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Aztec Civilization

The Aztec civilization was a highly developed society known for its structured social classes, complex religion, and significant achievements in agriculture, art, and architecture. Ruled by leaders like Itzcóatl and Montezuma I, the Aztecs formed a powerful empire through alliances and were recognized for their extensive documentation at the time of European contact. Their society featured specialized jobs, a unique writing system, and a caste system that defined social hierarchy.

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11 views17 pages

Aztec Civilization

The Aztec civilization was a highly developed society known for its structured social classes, complex religion, and significant achievements in agriculture, art, and architecture. Ruled by leaders like Itzcóatl and Montezuma I, the Aztecs formed a powerful empire through alliances and were recognized for their extensive documentation at the time of European contact. Their society featured specialized jobs, a unique writing system, and a caste system that defined social hierarchy.

Uploaded by

prishanvora
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Aztec civilization

By Hiyana,Diyan,Fiona,Prisha V,Niraag and Rishi


Agenda
● The Aztec civilization • job
● What is the Aztec civilization specialization
• social classes
known for
• arts and
● Who ruled the Aztec
architecture
● Who started the Aztec • public works
Characteristics of Aztec • Writing
Civilization • Facts
● Cities
● organized central governments
● complex religion
The Aztec civilization
• The Aztec civilization was
also highly developed
socially, intellectually and
artistically.

• It was a highly structured


society with a strict caste
system.

• At the top were nobles,


while at the bottom were
serfs, indentured servants
and enslaved workers.
What is the Aztec civilization
known for
● Fearless warriors and
pragmatic builders, the Aztecs
created an empire during the
15th century that was
surpassed in size in the
Americas only by that of the
Incas in Peru.
● The Aztecs are the most
extensively documented of all
Amerindian civilizations at the
time of European contact in
the 16th century.
Who ruled the Aztec
Itzcóatl ruled the Aztec Empire from
1428 to 1440. Under his rule,
Tenochtitlán formed a triple alliance
with the neighboring states of Texcoco
and Tlacopan. With this alliance the
Aztecs expanded their empire and
became the dominant power in central
Mexico. Itzcóatl was succeeded by
Montezuma I (reigned 1440–69).
Who started the Aztec

● Who started the Aztec


civilization?
● The exact origins of the Aztec
people are uncertain, but they
are believed to have begun as
a northern tribe of hunter-
gatherers whose name came
from their homeland Aztlan,
Characteristic
s
Of Aztec
Civilization
Cities
● The Aztec Empire was a
confederation of three city-
states established in
1427: Tenochtitlan, city-state of
the Mexica or Tenochca,
Texcoco, and Tlacopan,
previously part of the Tepanec
empire, whose dominant power
was Azcapotzalco.
organized central
governments

● The main unit of Aztec political


organization was the city state,
in Nahuatl called the altepetl,
meaning "water-mountain".
Each altepetl was led by a ruler,
tlatoani, with authority over a
group of nobles and a
population of commoners.
Complex
Religion
● The Aztec religion is
a polytheistic and monistic
pantheism in which
the Nahua concept of teotl was
construed as the supreme god
Ometeotl, as well as a diverse
pantheon of lesser gods and
manifestations of nature.
Job
Speciacialization
● Job Specialization The Aztecs
had many specialized jobs.
Some of the jobs
included: traders, priests,
teachers, merchants, doctors,
and ball players. Agriculture-
The Aztecs used floating
gardens as their method of
farming.
Social classes

● Aztec society was divided into five main


social classes. At the top of the class
structure were the ruler and his family.
Next came a noble class of government
officials, priests, and high-ranking
warriors. The third and largest class was
made up of commoners, citizens who
were not of noble rank. Below the
commoners were the peasants, who were
neither slaves nor citizens. At the bottom
of the class structure were the slaves.
Arts and
Architecture
● Common art features statues
made of stone, as well as Aztec
masks, pottery, shields, knives,
carved pillars and painted walls.
Art could be made with gold,
silver, copper, jewels, feathers,
coral, clay and stone, to name a
few.
Public Work
● The Aztecs began to build the
canals and dikes necessary for
their form of agriculture and to
control water levels. They build
causeways linking the island to
the shore. Because of the island
location, commerce with other
cities around the lakes was
easily be carried out via canoes
and boats.
Writing
● The Aztecs followed a simple
writing system. It was made up
of pictograms, which the Aztecs
used to create calendars,
accounts, and basic records of
events. The writing has
survived in books written on
bark, known as codices. These
were written by the Aztecs, but
supervised by the Spanish after
FACTS ABOUT
THE
AZTEC
● The Aztecs were famous for
their agriculture, land, art,
CIVILIZATION
and architecture. They
developed writing skills, a
calendar system and also built
temples and places of
worship. They were also
known for being fierce and
unforgiving. To please their
gods they sacrificed humans!
Thank you

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