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The Aztec Empire

The document provides an overview of the Aztecs and their Mesoamerican context, detailing the early human settlement in Mexico, the rise of city-states, and the cultural significance of the Olmec. It highlights the Aztecs' unique adaptation to their environment through chinampas and their military expansion through alliances and warfare. Additionally, it discusses their religious practices, particularly the importance of human sacrifices to appease their numerous gods.

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Justin Smith
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11 views22 pages

The Aztec Empire

The document provides an overview of the Aztecs and their Mesoamerican context, detailing the early human settlement in Mexico, the rise of city-states, and the cultural significance of the Olmec. It highlights the Aztecs' unique adaptation to their environment through chinampas and their military expansion through alliances and warfare. Additionally, it discusses their religious practices, particularly the importance of human sacrifices to appease their numerous gods.

Uploaded by

Justin Smith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Aztecs

Mesoamerica

➢ Evidence of humans living in Mexico has been


dated to 9,000 BC.
➢ Early Mesoamericans were nomadic hunters who
slowly developed agriculture over thousands of
years.
➢ The first permanent settlements started around
5,000 BC.
Mesoamerica

➢ The Olmec are generally


considered the progenitor
culture for Mesoamerica.
➢ They are most famous for
their stone carvings.
➢
Mesoamerica

➢ In the Valley of Mexico, dozens of states developed


such as the Tarascans, Tlaxcalans, Mixtecs,
Zapotecs and Toltecs.
➢ These states shared similar cultures and religions,
but each had their own identity.
Mesoamerica

➢ Mesoamerican nations were city-states, like in


Ancient Greece. Individual cities had their own
kings and courts.
➢ At best, more powerful states could demand
tribute and allegiance from smaller states but not
outright conquer one another.
Mesoamerica

➢ Most city-states were built


on plateaus, hills or valleys
next to water-sources.
Cities would be walled and
highly defensible, with
villages surrounding their
outskirts.
Mesoamerica

➢ Teotihuacan, the City of the Gods, was the first


great city of Mesoamerica. From 400 BC to 750
AD, it eventually grew to house 200,000 people
and spread across 8 square miles.
➢ The city was eventually abandoned due to civil
war.
Mesoamerica

➢ The Toltecs would replace Teotihuacan as the


regional superpower with their city of Tula.
➢ In the 12th century, in-fighting and instability
made Tula a target for northern tribes of
“barbarians.”
➢ Amongst these were the Aztecs or Mexicans.
Mesoamerica

➢ The Aztecs claimed that their war god,


Huitzilopochtli, gave them a prophecy. That they
could only settle where they found an eagle eating
a snake upon a cactus.
➢ This was seen on a small island in the middle of
the lake. There, they built a temple and began
constructing buildings on the lake surface in the
1300s.
Mesoamerica

➢ The Aztecs could not farm like normal and were


forced to adapt to living on limited land area.
➢ They adapted by building their own islands, called
Chinampas. Chinampas are artificial islands
created by layering mud from the lake on top of
wooden lattices help up by stilts.
Mesoamerica

➢ The entire city of Tenochtitlan was built upon


chinampas.
➢ By the time the Spanish arrived, Tenochtitlan was
one of the largest cities in the world. Rivaled only
by Beijing in China.
Mesoamerica

➢ The Aztecs formed an alliance with two


neighboring states and fought a series of wars
against their enemies over two hundred years.
➢ They developed an elite military that slowly
outmatched their neighbors.
➢ Neighboring states were subjugated and forced to
provide troops, tribute and slaves.
Mesoamerica

➢ The Aztecs are most famous for their human sacrifices. The
Aztecs had over 200 different gods and goddesses.
➢ The Aztecs believed that the gods had created mankind by
sacrificing their own blood. In return, humans must make
blood sacrifices to appease them.
➢ Several of these had their own distinct forms of human
sacrifice.
Mesoamerica

➢ Huitzilopochtli - God of War - Heart ripped from the rib


cage.
➢ Tezcatlipoca - God of Night and Sorcery - Gladiatorial
combat and Living God
➢ Huehueteotl - God of Fire - Burned alive. Ceremonial hearth.
➢ Tlaloc - God of Rain, Water and Fertility - Shot with arrows.
➢ Xipe Totec - God of Rebirth and Seasons - Flayed alive and
eaten. Trick or Treat with human skin.

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