The Aztec

1. The Aztec

2. Standards 7.7 You will learn about the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the Aztec. 1. You will learn about the locations, landforms, and climates of Mexico and how they affected the Aztec. 2. You will learn about the roles of people in the Aztec society, including class structures, family life, war-fare, religious beliefs and practices, and slavery. 3. You will learn how and where the Aztec empire arose. You will also learn how the Aztec Empire was defeated by the Spanish. 4. You will learn about the artistic and oral traditions of the Aztec, You will also learn about their architecture. 5. You will learn about the Aztec achievements in astronomy and mathematics, which includes the development of the calendar.

3. Standards 7.7.1. You will learn about the locations, landforms, and climates of Mexico and how they affected the Aztec.

4. The Aztec • The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican people of central Mexico who dominated that region in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries.

5. The Land of the Aztec • The Aztec originally came from a small island in northwestern Mexico. • A command from the god Huitzilopochtli sent the Aztec wandering around Mexico for 200 years

6. The Land of the Aztec • Huitzilopochtli said, “Go where the cactus grows, on which the eagle sits happily…there we shall wait, there we shall meet a number of tribes and with our arrow or with our shield we shall conquer them.”

7. The Land of the Aztec • They found this sign on a small, swampy island in lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico • They named their new home Tenochtitlan, “Place of the Prickly Pear Cactus.”

9. The Land of the Aztec • Their land was mostly swamp • They couldn’t grow crops such as corn or cotton • Timber to build huts was scarce too

10. The Land of the Aztec • The Aztec learned the farming method of chinampas, or “floating gardens,” from neighboring tribes around them • Chinampas allowed the Aztec to produce vegetables despite being surrounded by canals This sucks!! Yeah. Heh. Heh.

12. 1. What sign were the Aztec to look for as they wandered around Mexico for 200 years? A. a lake area with cactus around it • a snake killing an eagle • a flying bald eagle • an eagle on a cactus E. I don’t know

13. 2. The land that the Aztec settled on was a fertile grassland that were easy to garden. A. True - The area was swampy and they had to develop floating gardens called chinampas. B. False

14. The Land of the Aztec • The Aztec used the canals around the chinampas to travel by canoe and trade with nearby peoples • They traded for food, timber, and stone

15. The Land of the Aztec • When the civilization became much larger, Aztec trade merchants would travel as far as 250 miles in search of markets • Goods such as feathers, jade and cocoa were brought back to be sold or given to the nobles

16. The Climate • The Valley of Mexico is about 7,500 feet above sea level and although the valley was in the tropics, its high altitude gave it a mild (gentle) climate. • The surrounding lowlands had a hotter, wetter climate.

17. Standards 7.7.2. You will learn about the roles of people in the Aztec society, including class structures, family life, war-fare, religious beliefs and practices, and slavery.

18. The Aztec People • As the empire expanded over the next 200 years, a class structure developed • nobles • commoners • serfs • slaves

19. The Commoners • The Commoners made up the majority of the population • They farmed the large settlements, called calpullis Rello!! Hee Hee Hee.

20. The Commoners • The commoners had to pay tribute to the government • Tribute: a kind of tax paid in goods or services • Crops, handmade jewelry work on state projects

21. Serfs • Serfs were like slaves that had to work the land, but they could not own land • They made up 1/3 of the Aztec population Like a slave? Ha Ha!!

22. 3. Aztec __ traded with nearby peoples by traveling often ___. A. Merchants; on foot. • commoners; on horse. • serfs; on foot. • merchants; in canoes E. I don’t know

23. 4. The ____were the largest social group and paid their tribute with the crop from their ____ farms. A. commoners; cactus • nobles; slaves • commoners; calpullis • serfs; calpullis E. I don’t know

24. Slaves • Slaves were lowest social class in Aztec society • Many slaves were captives of war • Other slaves were Aztecs who had committed crimes or people who had not repaid a debt

25. Slaves • Slavery was not hereditary: a slave's children were free. • A slave could have possessions and even own other slaves. • When the master died, slaves who had performed outstanding services were freed. The rest of the slaves were passed on as part of an inheritance.

