Download Aztecs

Geography
Legend
• According to legend,
the chief god of the
Aztecs told them to
settle where they saw
an eagle perched on
cactus with snake in its
beak
Geography
•Valley of Mexico is in the highland basin of
central Mexico
•
Lies between two mountain ranges
•
Several large shallow lakes covered
the basin
•Around 1200 nomadic tribes began to settle in
the Valley of Mexico – the last group to arrive
were the Mexica now know as the Aztecs
•The Mexica were considered barbarians and
kicked out of every place they settled – they found
refuge on a small island in the middle of Lake
Texcoco
•They named their settlement Tenochtitlan
Geography
• Tenochtitlan was a good
place to settle because
• Easy to defend
• It was a rich source of
food
• It was easy to get to for
trading
• Canals made
transportation and
getting around easy
Geography
• Aztecs at their height
• Empire had 10 million
people
• Valley of Mexico about 1
million people
• Tenochtitlan – 200,000
people
• Central Mexico
• West coast of Guatemala
• Moctezuma was the
leader beginning in 1502
Geography &
History
•Downfall of the civilization
began in 1519 with the arrival
of Hernan Cortes and the
Spaniards
•
Military fighting
•
Diseases – small pox
Religion
• Worshiped many gods
• Kings ruled with the blessing of the gods
• Tezcatlipoca
• All powerful god
• Tlaloc
• God of rain (water and harvest)
• Huitzilopochtli
• MOST IMPORTANT GOD
• Brought success in battle
• Kept sun in sky
• Human sacrifice kept Huitzilopochtli
strong & sun in sky
RELIGION
MOCTEZUMA
HUITZILOPOCHTLI
Achievements
• Architects
•
•
Templo Mayor
•
Largest temple in the plaza
•
Two shrines at the top
•
One for Tlaloc
Raised up road that connected the
island to the shore
Brought fresh water to the island
Avenues & canals
•
•
•
Aqueducts
•
•
One for Huitzilopochtil
Causeway
•
•
•
Made travel easy
Chinampas
•
Floating islands
•
Plots of gardens or fields for farming
•
Used to expand land
Dikes
•
Prevent flooding and circulate water
for chinampas
Achievements
Causeway
Templo Mayor Canals
Achievements
Chinampas
Aqueduct
Achievements
•Artisans
•
Baskets, pottery, and sandals
•
Jewelry
•
Mosaics
•
Feather work – headdresses,
capes, & shields
Achievements
Language
• Skilled orators
• Tell stories from past and
legends of the gods
• Nahuatl is Aztec language
• Poetry – most famous
form of literature
Politics
• No true central government
•
Loose collection of city-states led by
local chiefs
• Maintained control through
military force
• Empire led by a king
• King was selected by council
of nobles
4 military commanders & 1 prime
minister (day-to-day operations)
Politics
•New king had to prove military
skills and win tribute (goods paid
as taxes by conquered people)
•Went to war to…
•
Gain military tribute
•
Capture prisoners for human
sacrifice
Politics
• Lower level of advisors
•
Judges
•
Clerks
•
Tax collectors
• Cities were divided into
districts called calulli
•
Led by district chief
Economy
• For most commoners life
centered around farming
•
Men tended fields
•
Women household duties
• Artisans and traders were well
respected commoners
•
•
Artisans
•
Sandals
•
Baskets
•
Feather headdress
•
pottery
Traders
•
Travel to obtain exotic goods –
feathers and stones
• Trade at market
• Sometimes cacao beans used
for money
•
Also used gold dust & copper
Social
• There were two classes –
nobles and commoners
•
Nobles5-10% of population
•
Trace lineage to first Aztec king
•
Held leadership positions with
the government and military
•
Larger homes
•
Had better food including meat
•
Wore nicer, more colorful
clothing
Social
• Commoners
•
•
Most were farmers
•
Men tended fields
•
Women household
Artisans and traders were seen
as important, but were
commoners
• All
•
Children went to school for at least a
few years
•
All boys received military
training
•
Girls learned the are of
homemaking
Social Structure
•Slaves made up the lowest level
of society
•
Could marry
•
Could own property
•
Children were born free
•Slaves were…
•
captured prisoners of war
•
Commoners who owed a debt
•
Commoners who wanted a better life
Social
Aztec Family
Mexico City Zocalo (Plaza)
View of cathedral from
Templo Mayor
Templo Mayor Today