S T R U C T U R E

AZTEC SOCIETY

SOCIAL SYSTEMS & WORLDVIEW

• Aztec society was highly structured, based on agriculture and trade, and guided by religion. • They worshipped Gods that represented natural

forces necessary to their agricultural economy. • An individual was born into a particular social

class and generally remained a member of that class.• Two main classes were:

• Nobility• Commoners

• Within each class there were subgroups with different status.

FAMILY CLANS

• Aztec society was organized into units called calpolli• Members of the calpolli lived in the same

neighbourhood and worshiped at the same temple• Some groups were based on the work they did• The calpolli owned the land where its members lived and farmed

CALPOLLI

• Each calpolli elected a captain and a council• The council assigned land and houses, and

collected taxes• It also had the responsibility of keeping the

neighbourhood clean, washing the streets, and up keeping the buildings

SOCIAL HIERARCHY

Emperor

Nobility & Priests

Merchants, Artisans & Soldiers

Farmers, Fishers, Women

Slaves

Nobles

Commoners

SOCIAL HIERARCHY

EMPEROR

• He was treated like a God• He lived in luxury – enormous palace with gardens

and a private zoo! • Servants carried him through the streets on a

platform draped in ocelot (nocturnal wildcat) skins• However, with great privilege comes great responsibility• He was also considered to be the chief priest, commander-in-chief, and head of state

NOBILITY

• Only 10-15% of the population was nobility; however, they held most the political power and wealth• Priests came from the ranks of nobles• Noblemen worked as scribes, government

officials and teachers

NOBILITY

• Nobles owned their own land and had commoners working on it• The amount of land each noble family owned was

based on their social position• In cities, the nobles lived separately from the

commoners in luxurious homes and had many servants• Members of the nobility followed a strict code of

behaviour

PRIESTS

• Boys from all classes could study to become priests• However, the top positions were reserved for the

nobility• Their most important job was to offer human

sacrifices to the gods• Men in priesthood would not marry• Young women could enter the priesthood, but

were given specific roles to do with honouring goddesses.

COMMONERS

• Commoners included:• Warriors (next to nobility in social status)• Merchants (involved in trading)• Farmers• Fishers• Women

MERCHANTS

• Make up the richest calpolli in Tenochitilan• They went on trading expeditions where they

brought luxury goods and acted as spies• Their knowledge of geography and layout of foreign cities made them valuable advisors to generals planning attacks• Paid taxes

FARMERS/FISHERMAN

• Grew crops for themselves and the state – helped group to survive• They also hunted and fished• Sold much of what they caught in the market to

support their family• Gave up a share of their produce in taxes

ARTISANS

• Skilled craftworkers• Mask makers, goldsmiths, and feather workers

were the most respected• Beautiful fans, headdresses, and tunics created

by the feather workers were the most valuable in Aztec society• Only members of the nobility were allowed to wear garments of feathers

SLAVES

• Lowest status; however, no person was born into slavery

• Could become a slave as a punishment• A murderer sentenced to death could instead, upon

request of the wife of his victim, be given to her as a slave

• Those who didn’t pay debts could be sold as slaves• A father could sell his son into slavery if the son was

incorrigible (lazy, disobeyed orders, etc)• Slaves often wore a wooden collar around their

necks

AZTEC SIGNS OF STATUS

Three common ways to determine status:1. Clothing

– if you had quetzal feathers, you were considered to be very high up in society (as the feathers were associated to the god, Quetzalcoatl

- quality of cloth and patterns on it signified wearers position in society 2. Jewelry3. Size and location of your house

MOVING UP IN SOCIETY

• Looking at page 179 in your text, record the way(s) in which a member could move up in society below: