AztecsJulian Cervantes

Sonia Perez

Located

Language• N’ahuatl : A system of

hundreds of pictures that created an alphabet

• Scribes and priest were the only ones who could write

• Paints were made from plants, vegetables, minerals, shells and insects

• Books were called codices

Creation Story • The Aztecs believed that it took four attempts at creating

the earth and mankind before the gods finally got everything right with the fifth attempt.

• The first creation took place when Black Tezcatlipoca one of the four sons of the Lord and Lady of Duality, Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl respectively, changed himself into the sun.

• The earth at that time was inhabited by giants who ate acorns, berries and roots.

• Tezoatlipoca’s rival, couldn’t stand the fact that Tezcatlipoca was ruling the universe, so he knocked him out of the sky. In his rage at being knocked out of the sky, Tezcatlipoca turned into a jaguar and destroyed the earth.

Creation Story• The second attempt began when Quetzalcoatl

took over the heavens. • He created people on earth who ate pine nuts. • Tezoatlipoca overthrew Quetzalcoatl and

destroyed the earth with a great wind. • The few people who were left on earth were

changed into monkeys.

Creation Story• The third creation began

when Tlaloc, the god of rain, became the sun. Quetzalcoatl sent rain which flooded the earth, killing almost all mankind.

• Those who did survive were turned into birds.

Creation Story• The fourth creation began when

Chalchiuhtlicue (chahl chee oo TLEE kway), the water goddess, took over the sun’s responsibilities.

• This time, the earth was destroyed by flood and those men who survived became fish.

Creation Story• The final creation (the fifth sun) occurred when the gods met and

decided one among them had to sacrifice himself to become the new sun.

• One poor, humble god did this and became the sun. • However, the sun hung in the sky and didn’t move. In order for the

sun to move, it was necessary for all of the gods to sacrifice themselves.

• Once the sun was moving across the sky, it was Quetzalcoatl who took on the responsibility of creating mankind. He did this by going to the underworld to bring back to earth the bones of past generations.

• While fleeing the god of the underworld with his bag of bones, he slipped and fell, breaking the bones. He sprinkled the pieces of one with his blood and turned them into men. Because the pieces of bone were all different sizes, the men and women he created were all different sizes, too

Religion & Gods• Very important part of Aztec life • Many gods and goddesses (polytheastic) • Talocan – home of the gods • Chalchiuhtlicue – goddess of the lakes and streams • Chantico – goddess of the hearth • Chicomecoatl – goddess of maize • Coatlicue – goddess for the pain of life • Huehuetectim - god of fire • Huitzilopochtli – god of war, sun and the nation • Mictlantecuhtl – god of the dead • Quetzalcoatl - god of knowledge, creation, priesthood, and

wind • Tezcatlipoca – god of magic, war and death • Tezcatlipoca – god of speech and language • Tlaloc – god of rain • Tloque Nahuaque - Lord of everywhere, the one supreme

force, both male and female • Xipe Totec – god of spring and new life, god of suffering • Xochipilli - prince of flowers, god of dawn, dance and love

Religion• The Aztecs believed in a heaven and an underworld. • There were thirteen levels of heaven and nine of the

underworld. • There were also four horizontal points which corresponded

to the directions of the compass and were associated with the four creator gods.

• All beings were assigned to one of these four points, depending on the day one was born.

• The earth was believed to be a large disc surrounded by water at the point where the horizontal and vertical met. The Lord and Lady of Duality, mentioned earlier also were the rulers of this central point.

• The Aztecs believed that where you went after death depended upon what you did on earth and how you died.

ReligionThe Eastern Paradise• The “House of the Sun” was

the home of the souls of warriors who were killed in combat, this also included the souls of enemy warriors

• Sacrificed victims went there also.

• It was believed that souls stayed in the eastern paradise for four years, and then they returned to earth as hummingbirds or other exotic birds.

The Western Paradise, • The “House of Corn”, was

believed to be for women who died in childbirth.

• They also returned to earth as phantoms of bad omens.

• The paradise of Tlaloc, was for people who died of lightening, leprosy or other sickness.

• This was a place of plentiful food.

The Southern Paradise

Religion

Paradise of the North• For the rest of the dead. • It was called Mictlan (MEEK

tlahn) and getting there involved going through nine trials and took four years to accomplish.

• In order to make this trip, people were buried in a squatting position with items to help them on the way. These included water, a dog, a jade bead to act as the dead’s heart at the seventh hell and other personal objects to give to Mictlantecuhtli (meek tlahn tay COO flee), god of the dead, or Mictecacihuatl (meek tay kah SEE wahtl), mistress of the underworld.

The Aztec accounts of the trials a soul must go through to get to Mictlan are as follows: • 1) cross a deep river—dogs were

buried with their dead owners to guide them on this journey.

• 2) pass between two mountains which were joined together

• 3) climb an obsidian mountain • 4) pass through icy wind that cut

like a knife • 5) pass through a place where flags

waved • 6) be pierced by arrows • 7) pass among wild beasts which

ate human hearts • 8) pass over a narrow path of stone • 9) reach this level where the soul

found rest.

Religion• There were thirteen heavens. • Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, the creator

gods, lived in the double twelfth and thirteenth heavens.

• It was believed that the souls of babies went there was well as the souls of men waiting to be reincarnated upon the destruction of the human race

Religion and Human Sacrifices

• While human sacrifice was practiced throughout Mesoamerica, the Aztecs, if their own accounts are to be believed, brought this practice to an unprecedented level.

• Considered an honor to be sacrificed• According to Ahuitzotl, the Great Speaker,

during the reconsecration of Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan in 1487, Aztecs reported that they sacrificed 84,400 prisoners over the course of four days.

