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As you travel through Mexico you run straight into the Valley of Mexico. The valley of
Mexico is where the Aztec Empire was mainly located from the early 1600's. In the
Valley of Mexico there was no natural outlets and its changing rain fall patterns had sever
altercations to lake Texcoco. These problems were the cause of the volcanic Cordillera
and its intense volcanism and frequent earthquakes due to these altercations the Aztec
Empire was forced into using the chinampas or "Floating Gardens" to produce food. The
chinampa system was the main way for the Aztec culture to produce food as well as
storing food, but as the population started to grow this system was not efficient enough to
provide for everyone. Therefore they had to find a better way to survive, this is were
there massive population came into action. By using there size they enact the tribute
system. This was a way for the larger cities to feed its community. Even with the
chinampas and the tribute system the Aztecs still had to trade for the items that they could
not produce or receive at the market place.
The basis of the Aztec system was there agriculture. Many farmers lived outside of the
main city of Tenochtitlan on small plots of land or chinampa's. Chinampa's were one of
the most intensive systems of agriculture ever developed. This was also the main system
used by the Aztecs in the 16th century for agriculture growth. To make the chinampa's,
the Aztecs dug canals through the marshy shores and islands, then heaped the mud from
the bottom of lake Texcoco onto huge mats made of woven reeds. The mud was laid out
onto long parallel rows with narrow plots. As the Aztec empire exploded and the
population sky rocketed, more quantities of crops were needed. There were three
principle crops, they were corn, beans and squash. Corn was the crop that was in most
demand, it came in many different sizes, varieties and colors. It was not just used for food
but also as a sacrificial needs to the gods. The chinampas were also built up by decaying
vegetation and were anchored by willow trees and pylons. Even though the chinampas
were an efficient way to harvest food, they were not easy to take care of. It took a lot of
hands on work to keep them intact. Every time a farmer wanted to plant a new crop, they
had to get fresh mud from the lake side. Aztec farmers had no plows or work animals, so
to plant crops in the chinampas they had to soften the soil by using a pointed stick. The
chinampas did not just produce crops, they produced beautiful flowers. The houses that
were built on the chinampas were mud-walled thatch-roofed huts. The houses only
consisted of one room with a dirt floor covered with reeds for sleeping.
As the Aztec empire grew the chinampa system was not enough to support everyone in
there main cities. The Aztecs had to find another way to support there huge empire, so
they started to use the tribute system. The tribute system was the economic factor that
kept the empire solvent. The tribute was when the larger cities: Tenochtitlan, Texcoco
and Talcupan would use there large military systems to go around to all the smaller cities
and basically tell them to produce these goods for us or we will kill you. There were
many different goods brought thought he tribute system, from all over. Feathers and
Jaguar skins(for ceremonial garments) were collected from Guatemala, wood and cotton
was collected from Morelos, gold was brought from the mines of Guerrero and turquoise
was taken from the mountains of western Oaxaca. After the Spanish Conquest the interest
in the tribute that Montezuma received was looked at by the Spanish Crown with
greatness. The Spanish Crown wanted to know every thing; who paid what, and how
often, so everyone could meet there extra demands. The Spanish King also asked that all
tribute be registered or copied to him and almost all of them were. There were pros and
cons to the tribute system: a pro would be that the empire would be able to support there
community and the major con to the tribute system was that they would have to worry
about there being a revolt. Usually the people that didn't care for the tribute system and
tried to revolt, were the ones who were caught and sacrificed to the gods. In addition to
each providence tribute, they were ordered to send a certain amount of warrior costumes.
They also had to find all the feathers, metals and fine stones to complete them.
Even though the Aztec Empire collected tributes and had numerous chinampas, they were
still not enough to get every thing they wanted. The economy of the Aztecs was largely
one of bartering(trading). There were many different kinds of goods traded in the large
open air markets. In addition to the goods that I mentioned in the last paragraph, rubber,
cacao beans, pottery, tools and baskets were traded. Each trader had to travel there goods
by canoe or on the backs of porters, since they had no wheeled vehicles or pack animals.
With every traveling caravan each city was set up with Aztec warriors for the protection
and to make sure ever thing was traded right. In the central market there were four
hierarchy levels or market places. These market places were always busy and the reason
was because they were only open for an Aztec week(five days). There was a lot of stands
set up and each merchant had to pay a small service fee to operate their stand so they
could sell their goods. Each market product was monitored for quality and if the quality
was found to be bad, that hole stand was shut down. Also if anyone was caught stealing
they were automatically taken to court and convicted guilty on the spot. The punishment
was death by public beating. For the people who didn't have anything to trade, cacao
beans were used to purchase small things and quachtil was used to purchase the larger
items.
Keywords:
travel through mexico straight into valley mexico valley mexico where aztec empire
mainly located from early valley there natural outlets changing rain fall patterns sever
altercations lake texcoco these problems were cause volcanic cordillera intense volcanism
frequent earthquakes these altercations aztec empire forced into using chinampas floating
gardens produce food chinampa system main aztec culture produce food well storing
food population started grow this system efficient enough provide everyone therefore
they find better survive this were there massive population came into action using there
size they enact tribute system this larger cities feed community even with chinampas
tribute aztecs still trade items that they could produce receive market place basis
agriculture many farmers lived outside main city tenochtitlan small plots land chinampa
chinampa were most intensive systems agriculture ever developed also main used aztecs
century agriculture growth make aztecs canals through marshy shores islands then heaped
from bottom lake texcoco onto huge mats made woven reeds laid onto long parallel rows
with narrow plots empire exploded population rocketed more quantities crops needed
three principle crops corn beans squash corn crop that most demand came many different
sizes varieties colors just used also sacrificial needs gods chinampas also built decaying
vegetation anchored willow trees pylons even though efficient harvest easy take care took
hands work keep them intact every time farmer wanted plant crop fresh from lake side
farmers plows work animals plant crops soften soil using pointed stick just produced
beautiful flowers houses that built walled thatch roofed huts houses only consisted room
with dirt floor covered reeds sleeping grew enough support everyone cities find another
support huge started tribute economic factor kept solvent when larger cities tenochtitlan
texcoco talcupan would large military systems around smaller basically tell them these
goods will kill many different goods brought thought over feathers jaguar skins
ceremonial garments collected guatemala wood cotton collected morelos gold brought
mines guerrero turquoise taken mountains western oaxaca after spanish conquest interest
montezuma received looked spanish crown greatness spanish crown wanted know every
thing paid what often everyone could meet extra demands king asked registered copied
almost them pros cons would would able support community major have worry about
being revolt usually people didn care tried revolt ones caught sacrificed gods addition
each providence ordered send certain amount warrior costumes find feathers metals fine
stones complete even though collected tributes numerous still enough every thing wanted
economy largely bartering trading different kinds goods traded large open markets
addition mentioned last paragraph rubber cacao beans pottery tools baskets traded each
trader travel canoe backs porters since wheeled vehicles pack animals traveling caravan
each city warriors protection make sure ever thing traded right central market four
hierarchy levels market places places always busy reason because only open week five
days stands merchant small service operate their stand could sell their product monitored
quality quality found hole stand shut down anyone caught stealing automatically taken
court convicted guilty spot punishment death public beating people didn have anything
trade cacao beans used purchase small things quachtil purchase larger items
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