Aztec Notes

Textbook:

  • A.D. 1300s: Came to power in Mesoamerica
  • Early Aztec were hunters and warriors
  • A.D. 1200: Moved into central Mexico.
  • For many years, searched for home believed to have been promised by sun god, Quetzalcoatl
  • A.D. 1325: Took refuge on swampy island in Lake Texcoco   * Priests declared that gods demanded they build a great city on this spot   * Worked around the clock     * Bridges to the mainland with soil dug from lake bottom     * Floating gardens on lake surface   * Became known as the city of Tenochtitlan
  • Next 100 years: built temples, palaces, and homes
  • Center of a web to trade routes
  • Relied on strong kings that claimed to be descendants from the gods
  • Council of priests, nobles, and warriors usually named new emperor from the ruling family   * Wanted someone skilled in warfare to lead troops to battle
  • Montezuma I   * Most powerful Aztec ruler   * Governed from A.D. 1440 to A.D. 1469   * Used armies to expand empire to Gulf of Mexico   * Built temples, aqueducts, and roads
  • By A.D. 1500: armies conquered much of what is current Mexico   * Made up of independent territories governed by local leaders   * Leaders had the Aztec rulers support in return for tribute such as goods or money paid from the conquered peoples
  • Emperor = top of Aztec society   * Nobles   * Commoners     * Majority     * Worked as farmers, artisans, or merchants   * Unskilled workers   * Enslaved people
  • Boys were taught to be warriors
  • Girls trained to work at home, weave cloth, and prepare for motherhoods   * Not equal to men   * Could own and inherit property
  • Priests:   * Important role in society   * Sacrificed captives to please the gods   * Death considered honorable     * Those sacrificed would be rewarded in the afterlife   * Worked to preserve religion, history, and literature     * Recorded these in books
  • Like the Maya: Developed two different calendars   * 260-day     * Religious calendar     * Used to track important ceremonies and festivals   * 365-day     * Everyday use     * When to plant and harvest crops
  • Mexico not suitable for farming   * Overcame this issue with the use of irrigating and fertilizing the land
  • Aztec trade   * Crafts, fruit, vegetables, and grain passed through markets and along trade routes   * Helped to make Aztec empire wealthy

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