Aztecs Unit 3 The People of the Sun Mountains were more than just rock they were thought of as sacred. (the higher you were them closer you were to the gods) Aztecs had two classifications for landscapes- sacred and physical. Temples that the Aztecs made to worship the gods resembled mountains. People of the Sun Aztecs believe that their god Huitzilopochtli led them to where they lived. This place was not Ideal (swampy, with salt water lakes) but it was thought to be sacred, and because their god sent them to live there, they were determined to make it work. The Power of the Mountains The mountains gave the Aztecs a sense of security. Mountains surrounded Tenochtitlan (where they lived), protecting them from invaders. Mountains also caused problems, in rain storms the low lying areas would be flooded. Aztec engineers built dams to protect the city. The Power of the Mountains Aztecs built aqueducts to bring up clean drinking water from underground. (since the lakes were salt water they could not drink from them) Aztec City of Tenochtitlan Island Home Lake Texcoco surrounds Tenochtitlan Causeways connected city to mainland In 200 years Tenochtitlan grew from a few thousand into a society of several hundred thousand. Aztecs built chinampas (floating islands) to enlarge the original island to support the population, and grow crops. The chinampa helped against flooding. The Sacred Landscape Aztecs believed that the their god Huitzilopochtli made the decision for them to live at the island. They believed that gods controlled every aspect of their lives, and they looked to the gods about how to live. Calendars Sacred calendar is 260 days long, it takes it 52 years to catch up with the solar calendar. The great stone calendar was dedicated to the god Huitzilopochtli. Human Sacrifice Human sacrifice to the Aztecs had a deeply religious significance. They believed that the humans blood nourished the gods, with out it the gods would grow sick and die. If they would not sacrifice, they believed that their world would end. War was important because it gave Aztecs new opportunities to capture victims to sacrifice. The New Fire This was a ceremony that took place every 52 years. people would fast and let their fires burn out. on their roof tops they waited to see the sacred flame lit near Tenochtitlan. A courier would carry a flame from house to house to relight their fires. Tenochtitlan: the center of the world. Aztec philosophers thought that the Earth was flat and divided into 4 sections, like a pie, and in the center was the Capital city of the Aztecs,Tenochitlan. They believed that the gods lived in the skies, so Aztec priests sometimes built temples on top of mountains, where they thought the physical and spiritual worlds met. Tenochtitlan Temples The temples were pyramid shaped, like mountains. The great city contain hundreds of these temples, the most magnificent of these temples was the Great Temple, the physical and spiritual center of the universe for the Aztec people. Expanding the Empire The Aztecs had a long trek to find their homeland. In that trek they were involved in conflicts with other people. The Aztec worldview was changed after these conflicts, and they became an independent, disciplined and resourceful people. It also affected their behavior after they settled and the relations with people around them. Expanding through Trade The city of Tenochtitlan was 2000 meters above sea level, so they could not grow certain fruits, vegetables, and other resources. Therefore the people had to trade with surrounding civilizations. The Aztecs also conquered surrounding neighbors. The Aztecs took great pride in 2 aspects of their character: the warrior and the trader. Merchants also acted as spies for the Aztec army. They would make maps to show the well fortified cities and which could be easily conquered. Expanding through War An ancient prophecy from Huitzilopochtli encouraged the Aztecs to build a great empire. The Aztecs firmly believed that their society was more important than the individuals within it. Every person was prepared to sacrifice his or her live for the good of the group. Expanding through War Military service was compulsory among the Aztecs. The law required every man to serve in the army. The worst insult was to call someone a coward; lack of courage weakened the army and put the empire at risk. Tribute After the Aztecs had conquered another society, they would collect tribute, valuable gifts and taxes from the conquered group. They would keep records of the tribute that they had collected. Things like cotton blankets, beads, head dresses and cocoa beans. Cocoa beans were also used for currency.