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Aztec

Aztec. 1325 – 1521 AD. Main Ideas. 1. The Aztecs built a rich and powerful empire in central Mexico . 2. Life in the empire was shaped by social structure, religion, and warfare . 3. Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521. Building an Empire .

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Aztec

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  1. Aztec 1325 – 1521 AD

  2. Main Ideas • 1. The Aztecs built a rich and powerful empire in central Mexico. • 2. Life in the empire was shaped by social structure, religion, and warfare. • 3. HernánCortés conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521.

  3. Building an Empire • The first Aztecs settled on a swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco • Capital was Tenochtitlán (tay-NAWCH-teet-LAHN) • Problem: difficulty getting to & from the city • Solution: built canals & causeways, raised roads above water or wet ground • Problem: little area for farming • Solution: created floating gardens (chinampas), piled soil on top of rafts & anchored them to trees that stood in the water

  4. War, tribute, and trade made the Aztec Empire strong and rich. • War was a key factor in the Aztecs’ rise to power • demanded tribute payments from the people they conquered...that cotton, gold, and food became vital to their economy • controlled a huge trade network

  5. Society • TOP “level” was the KING, head of society & his NOBLES – noble status passed from father to son; sons attended school to learn responsibilities • Next WARRIORS & PRIESTS; priests led religious ceremonies, passed down history, and, as keepers of the calendars, decided when to plant and harvest • Then…MERCHANTS & ARTISANS • FARMERS & LABORORS • SLAVES

  6. Religion • Polytheistic • Regularly provided human sacrifices as tribute to their gods • Sacrifices usually came from slaves or captives of war

  7. Culture • fine stone pyramids and statues • used gold, gems, and bright feathers to make jewelry and masks • embroidered colorful designs on the cloth they wove • studied astronomy and devised a calendar much like the Maya one • kept detailed written records & had a strong oral tradition

  8. Examples of Aztec riddles: • “What is a little blue-green jar filled with popcorn? • the sky • What is a mountainside that has a spring of water in it? • Our nose

  9. Cortes • Conquistadors (Spanish conquerors) arrived in Mexico in 1519 • Led by HernanCortes • Wanted to find gold, claim land, & convert the natives • Aztec emperor, Moctezuma II, believed Cortes was a god Quetzalcoatl (the same god that was said to have left Mexico & was to return in the SAME year, 1519)

  10. Aztecs gave Cortes gold, but Cortes was dissatisfied & wanted more; he took the emperor hostage & war broke out (Moctezuma II was killed) • Despite pushing the conquistadors out, Cortes returned with more natives who were angry with the Aztecs for their harsh rule • Spanish won with: • Better weapons – armor, cannons, swords • Horses • Deadly disease that wiped out natives

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