The Aztecs
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Transcript of The Aztecs
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The Aztecs
World History - Libertyville HS
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Rise of the Aztecs• Migrated around
1200 AD from northern Mexican deserts
• Hired out as mercenaries, for Toltecs
• Achieved independence by 1300
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Tenochtitlan• In 1325, they
founded a town on an island in Lake Texcoco, at the site of modern Mexico City
• City grew quickly– By 1500,
population was 3-400,000
– Larger than any except cities in China
– Ringed by suburban cities
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Political Development• Warrior based
elite
• Elite soldiers were called Eagle Warriors
• Priests were just below Emperor in social status
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Systematic Slavery• Aztec warfare
was directed towards capture, not killing
• Prisoners of war were sacrificed to gods
• But if captive had useful trade or skill, they were spared
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Aztec Religion• Practiced
human sacrifice• Justification
– Gods gave things to humans only if humans nourished the Gods
– Aztecs practiced bloodletting and human sacrifice (bloodletting)
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Aztec Religion• Priests taught
that gods were best nourished by living hearts of sacrificed captives
• The braver the captive, the more nourishing the sacrifice for the Gods
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Aztec Religion• Why the need for
human sacrifice?– Aztecs believed that
gods were in constant conflict, opposition with each other
– Aztec gods needed blood to fight against each other
– Belief led to widespread wars• Search for sacrificial
victims• Tribute paid in both
food and victims
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Aztec Religion• Wars led to
widespread resentment!
• Process– Some sacrifices
were minimal (1-2 POWs)
– Some were spectacular in scope (1000s at a time, for hours or days)
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Aztec Religion• Victim held down by
four priests on an altar at top of pyramid
• Priest made incision below rib cage w/ razor sharp obsidian knife, pull out living heart
• Heart then burned in brazier, corpse pushed down steps
• Very noble carried down
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Aztec Religion• Aztecs believed
they absorbed gods of conquered people into their own pantheon
• More gods on your side, the better!
• Led to need for more sacrifices for more gods
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Aztec Culture• Aztec Law
– Simple, harsh, effective
– Most punishments resulted in death or mutilation
• Social hierarchy• Only boys were
educated– Depended on social
class– Parent’s profession
generally dictated kid’s training
– Women were subordinate to men
Emperor-God
Generals, priests
Merchants / Craftsmen
Landowning farmers
Slaves
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Aztec Technology
• Stone and bone technology
• Sophisticated writing system that has been translated
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Decline of Aztecs• Montezuma II (r.
1502-1522)– Ruled huge empire,
but empire filled with revolts by subject people
– Demanded more tribute and sacrifices
– Subject people of Aztec Empire HATED Aztecs
– Some tribes allied with Spaniards
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Decline and Fall of Aztecs• Aztecs had
legend involving white skinned Gods who would return from the East
• Spaniards were initially regarded as Gods, by Aztecs