Aztec Society & Empire: Key Terms and Concepts

Altepetl

City-state ("water-mountain") in Nahua society; the fundamental political and social unit.

Aztlán

Mythical northern homeland of the Mexica (Aztecs).

Aztec Ballgame

Ritual sport representing cosmic struggle between day/night and life/death.

Aztec Market System

Network of regulated marketplaces (e.g., Tlatelolco).

Aztec Taxation System

Tribute payments from conquered regions (goods not money).

Aztec Warfare (Goals & Tactics)

Warfare aimed at capturing enemies for sacrifice, not killing.

Basin of Mexico

Highland valley with five major lakes (Texcoco, Chalco, Xochimilco, Zumpango, Xaltocan).

Calmecac

Elite school for noble youth; trained priests and rulers.

Calpolli

Clan-based neighborhood group that organized land, labor, and tribute.

Chalco / Xochimilco / Texcoco Lakes (5-Lake Basin)

Interconnected lake system of the Basin of Mexico.

Chapultepec Aqueduct

Stone aqueduct bringing spring water to Tenochtitlan.

Chinampas

Artificial "floating gardens" made from mud and reeds in shallow lakes.

Climate Regions of Central Mexico

Highlands (cool/dry) vs valleys (wet/fertile).

Cocoliztli Epidemics

Massive post-conquest plagues (likely hemorrhagic fevers).

Codex Boturini

Pictorial record of the Aztec migration from Aztlán to Tenochtitlan.

Codex Mendoza

Tribute and ethnographic record made for the Spanish Crown.

Coatlicue

Earth goddess and mother of gods; name means "She of the Serpent Skirt."

Coyolxauhqui

Moon goddess, sister of Huitzilopochtli; dismembered in myth.

Cuauhtémoc

Last Aztec emperor (r. 1520-1525).

Cuitláhuac

Briefly ruled after Motecuhzoma II; died of smallpox. 💡 Remember: His death shows how disease, not just conquest, broke Aztec power.

Day of the Dead

Modern festival blending Indigenous and Catholic traditions. 💡 Remember: Example of syncretism — fusion of pre-Hispanic ancestor veneration with All Saints' Day.

Demographic Collapse

Massive loss of life (up to 90%) after European contact. 💡 Remember: Disease + warfare + forced labor = empire's true downfall.

Dike of Nezahualcoyotl

Barrier that separated saltwater from freshwater in Lake Texcoco. 💡 Remember: Example of Aztec engineering and water management.

Direct vs Indirect Rule

Methods of imperial control — direct = occupation, indirect = tribute only. 💡 Remember: Aztec empire used indirect rule, which made it large but fragile.

Encomienda System

Spanish colonial labor system granting control over Indigenous labor. 💡 Remember: "Feudalism 2.0" — economic exploitation disguised as protection.

Empire

Large political entity ruling over multiple peoples. 💡 Remember: Aztec empire = hegemonic (ruled through tribute, not permanent garrisons).

Extensive vs Intensive Agriculture

Extensive = spreading land; intensive = maximizing yield. 💡 Remember: Chinampas = best example of intensive farming.

Florentine Codex

Ethnographic encyclopedia compiled by Fray Bernardino de Sahagún. 💡 Remember: Contains Indigenous perspectives — one of the richest Aztec sources.

Flower Wars

Ritualized wars to capture sacrificial victims and train warriors. 💡 Remember: "Wars for flowers" = metaphor for blood and sacrifice.

Frontier Strategy

How the Aztecs managed border areas to prevent rebellion or invasion. 💡 Remember: Kept some semi-independent allies as buffers.

Hegemonic vs Territorial Empire

Hegemonic = tribute control; territorial = full occupation. 💡 Remember: Aztecs = hegemonic → tribute collection over direct governance.

Hernán Cortés

Spanish conquistador who led the campaign against the Aztecs (1519-1521). 💡 Remember: Allied with Aztec enemies like Tlaxcala to conquer Tenochtitlan.

Huey Tlatoani

"Great Speaker" — the Aztec emperor. 💡 Remember: Political + religious leader; semi-divine figure.

Human Sacrifice

Ritual killing to nourish the gods and maintain cosmic balance. 💡 Remember: Blood = sacred energy ("tonalli") that kept the sun moving.

Huitzilopochtli

Patron deity of the Mexica; god of war and the sun. 💡 Remember: Born fully armed — his myth justified Aztec expansion.

Irrigation

Canal systems and hydraulic control for crops. 💡 Remember: Allowed farming on semi-arid highlands → essential for population growth.

Malintzin (La Malinche)

Nahua woman who translated for Cortés. 💡 Remember: Viewed as both traitor and cultural bridge; represents early mestizaje.

Macehualtin

Commoner class — farmers, artisans, soldiers. 💡 Remember: Backbone of Aztec society; owed labor/tribute but could rise through valor.

Mestizos

People of mixed Indigenous and Spanish ancestry. 💡 Remember: Became majority group in post-conquest Mexico.

Milpas

Rotating crop fields (maize, beans, squash).

Motecuhzoma II

Aztec emperor during the Spanish arrival (r. 1502-1520). His indecision and diplomacy marked the empire's turning point.

Nahuatl

Language of the Aztecs; basis of "Nahua" culture. Still alive today; gave English words like "chocolate" and "tomato."

Nezahualcoyotl

Poet-king of Texcoco and Triple Alliance partner. Philosopher-engineer; designed the dike that bears his name.

Pax Azteca

Period of relative peace during imperial height. "Aztec Peace" — enforced by fear and tribute obligations.

Pochteca

Long-distance merchant-spies; elite traders of luxury goods. Merchants = information network — doubled as diplomats and spies.

Quetzalcoatl

Feathered serpent god of wind, learning, and creation. Peaceful counterpart to Huitzilopochtli; symbol of wisdom.

Syncretism

Fusion of Indigenous and Christian beliefs. Visible in art, saints, and rituals — survival of Aztec spirituality under new names.

Tarascan Empire

Neighboring rival empire (in Michoacán). Only regional power the Aztecs couldn't conquer.

Templo Mayor

Main temple of Tenochtitlan; twin shrines to Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli. Symbol of cosmic duality — life vs death, rain vs war.

Templo Mayor Massacre

1520 attack by Spaniards on unarmed Aztec nobles during a festival. Sparked uprising leading to "La Noche Triste" and siege of the city.

Teotihuacan

Ancient city (100 BCE-550 CE) that predated the Aztecs. Model for Aztec city design, religion, and pyramid architecture.

Tenochtitlan

Aztec capital city built on an island in Lake Texcoco (1325 CE). Modern Mexico City sits atop its ruins; city of canals and causeways.

Tecuhtli

Noble title — regional or local lords under the tlatoani. Held administrative and military authority.

Terrace Farming

Stepped fields on hillsides. Prevented erosion — adapted mountain terrain for agriculture.

Tlatelolco

Twin city of Tenochtitlan with huge central market. Site of final Spanish-Aztec battle in 1521.

Tlacopan

One of the three Triple Alliance cities. Smaller partner but still received tribute shares.

Tlacotli

Serfs or bonded laborers tied to noble estates. Could earn freedom; distinct from slaves (tlatlacotin).

Tlaxcala / Tlaxcallan

Independent rival state to the east of the Basin. Allied with Cortés → crucial to Spanish victory.

Tlatoani

"Speaker" — ruler of an altepetl. Title combines political and spiritual authority.

Tlaloc

Rain and fertility god; one of the twin deities of Templo Mayor. Blue color, child sacrifices — tears = rain.

Tzompantli

Rack displaying skulls of sacrificed victims. Propaganda of power — "fear display" for enemies and citizens alike.

Xipe Totec

"Flayed Lord"; god of renewal and vegetation. Priests wore flayed skins → symbol of rebirth and spring.

Xochimilco

Southern Basin region famous for chinampas. You can still see Aztec-style agriculture there today.