
they created jaguars. After they were done, they were very pleased with their work. But they soon realized that
they had made a big mistake -- animals could not speak and praise the gods. Sure, they could make noises. But
they could not understand each other, let alone worship the gods together.
3
Disappointed, the gods told the animals that they would make other beings and have them as animals' new
masters.
4
Once that was decided, the gods used mud to create the first human being. Right away, they saw that they
did not use the right material. Mud, as it turned out, was too soft. It kept melting away and did not have any
strength. Men made of mud could not move their heads. They could not stand straight. They spoke only
nonsense. And they could not have children.
5
Disappointed, the gods decided to scratch the design and try again.
6
In their second attempt, they used a more steady material -- wood. Men made of wood could stand straight.
They could walk. They could have children of their own. And they talked well. But they had no blood. They
had no souls. They quickly forgot who had created them in the first place. They showed zero respect toward the
gods.
7
Disappointed, the gods decided to scratch the second design. They let it rain day and night, causing a great
flood. They called forth four divines to come and teach those heartless men a lesson! They had Xecotcovach
gouge out men's eyes. They had Camalotz cut off men's heads. They had Cotzbalam devour men's flesh. And
they had Tucumbalam break, mangle, and grind men's bones. Imagine that! What a horrible punishment that
was! But wait, there was more!
8
After the gods were done with men made of wood, animals and pretty much everything else (like pots,
plates, and jars) came to vent their anger, too. They complained loudly of the abuses that men made of wood
had inflicted on them in the past. They made it clear that they would seek their revenge now. Upon hearing that,
men made of wood were terrified. They ran away as quick as they could. People say that their descendents are
still among us today. They live in the forests. And they look rather like us. They are monkeys.
9
Having destroyed the first two designs of men, the gods were not happy with themselves at all. But they
were not ready to give up yet. So they decided to give the idea another go. This time around, they chose yellow
corn and white corn to be their new materials. The pick, as it turned out, was a very good one. Men made of
corn were sturdier than men made of mud. And they were not heartless like men made of wood.
10
But there was a problem...
11
The gods asked the first four men they had created, "What do you think of your condition? Do you not see?
Do you not hear? Are not your speech and manner of walking good? Look, then! Contemplate the world. Look
and see if the mountains and the valleys appear!"
12
The first four men said, "We give you thanks, two and three times! We have been created. We have been
given a mouth and a face. We speak, we hear, we think, and we walk. We feel perfectly, and we know what is
far and what is near. We also see the large and the small in the sky and on earth. We give you thanks, then, for
having created us."
13
The words made the gods very uneasy. They thought, "It is not well what our creatures, our works, just
said. They claimed that they know all -- the large and the small. This is not good, not good at all!" Troubled, the
gods held an emergency meeting. They all agreed that they needed to do something about it. Otherwise, the first
four men and their children would one day come to think of themselves as the equals of the gods. To solve the
problem, they blew mist into the first four men's eyes, letting them see from then on only what was close, clear
to them.
14
In this way, the wisdom and all the knowledge that the first four men had had before their vision became
clouded were destroyed, lost forever!
15
In this way, the Mayas said, our forefathers were created!
1. What did the world have in the very beginning?
Mountains and valleys
A sky and earth
An ocean and trees
A sky and an ocean
2. Why did the gods destroy the design of men made
of mud?
Because men made of mud did not have
blood
Because men made of mud were selfish &
heartless
Because men made of mud could not have
children of their own
Because men made of mud could not talk
3. Why did the gods destroy the design of men made
of wood?
Because men made of wood did not have
souls
Because men made of wood could not walk
Because men made of wood could not turn
their heads
Because men made of wood could not have
children of their own
Which of the following animals did the gods not
create when they first made animals?
Jaguars
Monkeys
Snakes
Deer
4. How did the gods destroy the design of men made
of wood?
They called for a big flood.
They called for a big volcano eruption.
They called for a big earthquake.
They called for a big fire.
7. According to the Mayas' belief, what are
humans made of?
Mud
Wood
Corn
Water
8. How many men did the gods make in their third
try of creating humans?
Four
Three
One
Two
6. What animals are said to be the descendants of
men made of wood?
Monkeys
Chickens
Pumas
Parrots
Latin America- Natives Passages Answer Key
Aztecs Part 1
Aztecs Part 2
Incas Part 1
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
1.
2.
3.
4.
4.
4.
5.
5.
5.
6.
7.
8.
6.
7.
8.
6.
7.
Incas Part 2
1. B-true
2. D- Andes Mts.
3. B- not steal, lie,
or be lazy
4. The Incas used
a series of colored
threads with
different knots at
different places to
stand for words or
phrases. This
series of threads
is called a Quipu.
5. The large
stones used to
build the buildings
had no mortar or
cement to keep
them together.
Architects were
able to chisel the
stones until they
fit together
perfectly.
6. D- Seven years
7.B- Potatoes
8. D- Terrace
farming
Mayans
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.