Chapter 16Section 3

Obsidian Quetzacoatl Triple Alliance Montezuma II

7,500 feet above sea level

Where Mexico City is now

Aztecs the greatest empire is Mesoamerica

Accessible resources

Fertile land

Teotihuacan-first major civilization

First century AD 6th century 150,000

to 200,000 people Avenue lined with

20 pyramids dedicated to various gods

Pyramid of the sun the largest

People lived in apartment style buildings

Thriving center of trade

Obsidian-most valuable item◦ Green or black

volcanic glass Did not conquer

neighbors or create an empire

Their art, style and religion found all over Central America

City abruptly declined

Virtually abandoned by 750

Name means city of the gods

900 new people take over

Capitol is Tula Built pyramids and

temples Carved pillars like

warriors Warlike, based on

conquest.

Worshipped a fierce war god

Demanded blood and human sacrifice

Topiltzin- tried to change religion

Encouraged them to worship Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent)

Uprising forces exile

Tolpiltzin and followers go to Yucatan Peninsula

Influences later Mayan culture

Power Declines 1200 end of their

reign

Mexico Valley 1200 Aztecs called Mexica

◦ Poor nomadic people◦ Came from harsh

deserts◦ Fierce and ambitious

Soldiers for hire God of sun and god

or warfare told to find city of their own

Look for a place where the eagle perched on a cactus holding a serpent

Small island in Lake Texcoco

1325 found the city of Tenochtitlan

1428 joined with two other city-states

Triple alliance- Aztecs, Texcoco, Tlacopan

1500’s controlled a vast empire◦ 80,000 square miles◦ 38 provinces◦ 5-15 million people

Central Mexico from Atlantic to Pacific

Power based on military conquest and tribute from conquered lands

Let local rulers govern their area

Tribute◦ Gold, maize, jade,

Cacao, beans or cotton Refusal meant death

and destruction of their village

Military rulers led Made up the noble

class Vast estates, life of

luxury Two other classes

◦ Commoners-merchants, artisans, soldiers, farmers (owned land)

◦ Enslaved persons-captives

Emperor atop the social pyramid

Absolute power Magnificent palace Entered in bare

feet and looked down

1500’s became an urban center

200,000 to 400,000 people

Large than any European city of that time

Aztec engineers made raised road

Streets and broad avenues connected the city

Canals let canoes come into center city

Tlatelolco- huge market

Most items grown on chinampas (floating gardens)

Center of city massive walled complex◦ Palaces◦ Temples◦ Government buildings

Great Temple- giant pyramid with twin temples on top◦ One to sun god◦ One to rain god

Tenochtitlan contained hundreds of temples

1000 gods Aztecs worshipped

Toltec gods Quetzalcoatl- not

only pictured as a feathered serpent but also pale skinned man with a beard

Public ceremonies Communicate and

win their favor Priest made

offerings Ritual dramas,

songs, and dances Aztec calendar full

of religious festivals

Huitzilopochtli- made the sun rise every day

Battled evil to get to next day

Needed human blood for nourishment

If no blood the god would be too weak to rise

World will be plunged into darkness

Human sacrifice on a massive scale

Thousands led to temple

Hearts carved out with obsidian knives

Usually enslaved persons, criminals, people offered as tribute from their community

Aztecs made new conquests to get more victims

1502 Montezuma II crowned emperor

Empire began to weaken

Montezuma wanted more tribute and sacrifices

Provinces rose up Period of unrest

and rebellion

Aztecs predicted bad things would happen

Saw omens in everything

Most worrying event was the arrival of the Spanish

Fair skinned bearded strangers brought back thoughts of Quetzalcoatl