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Postclassical Central America

Postclassical Central America. The Aztec and Toltec. The Beginning of the Toltec. Were nomadic people from the north Took full advantage of the fall of the Mayan civilization to take control of more prosperous farm land Established capital at Tula in 968

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Postclassical Central America

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  1. Postclassical Central America The Aztec and Toltec

  2. The Beginning of the Toltec • Were nomadic people from the north • Took full advantage of the fall of the Mayan civilization to take control of more prosperous farm land • Established capital at Tula in 968 • Adopted from sedentary people and became strongly militaristic • Adopted cult of sacrifice and war • Aztecs thought they were “the givers of civilization”

  3. Heritage • Topiltzin was dedicated to the god Quetzalcoatl had a struggle with other group and lost so was sent into exile but vowed to return on the same date he left • Influenced the response of Aztecs to Europeans • Spread as far south as Guatemala • Conquered Chichén Itzá • Spread to north • Traded with Anasazi • Turquoise and obsidian • Disputed if in Mississippi/Ohio

  4. Aztec Rise to Power • Geography • Rich aquatic environment • Nomadic tribes fought over the lake but the Aztecs won • Eventually had a centralized city with lesser city-states around it

  5. Story of Reaching the Valley • Legend: Lived in exile to north in Aztlan • Wondered until they saw an eagle on a cactus eating a snake • Settled and founded capital Tenochtitlan • History: One of the nomadic tribes that took control after the fall of the Toltec

  6. Warriors • Distrusted by other tribes because of their fighting ability • Used as allies by other tribes • Moved around lake fighting with people all the way • Fanatical worshipers of gods • Sacrifice captured people

  7. Social Contract • Subjects pay tribute, surrender lands and serve in the military if the Aztecs said • Supreme ruler-representative of god on earth • Rewrote histories to benefit themselves- people chosen to serve the gods • Human sacrifice- captives

  8. Religion/Ideology • Polytheistic • World of gods and natural world almost the same • 3 groups of gods • All had many forms and a female/ feminine form • Sacrifice to fuel sun • Not known how much was religion and how much was to control the people • Questions about afterlife, gods and good life

  9. Tenochtitlan • Considered the “foundation of Heaven” • Metropolis surround by adobe districts • Nobility had 2 story houses with garden on top • 4 entrances to city • City was maintained by calpulli

  10. Food • Some from tribute from conquered people • Chinampas • Produced 4 corn crops a year • Flooded frames filled with mud and plants • Every community had a market very periodically • Cocoa beans and gold dust used as currency • Long distance trade for luxury goods • State regulate trade and redistribute tributes

  11. Widening Social Gap • Life based on calpulli • Not just clans anymore • Governed by family heads and all not equal • Nobility-most prominent people in calpulli • Military prestige based on how many captives you took • Status shown by wearing certain type of cloths and hair style • Nobility-> scribes and artisans-> peasants • Competition between corporate groups

  12. Overcoming Technological Restraints • Women almost equal in rights but still subordinate to men • Could inherit property and pass it on to heirs • Peasant women worked in fields but main place was in the house • Weaving most important skill • Arranged marriages with virgin bride • Nobility had more than one wife but peasants only had one • Women worked 6 hour days grinding corn

  13. A Tribute Empire • Each city-state was ruled by Speaker • Great Speaker was elected from royal siblings • Governing council but had no real power • Religion and military became most important • Conquered kingdoms kept their power as long as they met their obligations to the empire

  14. Weaknesses • Terror system placed to subdue the citizens • Rise in nobility • Both caused stress and then revolt • Fell to the Europeans

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