Aztec and Spanish

Aztecs original name

• Mexica

• called themselves the people of the sun because they have two sun gods and thought the world was made by the sun

Place the Aztecs settled

Tenochtitlan

• found where a eagle in its mouth on top of a cactus

religion

polytheistic

• over 200 different gods

main gods

• Tlaloc, god of rain

• Huitzilopochtli, god of war and sun

• Quetzalcoatl, god of civilization

• Tezcatlipoca, god of destiny and fortune

sacrificed people to their gods

Chinampas

self watering farms that use the water around them and use the trees for nutrients

Slaves

• not against their will

• form of jail to pay off debt

• prisoner of war or debt

• rarely forced

Aztec merchants

• professionals called the Pochteca would set off with slaves to buy and trade

• they were spies, finding cities weaknesses are, building their military, and planned war based on how well the city was doing

• they were the richest group in Tenochtitlan

• went on trading expeditions

• they knew geography well, so they’d be good for warfare

• taxes they paid grew the Aztec state

Artisans

• they were skilled craftsmen

• most respected were the mask makers, goldsmiths, feather workers

• feather workers created valuable items like a headdress made of quetzal feathers

Sun stone

• a calendar

• many symbols representing days and religion

5 world stages

• death by jaguars

• death by wind

• death by fire

• death by flood

• death by movement

Human sacrifice

• to prevent destruction from gods, they’d please them by feeding them the human sacrifices

• devotion to their religion

• two gods sacrificed themselves so to honor and feed them they use blood to nourish them

• the sun would end without it

warriors

• if you were a young man, you had to join the military

• worst insult is a coward

• highly honored

• success by bravery in wars, tactical skill, heroic deeds, capturing enemy warriors

Wars

they had flower wars

• fighting against other civilizations

• they had similar beliefs, to capture people in war for sacrifice

• practice fight or ritual war

• all equal and at the same time

• if they were successful, they’d be honored, have the right to wear certain clothes

tribute

• they would earn tribute, like gifts and taxes from the conquered group after a war

• they wanted tribute to grow their economy and their empire

Hierarchy (bottom to top)

• slaves

• farmers

• women

• artisans

• novice warriors

• merchant

• eagle soldiers

• jaguar soldiers

• nobles

• priestesses

• priest

• great speaker

• Quetzalcoatl

• Tlaloc

• Huitzilopochtli

Emperor

• treated as a god

• privilege and luxury

• had gardens and zoos

• responsibilities are chief priest, commander in chief, head of state

• needed to know leadership and military strategy

Nobles

• rich and wealthy

• in control of society

• ran the government

• owned land, slaves, servants

• commanded the army

• control of land, labour, and tribute

priests and priestess

• hard job even though they were treated as nobles

• some examples of what they had to do are measuring time, naming certain constellations

• reading the calendar

Farmers

• grew crops, skilled hunters, and fishers

• when Aztec citizens paid taxes, farmers had to give up a share of their produce to taxes

Tlatelolco market

• largest market in the world at that time

• could hold up to 60000 people at a time

• used the barter system which was a system where things were traded

Education

• ages 10 -15

• expected to be hard working

• harshly punished

• all schooling was free

• Calmecac for nobles

• Telpotchcalli for commoners

Calmecac

• trained to be a strong warrior

• needed to be tough

• trained to be higher up in society

• for nobles

Telpotchcalli

• oral lessons on history, religion, citizenship duties

• music was learned

• hard labour jobs

• didn’t learn to read or write, everything was written

ideal qualities of an Aztec citizen

• courage

• self sacrifice

• modesty

• clean living

• obedience

Hernan Cortes

• lead an expedition to the new world

• he got to present day Mexico in 1519

• he wanted to claim land, find gold, and spread Catholicism

• when he got to Mexico he declared an independent government

• sank and burned the ships he sailed with to have full power over all his armies

conquistadors

to conquer one group

Aztec first meeting Spanish

Lack of knowing others worldview led to the downfall of the Aztecs

Omens

• sign or prediction of something that will happen in the future

• Aztec believed in them

• example: fire comets, meaning the gods were not happy

Aztec weapons

• war club

• wooden spears

• atlatl

• bow and arrow

Spanish weapons

• sword

• halberd

• crossbow

• arquebus

Biological warfare

• The Spanish used smallpox because the Spanish won’t get sick because their immune system can handle it, rather as the Aztecs can die from it

• 25% - 50% died because of it

Spanish teaming up

they met other indigenous people, in which he befriended them or conquered them to go against the Aztecs

Malinche

• a young woman who was a slave

• link between Cortes and Moctezuma because she spoke both languages

Moctezuma’s dilemma

• he believed Cortes was Quetzalcoatl and he would do anything for him

• characteristics Cortes fit into were sailing from the east, he was white-skinned and had a beard

• Moctezuma showed Cortes their golden tressures, so Cortes had planned to take over them the whole time

Noche Triste

Cortes heard governor Velazquez had sent troops to kill Cortes, so Cortes had fled to defeat them. He let second in command be in charge of Tenochtitlan. When he returned, they had massacred a group of dancers.

Final battle

• during the last siege Aztec priests though sacrifice and prayers would help

• they lasted through a 75 day siege

• canals, causeways, aqueducts blocked

• August 13th they surrendered

• Spanish destroyed the city, from temples, houses, etc.

affected worldview after the spanish

• values, valued themselves over others

• religion might shift due to them being disappointed in their gods for not saving them

• no society, where Spanish are higher class and Aztecs are all slaves

New economy

• made the encomienda system, which is the same as other Spanish colonies, which were based on land grants

• settlers were given an Aztec worker, or slave, treat them well, and educate the “worker” about Catholicism

System of slavery

• king - 20% of gold

• governor - taxes, colony

• conquistador - “Aztec workers”

• Aztec - do all the work

Cortes men pay in return

instead of riches they got a wife and a big piece of land

Bartolome De Las Casas

• he advocated for indigenous people

• can write directly to the king

• made laws for indigenous people for better work treatment and less slavery

• famous for anti-racism and human rights

marriage laws

• helped Cortes colonize

• whoever didn’t marry within 6 months of arriving would lose their encomienda and go back to Spain

• they’d have mixed race families

• they aren’t against Spanish or Aztec but grow up with more Spanish culture

independence movement

• king Carlos sent a new viceroy to New Spain in fear Cortes would cut him off and he would not receive more riches

• Spanish settlers and Aztecs weren’t happy with Spain becoming overly wealthy because of New Spain

• Everything good stopped coming so in 1821 declared independence from Spain, which is now known as Mexico

Culture today

Many of Aztec culture is in many Mexican traditions like the day of the dead, and also seen through writing and art