Rise of the Aztecs and Tenochtitlan

1. Ancient Americas Aztecs Rise of the Aztecs and Tenochtitlan -Aztecs were nomads wandering in Mesoamerica. Their war god told them to build their city at the place where they found an eagle eating a snake and sitting on a cactus. -They found the eagle on an island in Lake Texcoco, so they built Tenochtitlan there. -Tenochtitlan was an Aztec city-state that was home to 300,000 people and went on to become the capital of the Mexica Empire

2. -In the 1420s the Aztecs in Tenochtitlan created an alliance (friendship) with two other city-states: Texcoco and Tlacopan. This alliance was called the Triple Alliance and started the Mexica Empire. Mexica Empire = Aztec Empire -Created by the Triple Alliance; five million people were a part of this empire -Aztec kings conquered small tribes and added them to the empire. These small tribes were made to pay tribute to the king -If a tribe did not pay its tribute Aztec warriors would enslave the people of that tribe Challenges in Tenochtitlan -Tenochtitlan was built on an island = not a lot of room for farming. -Aztecs created chinampas (floating gardens) to grow their crops on! -A chinampa was made by building a raft and connecting that raft to reeds in the water. Then the Aztecs would pile soil on the raft and plant the seeds. -This was VERY effective and created a lot of room to farm, they would take small boats out to the chinampas to collect their crops.

3. Aztecs day 2 Aztec society - People COULD change their social class! - Five different social classes 1. (Top) King: royal family who lived in a palace and controlled the city-state 2. Priests: performed religious ceremonies and communicated with the gods 3. Merchants: people who were in charge of trade in their city-state Artisans: made goods and other items to be traded Warriors: men who fought for the empire and went to collect slaves and tributes Aztec merchants

4. 4. Farmers: very poor, but they could become warriors and improve their life! 5. (Lowest) Slaves: two ways to become a slave a. sold to repay family debt – the person would work until the debt was paid b. punishment for a crime **Slaves could buy their own freedom and their children were born free! (the child of a slave would be born into the farmer social class)** Aztec Culture -Public schooling for everyone, including slaves. This is how people could change their social class. A slave could learn to farm, or to become a warrior. A farmer could learn to read and improve his own life. -Aztecs were polytheistic and their religion was based on the struggle of good vs. evil

5. Aztecs day 3 Fall of the Aztecs -ChristopherColumbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492 and “discovered” a new world, this caused many Europeans to begin coming to the Americas. -HernanCortes, a Spanish conquistador, arrives in Mexico in 1519 to conquer the natives -Conquistador: a conqueror (person who takes over a place or people) Cortes Columbus

6. -Many other native tribes were angry with the Aztecs, so they helped Cortes fight and conquer the Aztecs -They were tired of paying tribute to the Aztecs -Montezuma, the Aztec king, welcomed Cortes to Tenochtitlan in 1521 because he did not know Cortes intended to take over his empire and his people -After entering the city Cortes and his men attacked the Aztecs and brought down the empire. Native people welcome Cortes

7. Results -Spanish destroy Tenochtitlan, other Aztec cities, and all Aztec temples -Spanish enslave the Aztecs and take their gold -Gold sent back to Spain -Aztecs were taught Christianity and Aztec religion was forgotten Cortes and Montezuma meet

8. The Big Picture -Spanish had many advantages (guns, horses, armor, and they carried diseases that killed the Aztecs) -Spanish defeated Aztecs in 1521. The Incas were defeated in 1533. The Mayas were defeated in 1697. -Spanish control Mesoamerica and South America. This made them wealthy. Native Americans affected by Smallpox