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Aztecs The powerful Aztec empire was located in the valley of Mexico, known today as Mexico City (Valley of Mexico). Its physical geography played a major role in the success of the Aztec society. Its geography was mountainous and surrounded by lakes and swampland. Due to the mountains, it was also high in elevation. Because of the swampland, the Aztecs were resourceful and built terraces on hills that were previously not farmable. The swamps provided the Aztecs with food to eat such as: wild plants, fish, frogs, and ducks. Agriculture became the basis for the success of the Aztec civilization. Through agriculture they were able to expand their lands by building floating gardens, also known as “chinampas” within the swampy areas. Chinampas were small, rectangular areas that could be farmed. On these gardens, they grew corn, avocados, beans, peppers, squash, and tomatoes that lead to an increase of food production, which allowed for an increase in population. With an increase in food production and population, their empire expanded. Their government was organized under a multi-tiered hierarchy consisting of four classes: nobles, commoners, unskilled laborers, and enslaved people. Strong emperors (claimed to be descendants of the gods) and nobles, of the main ones being Montezuma, led the Aztecs. In an effort to protect their capitol city of Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs built their city on a small island in the middle of a lake, surrounded by the chinampas. A causeway (raised road) connected the city to the mainland. Modern day bridges used the design of causeways as a model in which modifications were in its original design. Bridges today are elevated even more to allow roads to be built under them. The Aztec religious beliefs were polytheistic and very important to their culture and daily lives. For this reason, a huge step pyramid, known as the Great Pyramid, was built in Tenochtitlan, as a way to honor their deities in return they would guide and protect them. Another way the Aztecs would pay tribute to the gods is through human sacrifices, which would take place at the top of this Great Pyramid. They developed two calendars, sacred and solar, to help them with record keeping. The sacred calendar recorded dates of worship festivals and sacrifices and the solar calendar recorded agricultural data. In June 1521 A.D. the Aztec civilization ended when Montezuma was defeated by Spanish conqueror, Hernan Cortez. Reflection: Write a letter to an Aztec telling him/her how we have modernized their contributions. Explain to them how fascinating they would find how we've updated their causeways and how far agriculture has come from the floating gardens, etc. Use evidence from your notes/video.