Aztec Empire

1. Aztec Empire

2. Location • The relative location for the Aztecs is the Gulf of Mexico. • Today they would be living in current day Mexico.

3. Government • Emperor was in charge of the entire empire. • Noble family controlled each city under the supervision of the emperor. • However, the noble families ran the cities as they pleased.

4. RELIGION • The Aztec worshiped hundreds of Gods and Goddesses, polytheism. • They believed that giving human hearts and blood gave the gods strength and appeased them when they were angry. • This was a part of human sacrifices. • Human sacrifices was the main practice in the Aztec religion. • They usually sacrificed war prisoners or children. • Chiefs and priests would take turns tearing out their hearts and giving them to Gods. • About 20,000 to 50,000 people would become sacrificed yearly!

5. Homes of the farmers and other commoners were huts with thatched roofs.

6. Marriage: At about age 20, men married women who were ages 14-15. A man could have more than one wife as long as he could support her. Weddings were arranged, usually with the help of a matchmaker. • Correct Behavior: The Aztecs were very concerned that all their citizens behave correctly. This code of behavior was written down. And it was the law. Children were taught correct behavior in the Aztec schools. • Poetry: For all their love of war, the Aztecs had a softer side. They loved to write and to read poetry. Much of their poetry was about a heroic act of love, war, or religion. • Schools: Kids went to school. To build the city they wanted, they knew that they would need many engineers, builders, and traders. To solve this problem, the Aztecs created schools for their children. Attendance at school was mandatory. • All Aztec children had to attend school, even girls and slaves. The Aztecs were the only people in the world at this time in history to have free schools that every child had to attend by law.

7. Slaves: Slaves were not captured people. They were Aztecs. • In the Aztec world, there were two ways you could become a slave. You could become a slave as punishment for a crime you had committed. You could be voluntarily sold into slavery to pay family debts. • Slaves could buy their freedom. All they needed to do was find the money to pay their owner what he had paid to buy them. • The Aztecs had another interesting law about slavery. On the way to the slave market, when the slave was about to be sold or resold, if a slave got away and managed to run to the palace without being stopped, that slave was immediately free. The only person who could chase that slave was the master’s son. If anyone interfered with the race, that person became a slave. • Language: Their language was Nahuatl.

8. Capital: Tenochtitlan (island city) • Built three wide causeways (raised roads across water or wet ground) to connect the island to the lakeshore. • Built canals to make trade and travel easier, and built floating gardens (pile soil on top of floating raft anchored to a tree) for farming. • They wrote in hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics are pictures that symbolize messages. • They also invented many medicines that people in Central America still use today. They were mainly made from plants and herbs. • Aztec king attended to law, trade, tribute, and warfare • Trusted nobles collected taxes, were judges, and other government officials. These positions were passed on from father to son

9. Aztec Empire –vs- Spaniards • In 1519, the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes, sailed from Europe to land in what is now Mexico. • Normally, the Aztec would kill invaders but they welcomed the Spaniards because of an old legend. • This legend told of the god Quetzalcoatl (wind god & god of knowledge). The Aztecs believed that the god of night had defeated Quetzalcoatl in a game of tlachtli. As the winner, the god of night could decide what to do with Quetzalcoatl. The god of night decided to banish Quetzalcoatl to the East. Quetzalcoatl had no choice but to leave. He vowed that some day he would return, when the end of the world was near, to save his people. • The Aztecs were always worried that the end of the world was always near. That's why they sacrificed so many people. They wanted to keep their gods very happy, so they could save their people. When the Spanish arrived from the East, the Aztecs believed that Quetzalcoatl had kept his promise and had returned. They treated the Spanish as if they were gods.

10. The Spanish made themselves very comfortable in the Aztec capital city.And, as time went on, the Aztecs began to grow suspicious. The Spanish did not act like gods. They did not do the things that gods did. They even avoided the sacrifice ceremonies, which after all, were conducted in their honor. There were differences in religious beliefs between the Aztecs and the Spaniards.The Spaniards took all the gold they could from the Aztecs and then killed them before moving on to their next conquests.It was not the Spanish guns that won the day. It was the Spanish horses and dogs. The Spanish brought huge fierce mastiffs with them into battle. Their best weapon was disease. The Aztecs had never been exposed to childhood diseases like measles.