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Aztec History and Culture
The story of Aztecs rise from a nomadic tribe of Nahunta-speaking Indians to become the conquerors of the Valley
of Mexico and the proud possessors of one of the New World's three indigenous civilizations is an important
segment of a vast American epic: the arrival of the first man on the American continent and his progress, and that
of his successors, in creating a culture and ultimately a highly developed civilization. Part of the Aztec story belongs
to pre-history and part of it to relatively modern history.
Sometime in the dim past the most accurate estimates place it anywhere from fifteen to twenty-five thousand
years ago men of the Mongoloid race, in search of food, made their way across the frozen Bering Strait from Asia
to the North American continent. Hunting and fishing in small bands, they spread out over North America, pushing
their way down into Central America, and farther down into South America until they occupied both continents in
varying degrees of population density.
By the time the white man arrived in the New World, he found a wide variety of social patterns and customs in
evidence among these peoples, whom he mistakenly called Indians. These patterns ranged from crude, primitive
societies to those capable of observing the movements of the heavenly bodies with more precision than the
Europeans who came to these shores.
But it was not until relatively recent times that anthropologists, archaeologists, and historians began to talk of
Indian civilizations. Men like Means, Morley, Kidder, Valliant, Thompson, Spin den, Maud slay, Case, and a host of
other eminent scientists and scholars have accumulated a vast amount of knowledge from excavations and studies,
especially the accounts of the early Spanish missionaries in the New World.
From this body of knowledge a pattern emerged, and historians and philosophers began to speak of the Aztec
civilization, the Maya civilization, and the Inca civilization. Historians and philosophers could no longer ignore
America and its three indigenous world outlooks, as Hegel had done.
What made it possible for these three great civilizations to emerge the Aztec in the Valley of Mexico, the Maya in
Guatemala, Honduras and Yucatan, and Inca in Peru and Bolivia? In each case the domestication of a staple food
supply seems to have been a deciding factor; among the Aztec and Mayas it was maize or corn and among the
Incas the white potato.
The scene of the Aztec triumph was the Central Walleye of Mexico. Several centuries before Christ, agricultural
tribes had already settled here, and by the time of Christ had established their great religious center at
Teotihuacan. Archeologists place the advent, rise, and fall of this great civilization roughly from the second century
to the tenth century A.D. About this time a new group moved into the Valley and settled in Tula, Hidalgo. They are
known to us as the Toltec’s. These Indians belonged to Nashua group and seem to have come from the north or
northwest into the Valley. Soon their culture and artistry spread to many parts of Mexico, reaching even as far as
Yucatan and other Maya areas, However, as early as the eleventh century A.D., another related tribal group, the
Chichimec’s, were already in contact with the Toltec’s, and by the thirteenth century they had gradually replaced
the Toltec’s as the dominant tribal group in the Valley.
The Aztecs were among the last of the tribes to enter the Valley. They, too, were of the Nashua group. The tribal
records of the Tenochca Aztecs indicate that they began their wanderings in A.D. 1168, coming down from their
legendary home in Aztlan, referred to as the "Seven Caves," or the "Place of Reeds." Evidence seems to indicate
that the Aztecs, "the Crane People." migrated from the north and northwest, passing through Michoacan.
Linguistically speaking, they were allied to the North American Shoshonis and to the Michoacan Tarascans. They
arrived in the central valley and asked for permission to settle at Chapultcpec in 1248. For some years they appear
to have been almost enslaved by other tribes of the Nahua race. By the fourteenth century they had made two
settlements on the islands in the lakes, one at Tenochtitlan. now called Mexico City, whose traditional founding
date is given as 1325, and another at Tlaltetalco. By the fifteenth century, Tenochtitlan had become the center of
Aztec growth, conquest, and expansion. The great struggle for prisoners of war had heen initiated.
As early as the beginning of the sixteenth century, the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, dominated all other cities and
had reached the height of its power and magnificence.
