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.