Download The Development of the Aztec Empire

The
Development
of the Aztec
Empire
The Aztecs Rise to Power
What symbols do you see in this image?
Who are the people depicted in the
transparency and what are they doing?
What is in the center of the picture?
Have you seen this symbol before?
What might the thick blue lines represent?
What do you think the artist was trying to
tell us?
Aztec Origins
Entered valley of Mexico in the 13th century (we
don’t know why)
Considered vulgar by neighboring city-states
Served as mercenaries for neighboring citystates
Drove to live in what was considered a snakefilled wasteland. They adapted – used snakes
for food, found a way to till the soil and used the
rocks to build houses from.
Eventually fled to marshes of Lake Texcoco after
Coxcox declared war on them for sacrificing his
daughter
Life in a Hostile Environment
• Used chinampas – floating gardens – to
produce food
• Created canals to improve trade and
transportation
• Discovered culinary delights in lake
products – like algae and ducks
Eagle and Cactus
Symbols of a divine prophecy (the divine
prophecy: an eagle perched on a cactus
eating a snake)
After building Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs
destroyed all records of their past and
created a more favorable history
Priests taught that the Aztecs were
nomads who built Tenochtitlan on a spot
designated by the gods
Aztec Religion and Social Structure
What do you see happening in this
picture?
Aztec Religion
Life was uncertain – all at mercy of nature
Used sacrifices as attempt to satisfy gods
Waited for return of Quetzalcoatl at end of
calendar cycle (AD 1519)
Quetalcoatle (ket-tsal-KO-atl) the god of the
planet Venus, the wind and of high civilization
– a plumed serpent was to come back in
human form
Aztec Religion
In 1450 suffered a terrible famine caused by heavy snow
and rain – which caused floods and destruction of crops.
Animals began coming in to eat the dead people and
attack those still alive. The Aztec response was to
increase human sacrifice to try to make the gods happy
again. When the famine was over, the priests took it as
a sign that the gods should never again be deprived of a
regular diet of human hearts. Aztecs maintained almost
constant warfare in order to supply victims. When they
had enough victims, they’d stop fighting until they
needed more. Victims were sacrificed high on top of the
temple – usually involved removing the heart, but,
depending on the god, sometimes were sacrificed
differently.
Aztec Society
Royal Family
Emperors chosen from royal family based on
merit
Royal wives were greatly respected (and
often there were many – Nezahualpilli of
Texcoc had 2000 wives and 144 children.
Moctezuma II had at least 1000 wives)
All members were expected to be dignified
and brave
Aztec Society
Nobles
Priests, military officers, government leaders
Nobility not inherited; earned on battlefields or
in pursuit of priesthood
Held special privileges; fine clothes, beautiful
homes, jewels, servants
Aztec Society
Merchants
Provided Tenochtitlan with imported goods
Traveled great distances (into Central
America) to negotiate deals
Aztec Society
Commoners
Farmers, laborers, craftsmen, servants,
vendors
Lived in wards called calpullis (later called
barrios by Spanish)
Aztec Society
Serfs
Worked in fields or estates of the wealthy
Had freedom, but considered inferior to
commoners – not considered citizens
Aztec Society
Slaves
Had some legal rights; it wasn’t horrible to be
a slave or to have been a slave
People could sell themselves into slavery to
pay off a debt or a crime – could earn way out
of slavery and climb the social ladder
The Splendor of Tenochtitilan
The floating city
3 causeways join Tenochtitlan to the shores of
Lake Texcoco
Canals served as roads for canoes
City contained 80,000 – 250,000 people
The Splendor of Tenochtitilan
Bustling markets
At great market 60,000 people gathered daily
Used the barter system
Cacao beans sometimes used as currency
The Splendor of Tenochtitilan
Architectural wonders
Double pyramid
dedicated to
Huitzilopochtli (patron
god of Aztec –
Hummingbird from the
south) and Tlaloc (god
of rain)
Tzompantli (large skill rack) held thousands of
human skulls
Residences of nobles were very elaborate