In 1519, the first white men, the Spaniards, under the leadership of Hernan Cortes pushed their way into the
Valley of Mexico and looked with wonder and amazement upon the Aztec capital as it glittered in the high, thin
mountain air. The date was November 8, 1519, according to one of Cortes Lieutenants, Bernar Diaz del Castillo.
Old Bernal Diaz, some forty years later, recorded his impressions of the first view of the approach to the city:
During the morning, we arrived at a broad causeway and continued our march toward Iztapalapa, and when we
saw so many cities and villages built into the water and other great towns on dry land and that straight and level
causeway going toward Mexico, we were amazed and said that it was like the enchantments they tell us of in ihe
legend of Amadis, on account of the great towers and cues and buildings arising from the water and all built of
masonry. And some of our soldiers even asked whether the things we saw were not a dream. [Bernar Diaz del
Castillo, Discovery and Conquest of Mexico, New York, Farrar, Strauss & Cudahy, 1956.]
The amazement of the Spaniards increased as they entered the city and were received with true regal splendor by
the Emperor Moctezuma in full regalia. But it was a sad event, for the Aztecs way of life was no longer to follow its
own course. An alien world had come to impose its views upon these people and their civilization. Had the Aztec
destiny run its course? The answer belongs to speculation, not to history. But the dominance of these people in the
Valley of Mexico was henceforth delimited by the dates 1325 and 1519.
What was the implementing force that drove these Indians to become the masters of a threat part of Central
America, to develop a civilization sui generis, unique among the peoples of the world? One word may best answer
the question-religion. It was a profound knowledge of the Aztecs chat prompted Alfonso Caso to entitle his first
version of El pueblo del Sol, "La religion de los aztecas."
Religion touched the daily life of every man. woman, and child in the Aztec world. It drove them to conquest and
expansion,to build great temples, to compute and measure time, to offer hundreds of thousands. in bloody
sacrificial rites to their gods. It was, as Caso points out in the book, both the impetus and nemesis of their
civilization.
Today there are pergaps a million Aztec-Nahua-speakitig residents of Mexico, the descendants of the great empire
which Cortes and his Lieutenants first saw 490 years ago. They and their ancestors have given many words and
phrases not only to modern Spanish but to English as well. While Aztec art, architecture, engineering, astronomy,
and perhaps even concepts of war were not original with these peoples, they came to be, as Alfred L. Kroeber said,
the "administrators, legatees, dominators and disseminators" of this culture. We are fortunate to be enabled to
look deeply into religion and way of life which lay behind all their achivements, as developed by one of the master
scholars of aboriginal life in the Americas.
(C) 2007 Aztec-History Team
http://www.aztec-history.com/aztec-timeline.html
Aztec Timeline
It's time to take a look at an Aztec timeline to get an overview of what happened
during the times of this civilization.
Collectively, the people of the allied Central Mexican and American city states between the
12th century CE (AD) and the 15th century Spanish invasion are commonly referred to as
the Aztecs. The Aztec empire was controlled primarily by a political body called the Triple
Alliance, made up of the Acolhua people of Texcoco, the Mexica in Tenochtitlán, and the
Tepaneca people of Tlacopan.
These three peoples, and three cities, were responsible for the domination of much of
Mexico during the period we'll show in our Aztec timeline.
The symbols for the 3 cities which would make up the famous Triple Alliance (see Aztec timeline below)
(L to R) Texcoco, Tenochtitlán (Mexico), and Tlacopán
The Aztec capital city was located at Tenochtitlán, which is the site of the modern Mexico
city, and their empire covered nearly all of the current country of Mexico, extending down
into other regions of Central America as well (see this Aztec map for details).
Over time, Tenochtitlán became the primary city of the Triple Alliance, and the Mexica
became the rulers of the empire. Social stratification was significant, and religion played an
important role in the spiritual and political life of the people.
An Overview - the Aztec Timeline
This Aztec timeline includes the generally agreed upon dates of major events in the empire.
For various reasons, experts dispute some dates, but this will give you an idea of the flow
of events in the history of the empire, up until its fall.