• Human sacrifices were tributes to the gods• Sacrifices were usually either captured

enemy warriors or Tlachtli—losers

Human SacrificeSacrifice to the Sun Sacrifice to the gods

Government & Laws

• Harsh laws maintained order

• Emperor would act as judge and citizens would act a jury

• Emperor would decide guilt and punishment

• Tlatoani – Great Speaker was the head of the courts, priesthood and army

Rulers • 11 emperors • 1st ruler was Acamapichtli (1376-

1396): he guided early construction of the city

• Most well-known ruler was the 5th - Montezuma Ilhuicamina (1440-1469): he established the Aztecs' victorious military program, greatly expanded Aztec empire. Was know as “Angry Lord, Archer in the Sky”

• Last ruler was the 11th - Cuauhtemoc (1520-1525) Spanish destroy the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, Aztec empire ends, Cuauhtemoc hung by Cortes' people

Class StructurePīpiltin

• The highest class for nobility.

• Originally this status was not hereditary, although the sons of pillis had access to better resources and education, so it was easier for them to become pillis.

• Later the class system took on hereditary aspects.

Mācehualtin• The second class• Originally peasants. • 20% of the population was

dedicated to agriculture and food production. The other 80% of society were warriors, artisans and traders.

• Eventually, most of the mācehuallis were dedicated to arts and crafts. Their works were an important source of income for the city.[17]

Class StructureSlaves

• Lacotin also constituted an important class.

• Aztecs could become slaves because of debts, as a criminal punishment or as war captives.

• A slave could have possessions and even own other slaves. However, upon becoming a slave, all of the slave's animals and excess money would go to his purchaser.

• Slaves could buy their liberty, and slaves could be set free if they had children with or were married to their masters.

• Typically, upon the death of the master, slaves who had performed outstanding services were freed.

• The rest of the slaves were passed on as part of an inheritance.

Traveling merchants • Called pochtecah were a

small, but important class • They not only facilitated

commerce, but also communicated vital information across the empire and beyond its borders.

• They were often employed as spies.

Military • War was a big part of the

culture • Professional military officers • All boys were trained to

fight • Citizens made up the army • A boy became a man after

he captured his first prisoner

• Weapons were slings, spears, bows, arrows

• Soldiers wore breastplates and used wooden shields for protection

School • Children of noble class

attended calmecac (school) • Boys and girls attended

separate schools • The workers’ children

attended telpochcalli and were taught occupational skills, warfare, history, good citizenship, religion

• Cuicacalli (military school) could be attended by boys at age 15

• Aztec girls learned spinning at age 4 and cooking at age 12,girls were trained for marriage

Technology / Medicine

• Aztecs used two different calendars, one measured time, while the other was used to fix religious festivals

• Aztec doctors used many herbal remedies both to cure and prevent illness

• Used splints to set fractures • Aztec doctors understood a

great deal about the human body

Family

• Strong families • Parents taught children

responsibility, citizenship and life-skills

• Harsh punishments were used if child disobeyed

• One punishment had a child held over a chili pepper fire and they were forced to inhale the smoke

Economy • Aztec merchants were called pochtecas • Several types of money(mainly beans) were in regular use • Small purchases were made with cacao beans • Larger purchases were made with cotton cloth called quachtli • Money was used mainly at weekly markets that held in each

town • In Aztec marketplaces, a small rabbit was worth 30 beans, a

turkey egg cost 3 beans, and a tamale cost a single bean. • A man could also sell his own daughter as a sexual slave or

future religious sacrifice, generally for around 500 to 700 beans. A small gold statue (approximately 0.62 kg / 1.37 lb) cost 250 beans

• Petty vendors sold small goods, farmers sold produce, potters sold their vessels and plates

• Professional merchants traveled from market to market

Food

• Maize (yellow corn) was main food source

• Diet included avocados, tomatoes, tamales, tortillas, vegetables, meat, corn, chili peppers, squash, chocolate

• Alcoholic drink was called octli and was made from the sap of the maguey plant

• Only noblemen could drink octli and if they got drunk they could be put to death

Clothing • Women wore a skirt

wrapped around their hips and waist

• Men wore loincloths and a sleeveless poncho

• Men carried a pouch over their shoulder which held cocoa leaves they chewed

• Headdresses made of feathers and beads were worn for special ceremonies

• All women knew how to weave and spin cloth

Art • Stone workers carved

statues • Potters made vessels

and plates • Weavers made ornate

head wear and clothing • Scribes would create

pictograms

Games • Tlachtli – ball game for teams

much like a combination of basketball and soccer.

• The players hit the ball with their hips, knees, and elbows and had to pass the ball through a stone ring to automatically win.

• However, no one knows the exact rules of the game, as the rules have never been recorded, and thus, only speculations exist.

• Losers were sacrificed• Patolli – gambling game

played with dried beans and pebbles

Music and Dance

• Part of religious ceremonies and story-telling

• Instruments used were shells, rattles, whistles, horns, bells and drums

• Children taught to sing, dance and play instruments at an early age

Spanish Conquest • Cortes landed on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico on Good

Friday in 1519 • Aztecs greeted Spaniards with food and gold • Cortes set off to Tenochtitlan with 400 soldiers, 16 horses,

several cannons • 150,000 enemies of the Aztec joined Cortes • On November 8, 1519 the fight against the Aztec civilization

began• Cortes took Montezuma II hostage • Montezuma encouraged his people to befriend the Spaniards • People disagreed and elected Cuitlahuac, Montezuma's brother,

as new ruler • Tenochititlan was destroyed August 31, 1521, and Mexico City

was built upon the ruins • An estimated 3/4 of Aztecs died from war and disease the first

century of conquest • Spanish introduced horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, sugar, grains and

fruits to the American continent • Spanish took potatoes, tomatoes, beans and maize back to

Europe