The Aztecs1325 CE-1521 CE
The Aztec build an empire
• Aztec were farmers who migrated from northern Mexico to central Mexico.
• Settled on swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. Why? Legend
• 1325, began building capital city: Tenochtitlan
• 3 key reasons for the rise of the Aztec:• War
• Tribute
• Trade
Tenochtitlan: The city of gold
• Home to 150,000 people
• Included large temples, busy market, grand palace
• Built 3 causeways-raised roads across water or wet ground, to enter-exit the city.
• Aquaducts and Canals-channels filled with water, throughout the city for travel and trade.
• Chinampas-floating gardens for farming-corn, squash and beans • Pile soil on rafts, anchor to trees that stood in water (page 220)
Tenochtitlan
Life in the Aztec Empire
• Aztec were ruled by a Monarch-Emperor
• Aztec Society (in order of importance)• Aztec emperor- the most important person-attended to law, trade, tribute and
warfare
• Nobles- tax collectors, judges and other government officals
• Warriors and priests-religious ceremonies, kept calendars, decided when to plant and harvest
• Merchants and artisans
• Lower class-farmers and laborers
• Slaves
Religion, Warfare and Cultural Achievements• Religion and Warfare
• Worshipped many gods
• Performed human sacrifices-victims captured in battle
• Cultural Achievements (Aztecs appreciated art and beauty)
• Architects, sculptors-created stone pyramids and statues
• Artisans-used gold and gems to make jewelry and masks
• Women embroidered beautiful cloth
• Created a calendar to keep record of historical events
• Nahuatl-Aztec language
• Enjoyed speeches and riddles
Design your own Aztec mask
Midterm Project-Design your own Aztec Mask
• Paper will be provided
• Size- at least 12” by 8”
• Details-eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair?
• Color-colored pencils, crayons, markers or combination of all three
• Additional item-You must include at least 1 additional item from home and use it as a decorative element on your mask-buttons, glitter, cereal, pasta
• Research examples of masks, create a rough draft
Cortes Conquers the Aztecs 1519-1521
• Conquistadors-Spanish soldiers, led by Hernan Cortes came to the Americas:• Looking for gold
• To claim land for Spain
• To spread Christianity
• Montezuma II welcomed the Spanish, thought they were sent by the gods.• Gave them gold, Cortes wanted more
The End Of The Aztecs
• The Spanish took Montezuma prisoner, enraged the Aztecs.
• Aztecs won the battle but Montezuma was killed leaving the Aztecs without a strong leader
• Within a year, the Spanish returned with weapons and horses (Aztec had never seen before). Spanish also brought disease, Smallpox which killed thousands of Aztecs
• Disease not Cortes who defeated the Aztecs
• 1521, Cortes destroys Tenochtitlan and builds Mexico City in it’s place.
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