Aztec Civilization

Aztec Religion

  • Religion was a central part of Aztec civilization and daily life.

  • Their existence was centered on religion.

  • They believed gods needed to be satisfied, requiring human sacrifices.

  • Blood was necessary for the gods, obtained through sacrificial victims.

  • Aztec warriors conquered tribes to expand the empire and capture prisoners for sacrifice.

  • Huitzilopochtli (god of the sun) demanded the most human sacrifice.

    • Belief: insufficient nourishment would prevent him from rising at dawn, destroying the Aztec nation.

    • The sun would extinguish, and the universe would collapse.

  • The Aztecs were polytheistic, worshipping many gods and goddesses for various purposes.

  • Besides Huitzilopochtli, they worshipped:

    • Quetzalcoatl: creation god, 'The Feathered Serpent,' god of learning who taught agriculture, arts, and industry.

    • Tlaloc: rain god.

  • The gods were in constant battle for power.

  • Belief: the world was created five times and destroyed four times; nourishing the gods was essential to save the world.

  • Human sacrifices were more extensive than other Amerindian peoples.

  • Sacrifices paid homage to the gods.

  • Wars were conducted to gain territories and prisoners for sacrifice.

  • Other sacrifices included bloodletting, prayer, and food offerings.

  • They believed living hearts torn from captives best nourished the gods.

  • The Spanish found this religious practice repulsive and used it to justify their conquest.

Aztec Religious Beliefs

  • Strong belief in the afterlife.

  • The manner of death, rather than the way they lived, determined whether they went to the Sun god or the underworld.

  • Believed the sun fought darkness nightly to save mankind.

  • Believed in 13 heavens and 9 hells.

  • Believed the world was created 5 times and destroyed 4 times.

  • Human sacrifices were the primary way of showing respect to their gods.

Aztec Priests and Gods

  • Aztec priests believed they had a sacred duty to keep the earth alive.

  • Priests were very important, acting as doctors and teachers of science, art, writing, music, dance, history, and counting.

  • They performed difficult ceremonies.

  • People feared the priests due to their knowledge of the stars and their role in human sacrifices.

  • Sacrifices were performed similarly to the Maya, but the Aztec religion demanded far greater numbers of human victims.

  • There were many lesser gods; plants and activities had their own gods or goddesses.

  • Gods of good and evil fought, and priests studied their signs.

  • Priests directed lives to suit the complicated religious system, making them very powerful.

  • Key Gods:

    • Quetzalcoatl: (The feathered serpent) - god of learning

    • Huitzilopochtli: Lord Smoking Mirror or 'the Hummingbird wizard' - God of the Sun (Supreme god of Tenochtitlan)

    • Tlaloc: God of rain, fertility, and lightning

    • Ehecatl: wind god and creator of the earth and heavens

    • Centeotl: corn god

    • Citlalicue: creator of the stars

    • Cipactonal: god of astrology and the calendar

    • Xiuhtecuhtle: fire god

    • Mictlantecuhtle: god of the dead

Aztec Social Pyramid

  • Emperor: Head of government and leader.

  • Nobles/Priests: Held power below the Emperor; priests led small churches and were equal to Nobles.

  • Merchants/Officials: Organized importation and exportation.

  • Craftsmen/Warriors: Warriors were respected but relatively low in social hierarchy.

  • Peasant Farmers/Commoners: Owned and farmed land.

  • Slaves: Bottom of the social ladder, owned by masters.

Aztec Crops, Articles, and Goods

  • Crops: Maize, beans, squash, sweet potato, Irish potato, cocoa, pumpkin, grains, peppers.

  • Goods: Fish, bread, honey, sweet pastry.

  • Articles: Gold, silver, jewels, feathers, mantles, chocolate, skins, leather, sandals, clothes, furniture.

Markets and Cities of the Aztecs

  • The Aztec marketplace was vibrant, demonstrating advanced trade and farming practices.

  • A variety of articles were sold, including animals, birds, vegetables, fruits, bread, honey, and furniture.

  • Tenochtitlan marketplace saw about 60,000 people daily with large quantities of merchandise.

  • Male and female slaves were present, some collared to prevent theft.

  • The marketplace was a spectacle and a central point for religion and trade.

  • Cities were connected by wide causeways and housed craftsmen, jewelers, weavers, masons, merchants, sculptors, farmers, butchers, bakers, carpenters, and fishmongers.

Aztecs: Farming and Agriculture

  • Farming was the principal activity, crucial for sustaining the growing population.

  • Methods to increase productivity:

    • Irrigation: Diverting water from natural springs.

    • Fertilizer.

    • Terraces: Building terraces on hills.

    • Chinampas: Floating gardens built on swamps.

  • Chinampas construction:

    • Canals were built through marshes.

    • Mud from canals was placed on mats made of weeds and straw.

    • Trees were planted at the corners to secure the chinampa.

  • Principal crop: corn, along with vegetables (avocados, beans, chili peppers, squash, and tomatoes) and flowers.

