the development of the aztec empire

What symbols do you see in this image?Who are the people depicted in the transparency and what are they doing?What is in the center of the picture?Have you seen this symbol before?What might the thick blue lines represent?What do you think the artist was trying to tell us?

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Entered valley of Mexico in the 13th century (we don’t know why)Considered vulgar by neighborsServed as mercenaries for neighborsDrove to live in a snake-filled wasteland. adapted – used snakes for food, found a way to till the soil and used the rocks to build houses from.Eventually fled to marshes of Lake Texcoco after Coxcox declared war on them for sacrificing his daughter

Used chinampas – floating gardens – to grow food

Created canals for trade and transportation

Found food in lake like algae and ducks

DRAWBRIDGES FOR protection

Aqueducts forfreshwater

Clean

Temples, plazas

The floating city3 causeways joined Tenochtitlan to the shores of Lake TexcocoCanals served as roads for canoes City contained 80,000 – 250,000 people

ISLAND IN LAKE TEXCOCO = capitalwith causeways to mainland

TENOCHTITLAN 200,000- 250,000 in city (4x pop. of London in 1500)

Bustling marketsAt great market 60,000 people gathered dailyUsed the barter systemCacao beans sometimes used as currency

Architectural wonders

Double pyramid dedicated to:

patron god of Aztec – Hummingbird god of rain

large skull rack held thousands of human skulls

Noble’s houses were very elaborate

SKULL RACK

TEMPLE MAYOR

Major temple

1978 found in Mexico City

After building Tenochtitlan, Aztecs destroyed all records of their past created a more favorable historyPriests taught that the Aztecs were nomads who built Tenochtitlan on a spot designated by the gods

What do you see happening in this picture?

Life was uncertain – all at mercy of natureUsed sacrifices to satisfy gods

Quetzal godFeathered Serpent

Quetzal bird and snake

100’s of named gods and goddesses spirits or forces

many were transformations

Rain godTlaloc

War godHuitzilopoctli(wee-zil-o-poch-tli

Tonalli = animating spirit is located in the blood

blood concentrates in the heart when scared

Without sacrifice allMOTION Stops

Sun would not riseWorld would come to an end

sacrifice kept world in balance

War god – needed to be fed every day

Royal FamilyEmperors chosen from royal family based on meritRoyal wives were greatly respected (and often there were many – Nezahualpilli of Texcoc had 2000 wives and 144 children. Moctezuma II had at least 1000 wives)

All members were expected to be dignified and brave

NoblesPriests, military officers, government leadersNobility not inherited; earned on battlefields or in pursuit of priesthoodHeld special privileges; fine clothes, beautiful homes, jewels, servants

MerchantsProvided Tenochtitlan with imported goodsTraveled great distances (into Central America) to negotiate deals

CommonersFarmers, laborers, craftsmen, servants, vendorsLived in wards (called calpullis -later called barrios by Spanish)

SerfsWorked in fields or estates of the wealthyHad freedom, but considered inferior to commoners – not considered citizens

SlavesHad some legal rights; it wasn’t horrible to be a slave or to have been a slavePeople could sell themselves into slavery to pay off a debt or a crime – could earn way out of slavery and climb the social ladder