The Aztecs

Unit 2 – Day 3 - Aztecs

• SWBAT: analyze the existence, culture, and civilization of the Aztecs

• GLE’s: 2.3A --- DOK 2

• Vocabulary: • Mesoamerica: a region that stretches from

modern day Mexico to Nicaragua• Slash and burn: a process of chopping down

trees and burning the land to clear it. • Polytheistic: The practice of religion that

believes in more than one godThe practice of worshipping many gods

Calendar• Had a ritual year and a

solar year.• Ritual year had 260 days

• Solar year had 365 days

• Aztecs believed the world could end every 52 years so they had elaborate ceremonies at the end of each 52 years to mourn the death of the world.

Background

• Located in what is now central Mexico up from the heartland of the Olmec

• The empire existed around 1300 – 1500

Background

• Tenochtitlan was the capital city and is located in what is now present day Mexico city

• Tenochtitlan was located on an island – and was built upon logs and mud – it served as a natural fortress to protect it from its enemies

Government• The Aztecs where ruled by a

single emperor called the Huey Tlatoani which roughly translates to “The Great Speaker” and was located in the capitol city of Tenochtitlan

• There was also a ruling counsel comprised of the wisest and most powerful leaders from the Calpulli

• Calpulli is a group of extended families that controlled the use of local lands and preformed other territorial and social functions

Tenochititlan

•  "The city has many squares where markets are held and trading is carried on. There is one square where there are daily more than 60,000 souls, buying and selling, and where are found all the kinds of merchandise produced  in these countries, including food products, jewels of gold and silver, lead, brass, copper, zinc, bones, shells, and feathers

Government

• Each urban settlement had a calpulli and four main leaders would be selected to a governing board the most powerful being named Tlatoani

• The Tlatoani from the all over the emperor would then comprise the main ruling counsel in the capital city

• The Aztecs grew rapidly by conquering nearby cities and would force them to pay tributes

• These tributes would eventually result in the increased welfare of the common people

Social Structure

• The Aztec society was divided into three socal classes: the macehualli (people) or peasantry, the pochteca or merchants and traders, and the pilli or nobility

• Slaves or tlacotin consisted as a large part of the Aztec society

• Though people were born into a certain class it was possible to move up the ranks within a life time

Religion

• Main deity in the Aztec religion was Huitzilopochtli and was known as both the sun god and war god

• Human sacrifice was practiced heavily in the Aztec religion

• The Aztecs believed that by performing these sacrifices that it gave power to the gods which in turn would insure the survival of the Aztec universe

Religion

• War captives were used in the sacrifices and in times of peace the Aztec would have to resort to ritualistic warfare or flower war

• In the year 1487 the Aztecs reported killing 84,400 war prisoners in four days at the great pyramid of Tenochitlan

• After a town was conquered the inhabitants where no longer eligible of sacrifice and became Aztec citizens

Human Sacrifices

• According to some accounts tens of thousands of prisoners would be sacrificed a time. Each had to be individually killed. The usual method of sacrifice was to open the victims chest, pull out his heart while he was still alive and then knock the victim down the temple stairs. The temple stairs were covered in blood.

Art

• The favored form of art in the Aztec empire was sculpture

• Most Sculptures were made from limestone, which is still abundant in Mexico today

• Aztec sculpture was like most other Mesoamerican cultures and was mostly directly related to religion

Agriculture• Farming – principle

activity• Practiced slash and

burn• Built rafts of logs and

mud – planted on these rafts, roots would grow to bottom of shallow water (or swamp area) and anchor the raft

• Main crop - corn

Art

• The Aztecs also made other religious and non-religious artifacts such as jade masks

• Clothing was also a popular art form and women from around the empire would use bead, flower, and metal decorations

• These artifacts were sold in markets by visiting merchants

Architecture• There where four main types of architecture in

the Aztec society: sacrificial temples, emperors temple, and shines of the gods

Sacrificial Temple

Emperor Palace

Homes

Tenochtitlan

Resources

• http://www.mte.asd103.org/art/images/Aztec.jpg• www.artzia.com• http://www.geocities.com/kimmykim7072003/aztec_empir

e.jpg• http://library.thinkquest.org/16325/y-art.html• www.latinamericanstudies.org/.../aztec-mask.gif• http://library.thinkquest.org/10098/aztec.html• http://www.chipotletx.com/assets/images/aztectemple.jpg• http://www.sylviastuurman.nl/stories/four

corners/english.php• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec

Puzzle Activity

1. What was the name of the Aztec Capital?

2. What was unique about how the Aztec’s farmed?

3. What did the Aztecs call their emperor?

4. How did the Aztecs exchange their art and goods?

5. Who did the Aztecs use as sacrifices?

6. How did the Aztec civilizations grow so large – so fast?

7. Explain the government system of the Aztec.

8. Where was the central location of the Aztec?

9. Explain the religion of the Aztec.

10. Draw a diagram depicting the social class of the Aztec.