26. Nobles I’ve got the power! • The nobles were the controlling class of the Aztec society • They were the smallest in number • Most nobles served as government officials, priests, and warriors

27. Nobles • Nobles lived off tribute paid by commoners and conquered peoples • Nobility was hereditary, which means that you had to be born a noble to become one

28. The Aztec People • Conquered people made up the majority of those living in the Aztec Empire • Conquered people were allowed to keep much of their culture, but they did have to pay a lot in tribute These hieroglyphs helped the nobility track who had paid their tribute

29. The Aztec People • Conquered peoples could keep their own religion, language, social structure and customs • But most were on the brink of starvation due to the need to pay tribute • This made them resent the Aztec rulers

30. 5. In Aztec society, being a _____ was not hereditary, but being a ___ was hereditary. A. slave; noble • serf; slave • serf; noble • great like Mr. Pine; weird like you E. I don’t know

31. Aztec Family Life • Most men worked in the calpulli fields • Women cooked, wove cloth, and cared for the young • Around ages 10-14, boys were sent to school to learn about Aztec religion, history, and other things

32. Aztec Religion • The everyday lives of all Aztecs revolved around religion • The two most important gods in the Aztec world were • Huitzilopochtli: the god of the sun and of war • Tláloc (tlah LOHK): the god of rain

33. Aztec Religion • Huitzilopochtli was especially feared by the Aztec because he could destroy the world whenever he wanted • He is also the god who sent the Aztec in search of the eagle on the cactus Mwahaha!!

34. Aztec Religion • The Aztec held many religious ceremonies throughout the year • Aztec priests offered sacrifices to the gods to help ensure good harvests • Human sacrifice was common

35. I’m going to pick a fight!! Aztec Religion • Most people who were sacrificed were captives of war • Some wars may have been fought to capture sacrifices for the gods • Many historians believe that the Aztecs used human sacrifices to scare enemies too

36. Aztec Religion • As many as 10,000 people were sacrificed when the Temple of the Sun in Tenochtitlan was dedicated to the sun and rain gods • Many went willingly believing that they would become a divine being

37. Aztec Religion • Most of the sacrifices went to Huitzilopochtli because the Aztecs believed that the sacrifices returned energy to Huitzilopochtli so he could continue the battle against the god of night. • The Aztecs believed the sacrifices renewed his energy

38. 6. Who resented the Aztec rulers because of the high tribute? A. the slaves • the serfs • the commoners • the conquered people E. I don’t know

39. 7. ____, the god of sun and war, was the most feared and important Aztec god. A. Tláloc B. Huitzilopochtli • Calpulli • Kobe Bryant E. I don’t know

40. 8. The Aztec sacrificed human’s for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT… A. to scare enemies too. B. to forecast the future. • to help ensure good harvests. • to renew Huitzilopochtli’s • energy E. I don’t know

41. Standards 7.7.4. You will learn about the artistic and oral traditions of the Aztec. You will also learn about their architecture.

42. The Aztec Traditions • The Aztec were famous for their elaborate palaces, massive temples, and government storehouses out of stone and brick

43. The Aztec Traditions • Massive temple architecture was important to the Azetc civilization • The capital city of Tenochtitlan was built and centered on the ritual precinct, where the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan rose 60 m (197 ft) above the city.

44. The Aztec Traditions Doh!! • The temple was enlarged several times, and for the last time in 1497, when between 3,000 and 84,000 people were sacrificed over 4 days during its re-consecration.

45. The Aztec Traditions • Aztec craft workers produced beautiful headdresses, stone sculptures, and jewelry set with precious stones

46. The Aztec Traditions • Song and poetry were highly regarded; there were presentations and poetry contests at most of the Aztec festivals. • Poetry was the only occupation worthy of an Aztec warrior in times of peace. “You are the quechol bird, color of fire,Which flies across the plainIn the kingdom of death.“

47. The Aztec Traditions • There were also dramatic presentations that included players, musicians and acrobats.

48. The Aztec Traditions • Another important tradition of the Aztec may be their codices, or codes • Each codex is a kind of book, with pages made of bark, and brightly colored hieroglyphs inside

50. 9. The capital city of Tenochtitlan was built and centered around… A. fast food restaurants. B. the Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan • the floating gardens. • the ball game court. E. I don’t know