  • The Aztecs lacked animals or machines and used pointed sticks for planting due to the soft land of the chinampas.

Irrigation and Political Structure

  • Irrigation farming was common in the valleys, diverting water from natural springs to fields.

  • Irrigation systems predated the Aztecs, but they built longer and more elaborate canal systems.

  • They diverted a large portion of the Cuauhtitlan River for irrigation.

  • The Aztec class system was rigid and stratified.

    • Tecutli: Dignitaries or lords at the highest level, responsible for a particular region.

    • Calpullec: Chieftain of a district (calpulli), elected for life, responsible for harmony, council sessions, and mediating debates.

  • Warriors were highly admired and respected.

Social Mobility and Aztec Crime and Punishment

  • Priests held a high standing in society, representing high gods such as Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc.

  • Merchants arose as a middle class due to difficulties for calpullec to travel for trade purposes.

  • Common people could move up the social hierarchy by distinguishing themselves.

  • Commoners faced compulsory military service and taxes to the local calpulli.

  • Aztec crime and punishment

Law, Crime and Punishment

  • Aztec law varied from city to city.

  • Serious crimes included stealing crops, public drunkenness (except at festivals or for those over 70), and murder.

  • Local courts, where senior warriors were judges, dealt with most crimes.

  • Serious crimes were tried in the teccalco court in Tenochtitlan.

  • Cases involving nobles were tried by professional judges in the emperor's palace.

The Tlatoani, Crimes, and Punishments

  • The Tlatoani (Great Speaker) was the head of law courts, priesthood, and the army and spoke to the Aztec gods.

  • The Aztec judicial system involved judges deciding punishment, and the emperor sometimes pronounced sentences.

  • Crimes and Punishments:

    • Adultery: Death.

    • Commoner wearing cotton clothes: Death.

    • Cutting down a living tree: Death.

    • Drunkenness: 1st offense - head shaved, house destroyed; 2nd offense - death.

    • Handling stolen property: Sold into slavery.

    • Moving a field boundary: Death.

    • Kidnapping: Sold into slavery.

    • Selling substandard goods: Loss of property.

    • Major theft: Death.

    • Minor theft: Sold into slavery.

    • Treason: Death, loss of property, destruction of land, children sold into slavery.

Ancient Aztec Architecture

  • Aztec architecture reflects the values and civilization of the Aztec people.

  • Tenochtitlan offers the best examples of Aztec architecture.

  • The Aztecs ruled central Mexico from approximately 1427 until 1321 AD when the empire was conquered by the Spaniards.

  • Tenochtitlan was built on islands and marshland and was likely the largest city in the world in the 15th century.

  • The city contained a huge temple complex, a royal palace, and numerous canals.

  • The Tenochtitlan region was at a high altitude, resulting in a mild temperature.

Comparisons and Details of Architecture

  • Aztec architecture is compared to Roman architecture, though developed independently.

  • Tenochtitlan was called the "Venice of the New World" due to its many canals.

  • The city had a population of over 200,000.

  • Bernal Diaz del Castillo described the view from the great temple, noting canoes loaded with provisions and houses separated by drawbridges and boats.

  • The center of Tenochtitlan was a ceremonial plaza with government buildings.

  • A large, terraced pyramid topped with temples devoted to the sun god and the rain god was in the plaza.

  • Pyramids are the most famous forms of Aztec architecture.

Aztec Calendars

  • The Aztecs used two calendars:

    • One for measuring time (planting crops) with 365 days divided into 18 months of 20 days each, plus 5 extra days considered unlucky.

    • One religious calendar for religious festivals with a 260-day cycle called the Tonalpohualli, or "count of days".

  • Time was divided into 52-year cycles.

Achievements and Legacy of the Aztecs

  • Achievements:

    • A highly specialized stratified society.

    • A well-organized system of government.

    • Sophisticated agricultural techniques.

    • A strong religious outlook.

    • Extensive documentation at the time of European contact.

  • Legacy:

    • Mexico City was built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, retaining Nahuatl names in districts and landmarks.

    • Nahuatl is still spoken by Mexican Indians.

    • Mexican cuisine is based on agriculture contributed by the Aztecs.

    • Many modern Mexicans are descendants of the Aztecs.

Calpulli

  • Households were organized into a corporate group called a calpulli.

  • Calpulli lands were owned communally but distributed among households.

  • Only the calpulli could sell or rent lands; households retained the right of usufruct.

  • Rural communities varied in appearance, depending on ecological, economic, and political factors.

  • The differences corresponded to ecological, economic, and political factors.

  • The calpulli was a unit of political administration ruled by a council of household heads presided over by a chief.

  • The calpulli functioned as a unit of taxation, corvée labor, and a military regiment.

Avllu

  • The avllu was identified as a basic social unit with communally held land.

  • Misdeeds wounded it.

  • Crimes had to be confessed and expiated to avoid divine wrath.