Download Sample Lesson: "Tribute, Tribute and More Tribute"

Lesson 4: TRIBUTE, TRIBUTE AND MORE TRIBUTE
STAGE 3
Lesson Overview
• Lesson Objective
Through playing a board game, students will show their understanding
of the impact of the Aztec tribute system.
• Time Required
60 minutes
• Materials Required
Game pieces (various colored and shaped objects, like colored disks,
beans, pieces from other games)
Dice (one per game group)
Reproducibles:
“Tribute List”
“Paying Tribute Game Rules”
“Paying Tribute Game Board”
• Support Materials
Books or electronic resources containing tribute lists from the Mendoza
Codex
Background Information
The Aztecs, as a civilization, were quite wealthy. A lot of this wealth
came at the expense of others through the payment of tribute. The
Aztecs considered the residents of Tenochtitlán and Tlatelolco the only
true Aztecs. All other cities, towns and provinces under Aztec rule were
considered non-Aztec and were assessed a high tax or tribute. Tribute
was paid quarterly and annually and often caused great financial
hardship to those paying it. Tribute lists from the Mendoza Codex (a
codex, written in 1541 at the request of Spanish leaders, describing
Aztec life and government) are filled with both practical items, such as
clothing and food, and many luxury items. The luxury items came from
places both in and outside of the Central Valley of Mexico and included
amber resin, quetzal (brightly colored tropical bird) feathers and jade.
Human labor was also sometimes requested as tribute, especially when
the Aztecs wanted a new project completed. The tlatoani and his
advisors determined the tribute lists. Even though the Aztecs allowed
their conquered provinces to maintain their own identities, the people of
these provinces often hated the Aztecs. The demands of paying tribute
often left them with little to care for their own people’s needs.
Aztec merchants played a critical role in the tribute system.
When merchants ventured to a new land, they brought back samples of
the goods and stories of the lives of the people. Upon seeing the value of
these goods, Aztec leaders could decide to wage war in order to conquer
PAST PORTS
CONNECTION
On this stop along the
journey, students will
learn about the potentially devastating impact
that the Aztec tribute
(taxing) system had on
its provinces.
CURRICULUM
CONNECTION
Problem-solving Skills
Math
Record-keeping Skills
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these lands. The merchants’ stories of how the people in these lands
lived and behaved would help Aztec leaders develop their warring
strategies. After the lands had been conquered, merchants still played a
crucial role in maintaining Aztec power. After returning from a trading
journey, merchants were expected to meet with high-level officials to
share information they had learned during the journey. This
information might include new goods the province had discovered or
invented, or the merchants might tell stories of possible revolts from the
provinces.
✍
DID YOU
KNOW?
Upon returning from a
trading journey, merchants first met with
governing officials to make
a report about the types of
goods acquired and the
activities of the people in
the province. They next
had their feet washed to
cleanse them both
physically and symbolically after their long and
dangerous journey. Lastly,
they celebrated and
feasted for two days with
family and friends.
?
Activities
1. Before the lesson, make enough copies of the reproducible, “Paying
Tribute Game Board” for game groups. Consider having groups of 4 to 6
students play at one board. Smaller groups (4 students) will help the
game move more quickly. Follow the assembly directions on the reproducibles.
2. Gather game pieces. Colored disks, beans, small objects, pieces from
other games will work well. Be sure that each player in each game group
has a distinguishing game piece.
3. Share the Background Information with students.
4. To help them understand the potential impact of the tribute system
on lands under Aztec rule, have them play the “Paying Tribute” game.
5. Divide students into groups of desired sizes and give each group a
game board and playing pieces. Each student receives the reproducible,
“Tribute List.”
6. Each student represents a town, city or province under Aztec rule,
paying tribute. The goal of the game is to collect the required tribute
listed on the reproducible by the end of the game. Students record the
tribute items gained or lost throughout the game, using the
reproducible. At the end of the game, each student calculates whether
he or she has gathered the required tribute. If not enough tribute has
been gathered, students decide how to resolve the dilemma.
7. Follow the directions of the reproducible, “Paying Tribute Game
Rules.”
8. Process the experience, using the Journal Prompts and Processing
Questions.
Connecting the Cultures
Incas
Tribute, in the form of goods and labor, paid for the running of the Inca
government. Tribute was paid to the Sapa Inca (chief leader). A census
was taken of a province to decide how much tribute was to be paid. Men
under 25, nobles, curacas (leaders of provinces) and women were not
required to pay tribute.
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Tribute was sent along strict trade and travel routes, finally
arriving for final storage in Cuzco, the Inca capital. It was stored in
large storehouses. The storehouses were divided into two groups; the
storehouses of the Sun and the storehouses of the Emperor. Storehouses
of the Sun were used to meet the needs of the priests, priestesses and
those who cared for the temples. The storehouses of the Emperor met
the needs of the noble classes.
Extensions
☞
• The tlatonis had powerful influence over the lives of Aztec people, as
well as the people living in the provinces. Working in cooperative groups
to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities, have students
choose a tlatoani to research. Students write a short biography of their
tlatoani.
• Lead a discussion comparing the Aztec tribute system and our tax
system. Help students to discover any similarities and differences.
Journal Prompts and Processing Questions
• Did you have enough goods to pay your province’s tribute at the end
of the game? If not, what did you decide to do about this problem?
Explain your reasoning. What impact could your decision have on your
province?
• After playing the game, what do you think of the Aztec tribute system?
Speak or write about this from multiple perspectives; that of the Aztec
rulers, merchants, and people of the provinces.
• Merchants often served as spies for the Aztec government, reporting
to the tlatoani about the resources and activities of other peoples. Aztec
leaders then used the information to conquer another group or to
increase the tribute owed by a province. What do you think of this
system of using the merchants as informants?
Evaluation
?
?
DID YOU
KNOW?
Merchants also sacrificed a
person they had purchased
during the journey, as
thanks to the gods for
keeping them safe while
away from home.
✔
Content: Use students’ ideas from oral discussion and written journal
entries to gauge their understanding of the tribute system and its impact
on non-Aztec people.
Process: During the game, observe students’ ability to play cooperatively – taking turns and being good sports. Also, observe their
reasoning skills as they make decisions about what to do if they did not
gather enough tribute.
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Paying Tribute Game Rules
Game Equipment
Game board
One die
Game piece for each player
Tribute List for each player
Pen or pencil for each player
Object of the Game
Throughout the game, try to gather as many items from the tribute list as possible. If
you are unable to gather all the items required by the end of the game, you will need
to decide what to do.
How to Play
1. Each player rolls the die to see who goes first. Highest roll goes first, play
continues in a clockwise manner.
2. On each turn, roll the die and move the number indicated. Read the information
on the square landed on. If tribute goods are gained or lost during the turn, record
this on your Tribute List.
3. Some spaces may require you to make a decision. Make your choice and record
any goods, if appropriate to do so.
4. Take turns. Play continues until each player has reached the end of the game.
5. Add up your tribute goods. If you gathered enough goods to pay your tribute,
congratulations! If you did not, decide how your province will deal with the
shortfall. Sometimes provinces paid what they could and suffered any consequences
the tlatoani chose for them. Other times they traded away precious resources,
including food and members of their community to get the items required for tribute.
Still other times, provinces revolted against the Aztecs and hoped they had enough
strength to stand up to the Aztec’s powerful army.
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139A
139B