1250-1522 A.D.
Aztec Civilization
Aztec Location
<- LAKE TEXCOCO
Aztec LocationLocated in the Valley
of Mexico around Lake TexcocoLegend said find a
cactus with a bird perched that had a snake in its mouth
Land dryAztecs shifted
from hunting to farming
Aztec Location
Capital city Tenochtitlán – present day Mexico cityLocated in the
middle of a lakeLinked to
mainland by strips of land
Aztec Location - Tenochtitlán
Aztec Location
TeotihuacánDominated the
Valley of Mexico from 100-750 A.D.
Aztecs had one king/emperor who ruled over all – chosen by a council of nobles and priests
Nobles served as judges, officials, and governors
Wore elaborate gold jewelry
Most crimes punishable by death or being sold into slavery
Aztec Government
Aztec Government- Emperor
Economy based on agriculture
FarmingChinampas – “floating gardens” on reed
mats piled with earthFilled in lakes and made channels for
irrigationGrew corn, squash, and beans
Aztec Economy
Aztec Economy- Chinampa
Aztec EconomyAztecs
conquered others and made them pay tribute, or money paid by conquered people
Aztec ReligionPolytheisticChief god was
Huitzilopochtli, the sun GodFought with
darkness each night to raise the sun
No promise the sun would win and rise
Sacrifice ensured sun would rise
Human sacrificeAbout 20,000 per yearBodies taken to the top of
pyramids ,chests were cut open, heart ripped out, and body thrown off
Mostly prisoners of war, some slaves, some nobles
Constant warfare necessary to have enough prisoners of war around to sacrifice
Some historians say bodies were sometimes eaten by royalty
Aztec Religion- Human Sacrifice
Aztec Religion- Human Sacrifice
Aztec Religion- Human Sacrifice
Aztec Religion- Cannibalism
EmperorNoblesPriests who appointed King and conducted
ritualsMerchants who took goods like weapons
and rope for skins and cocoaCarried goods on their backs by a strap
over their foreheadsTraded by feet or by small boatAlso served as spies
Aztec Society
Commoners who farmed landWarriors who could rise in status by
capturing and killing enemiesLandless peasants wandered in search of
workSlaves were mostly prisoners of war and
criminalsCould own landCould buy freedom
Aztec Society
Aztec SocietyMerchants
Farmer
Priests were the keepers of knowledge and the writers of history
Schools ran for sons of nobles
Aztec Intellectual & Artistic Achievements
Aztec Intellectual & Artistic Achievements – Calendar
365 day calendar and a 260 day ritual calendar
Calculates the end of the world as December 21, 2012
Aztec Intellectual & Artistic Achievements – MedicineTreated with herbs
Used prisoner of war bodies to study anatomy – could set bones
Steam baths used as treatment
End of Aztec Civilization
Spanish came in 1519 A.D. search of Gold, God, and GloryLed by Hernan
CortesAztec thought
Cortes was the god Quetzalcoatl
End of Aztec CivilizationEmperor
Montezuma II (Moctezuma II) taken hostage and neighboring tribes joined Spanish
3/4ths of the Aztecs died from war and disease
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