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Aztec Politics

Aztec Politics. This is a presentation about the political issues and structures of the Aztec Empire. How it all began….

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Aztec Politics

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  1. Aztec Politics This is a presentation about the political issues and structures of the Aztec Empire

  2. How it all began… • The Aztec Empire was peopled by a group that was once nomadic, the Mexicas. Their chroniclers told them that after their long journey from Aztlán, they found themselves to be outcasts, until they found the sign sent to them by their god Huitzilopochtli, and began to build their city. And so the Mexica peoples continued, and the Aztec Empire began.

  3. The Aztec empire. • The Aztec empire was made up of a series of city-states known as altepetl. Each altepetl was ruled by a supreme leader (tlatoani) and a supreme judge and administrator (cihuacoatl). The tlatoani of the capital city of Tenochtitlan served as the Emperor (Huey Tlatoani) of the Aztec empire. The tlatoani was the ultimate owner of all land in his city-state, received tribute, oversaw markets and temples, led the military, and resolved judicial disputes. The tlatoani were required to be from the noble class and of royal lineage. Once a tlatoani was selected, he served his city-state for life. The cihuacoatl was the second in command after the tlatoani, was a member of the nobility, served as the supreme judge for the court system, appointed all lower court judges, and handled the financial affairs of the altepetl. • New emperors were elected by a high council of four nobles who were related to the previous ruler. Emperors were usually chosen from among the brothers or sons of the deceased ruler. They were required to be nobles, to be over the age of 30, to have been educated at one of the elite calmecac schools, to be experienced warriors and military leaders, and to be just. Although the emperor had absolute power and was believed to be a representative of the gods, he governed with the assistance of four advisors and one senior advisor who were elected by the nobility.

  4. The Aztec Empire was built on earlier empires. They were excellent organizers and had developed specific offices to handle specific affairs, such as trade, markets, etc. The intensive agriculture system was under state control which determined prices. They had a redistributive economy, a kinship transformed to hierarchy, but they allowed ethnic groups to survive. • The political system was highly dependent on a system of tributes owed to the empire and sacrifices so the gods would favor the empire and its peoples in the transaction of every day affairs.

  5. The Empire landmarks • The Aztec were neighbours to the Mayans. Meaning that there were always wars between them.

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