Foundation Of The Empire
6th century
First Nahuatl speaking peoples begin to settle in Mexico
1110
The Mexica travel from their northern homeland of Aztlan. These
early dates, and the existence and location of Aztlan are hotly
debated.
1110-1248
The Mexica roam the area which is now Mexico, trying to find a
location in which to settle
1248
Mexica settle near Lake Texcoco, in Chapultepec, though they are
soon expelled by the Tepanecs
1299
Mexica settle in Tizapan, by permission of the Culhuacan ruler
Cocoxtli.
1325
Tenochtitlán is settled by the Mexica
Building an Empire
1350
Building of causeways with canals
1370
Death of Tenoch, religious ruler of the Mexica
1376-1395
The first king* of Tenochtitlán, Acamapichitli, rules
1390
Original construction of Templo Mayor beings in Tenochtitlán
1395-1417
The second king of Tenochtitlán, Huitzilihuitzli, rules. An alliance
with the Tepaneca is created.
1417-1427
The third king, Chimalpopoca, has his relatively short reign. He is
assasinated by the Tepaneca.
1427-1430
War with the Tepaneca. Up to this point the Tepaneca had been
dominant in central Mexico, ruling from Azcapotzalco and taking
tribute from the Mexica.
1430
Azcapotzalco conquered
1431
Establishment of the Triple Alliance between the Mexica, the Acolhua
in the city Texcoco and the Tepaneca of Tlacopan. These cities
became the foundation of the empire.
1427-1440
Tenochtitlán's fourth king, Itzcoatl, reigns
1452
Tenochtitlán severely damaged by flooding
1452-1454
Famine in Tenochtitlán
Height of the Empire
1440-1469
Reign of the fifth king, Moctezuma I, who is also referred to as
Montezuma I
1469-1481
Tenochtitlán's sixth king, Azayactl, reigns
1481-1486
Reign of Tizoc, the seventh king of Tenochtitlán
1486-1502
Rule of Ahuitzotl, eighth king of the city
1487
Dedication of Great Temple (Templo Mayor) at Tenochtitlán. This
was the 6th version of the temple.
1492
(Christopher Columbus's landing at Santa Domingo)
1502-1520
Reign of Moctezuma II, or Montezuma II, most famous of the Aztec
kings and ninth king of Tenochtitlán
1510
Severe floods in Tenochtitlán
The Fall of the Empire
1517
The appearance of a comet, believed to signify impending doom
1519
4 March
Landing of Hernan Cortes on the Yucatan penninsula
1519
8 Nov
Cortes arrives in Tenochtitlán
1520
Cortes allies with Tlaxcala, enemies of the Aztec, assault on the
empire begins. On the 1st of July, the Spanish forces were driven
back. The Spanish and their native allies suffered heavy losses.
(This is known as la Noche Triste - The Sad Night)
1520
Rule of Cuitahuac, tenth king of Tenochtitlán
1520
Cuitahuac dies from the first smallpox epidemic to hit the empire.
Rule of Cuauhetemoc, eleventh and last king of the city.
1521
13 Aug
Fall of Tenochtitlán. Cuauhetemoc surrenders to Cortes, destruction
of the city
1522
Rebuilding of the city by the Spanish as Mexico City, capital of New
Spain
1525
Cuauhetemoc is hung by the Spaniards
* Note: In this Aztec timeline we refer to the ruler of Tenochtitlán as the city's "king". He
would actually be called the Tlatcani, and as the main ruler of the ruling city he would be
the Huey Tlatcani. Today, we often refer to the Huey Tlatcani of Tenochtitlán as the
emperor. Read more about Aztec government.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/mesoamerica/aztec.html
Aztec
Location: The South Central region of present-day Mexico was once the home of
the Aztec. They lived in the highlands of Mesoamerica in an area of basins
separated by eroded volcanic peaks and dissected mountain ranges.
