The AztecsThe Aztecs

Remains of an Aztec temple in a Mexico City Subway station

The Aztecs come to The Aztecs come to MexicoMexico

OriginsOrigins1. Mexica (later 1. Mexica (later called Aztecs) called Aztecs) entered Valley entered Valley around 1200 around 1200 (from North (from North America?)America?) after the after the decline of the decline of the Toltecs Toltecs

http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/city.htm

2. Founded Tenochtitlan on islands in Lake Texcoco around 1325

Building Building TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

The Aztec The Aztec EmpireEmpire

5-15 million 5-15 million subjectssubjects

Demanded tribute Demanded tribute and and obedienceobedience

Brutal in Brutal in suppressing suppressing revoltrevolt

SocietySociety

Emperor--Emperor--absolute powerabsolute power

NoblesNobles

WarriorsWarriorsPriestsPriestsGovernment Government officialsofficials

School School for for

noble noble boysboys

CommonersCommoners

Artisans, Artisans, merchants, farmers merchants, farmers and soldiersand soldiers

SlavesSlaves

EconomyEconomy

Vast trade networkVast trade network

Much of capital’s food Much of capital’s food provided by floating provided by floating gardensgardens

(60,000 per day met in capital for trade)

TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

Greatest city in the Greatest city in the worldworld

Early 1500’s 200,000 Early 1500’s 200,000 pop.pop.

Connected to mainland Connected to mainland by causeways and by causeways and bridges (easy to defend)bridges (easy to defend)

Canals, aqueducts, Canals, aqueducts, good sanitationgood sanitation

DiegoRiveraMural--AztecFestival

ReligioReligionn

http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/sunstone.htm

1. Calendar, writing

http://www.washington.edu/ark2/archtm/dc55.html

Calendar TodayCalendar Today

http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/evidence.htm

Aztec Aztec WritingWriting

2. Gods demanded sacrifice--200 a day eventually

3. Battle tactics designed to capture victims alive

http://www.eskimo.com/~zylyn/photos/itza5.jpg

Wall of Wall of SkullsSkulls

Destruction of Destruction of Azted CivilizationAzted Civilization

Montezuma II inherited great unrest

Montezuma sees a Montezuma sees a cometcomet

Demands for tribute and sacrifice caused rebellion

1519 Word reached Montezuma that Quetzequatl had returned to

the Gulf Coast

HernandHernandooCortesCortesConquerConqueror ofor ofthe the AztecsAztecs

http://www.bergen.org/AAST/Projects/Cortes/cortes.html

http://www.funkandwagnalls.com/mediagallery/getpage.asp?book=FWENCOnline&abspage=/MediaGallery

Montezuma Montezuma IIIILast King of Last King of the Aztecsthe AztecsKilled byKilled byhis ownhis ownpeoplepeople

Montezuma Montezuma IIIILast King of Last King of the Aztecsthe AztecsKilled byKilled byhis ownhis ownpeoplepeople

Reasons for Spanish Reasons for Spanish successsuccess

Weapons--firearms, Weapons--firearms, horseshorses

Aztec enemies Aztec enemies Quetzacoatl--Believed Quetzacoatl--Believed Cortes might be a godCortes might be a god

Disease--wiped Disease--wiped out more than out more than half of the half of the IndiansIndians

IntermissionIntermissionIntermissionIntermission

TulumTulum