History: The Aztecs came from the remote north, probably around the early 13th
century. They were migratory at first, wandering around the Mexican Valley
struggling to survive. They were even enslaved once by another tribe. In the year
1325, however, they stopped their migratory pattern on the southwest border of
Lake Texcoco as they beheld an eagle sitting on the stem of a prickly pear. He
was holding a serpent in this talons and his wings were open to the sun. They
saw this as an omen, announcing the location of their future city and capital,
Tenochtitlan. In order to build their city, the swamps and standing water around
them had to be drained and artificial islands were constructed to form gardens.
The Aztec maintained their subsistence by utilizing fishing, hunting, gathering
and gardening techniques. The valley rivers were rich in fish, insects, shrimp,
tadpoles, and a naturally occurring pasta called ahuatle. Those near the ocean ate
crabs, oysters, fish and turtles. Thus, the water was a major source of food for
the Aztec who wished to utilize them. Among the wild animals are rabbits,
snakes, armadillos, deer, pumas and coyotes. Along with the hunting of some of
these, the ancient Aztecs also hunted the wild turkey.
Many of the gathered plants eventually became domesticated by the Aztec. These
crops include cocoa, vanilla, bananas, squash, pumpkin, beans, chili, tobacco,
onions, red tomatoes, green tomatoes, sweet potatoes, jicama, huautli and maize.
Raiding and warring often began simply to collect captives for use in sacrificial
offerings to the principal Aztec god, Huitzilpochti. The Aztec conquered many
other tribes, allowing them to retain their own religion and government. However,
the tribes were expected to supply the Aztecs with food, textiles, pottery and
other items needed to support the nobles, priests and administrators of the city
of Tenochtitlan, which numbered perhaps in the hundreds of thousands.
Language: The Aztec did not have a written language, but spoke Nahuatl. They
did have written records, however. They chiefly used the method of direct
representation and varieties of hieroglyphic paintings.
Daily Life: Today, many indigenous groups of Latin America can trace their roots
back to the Aztec. The fact that the Aztec conquered so many of their neighbors
made them a major influence on past and modern indigenous life in the area.
Best Known Features: In modern times, the Aztec are best known for human
sacrifices. On special occasions, a slave was sacrificed. His flesh would be
elaborately dressed and would be the center ornament of the banquet.
Cannibalism was not a daily occurrence in the Aztec life, but it was common on
special religious and social occasions. Human sacrifices were necessary to
honor the gods and to perpetuate human existence. They believed that humans
were responsible for the pleasure or displeasure of the gods and, therefore, they
aimed to make sure that the deities were happy. Twenty to fifty thousand people
were sacrificed yearly.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on the Aztec.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to [email protected] and include the URL.
If you are a descendant of the Aztec, your feedback is much appreciated.
Educational Resources
Aztec History http://www.aztec-history.com/index.html
Mexicolore is a small independent artefact-based teaching team providing inschool workshops and teaching resources on the
Aztecs.http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/index.php?one=azt&two=aaa
Resources
Barracloughed, Geoffrey, ed. The Times Atlas of World History, Maplewood, New
Jersey: Hammond Inc, 1979.
Cuisine of the Mexicans Before Spanish Contact, University of Guadalajara
http://www.udg.mx/Ingles/cultfolk/mexico.html, posted 1996.
Indigenous Peoples of Mexico, NativeWeb. http://www.maxwell.
syr.edu/nativeweb/geography/latinam/r, posted 1995.
Johnston, Darcie Conner ed. Aztecs: Reign of Blood and Splendor, Time
Incorporated Book Company: Alexandria, Virginia, 1992.
Pre-Columbian Civilizations in Central and South America, 1200 B.C. - 1542 AD,
Historical Maps on File, Map number 6.001, Facts on File Publications: New
York,1984.
Prescott, William Hickling, The History of the Conquest of Mexico, Book I:
Introduction, View of the Aztec Civilization, 1843.

gopher://gopher.vt.edu:10010/02/135/1, posted 1995.
Townsend, Richard F., The Aztecs, Thames and Hudson: London,1992.