The Aztecs

GeographyBy Maayani

• The Valley of Mexico was the home of the Aztecs along with many other strong civilizations

• The Valley had several big shallow lakes • In the center of the Valley of Mexico was resources and fertile soil• The advantages attracted the Aztecs to be comfortable and able to create such

powerful structures like Pyramids there• The home to the Aztecs was on a small island in Lake Texcoco• The main core states were In Tenochtitlan and the allied states were In Teotitlan• What land they controlled ended between the Tarascans and The Road to Xoconochco.• To one side was the Gulf of Mexico and to the right was The Pacific Ocean.• The land the Aztecs had lingering for more than 80,000 Square Miles. The place they

owned Is now both southern And central Mexico.

• The Valley of Mexico was the home of the Aztecs along with many other strong civilizations

• The Valley had several big shallow lakes • In the center of the Valley of Mexico was resources and fertile soil• The advantages attracted the Aztecs to be comfortable and able to create such

powerful structures like Pyramids there• The home to the Aztecs was on a small island in Lake Texcoco• The main core states were In Tenochtitlan and the allied states were In Teotitlan• What land they controlled ended between the Tarascans and The Road to Xoconochco.• To one side was the Gulf of Mexico and to the right was The Pacific Ocean.• The land the Aztecs had lingering for more than 80,000 Square Miles. The place they

owned Is now both southern And central Mexico.

InventionsBy Nicole

• Aztecs invented aqueducts which funneled fresh water in from the main lands

• Engineers built 3 raised roads called causeways over water and marshland to connect the islands to the mainland

• Stelas where built, which were memorial pillars that honored major gods and celebrated major events

• A written language of hieroglyphics called Codices which was similar to Maya writing

• Aztecs invented aqueducts which funneled fresh water in from the main lands

• Engineers built 3 raised roads called causeways over water and marshland to connect the islands to the mainland

• Stelas where built, which were memorial pillars that honored major gods and celebrated major events

• A written language of hieroglyphics called Codices which was similar to Maya writing

PoliticsBy Nicole

• 1428 AD: Aztecs joined with city- states, Texcoco and Tlacopan to form a Tipple Alliance

• 1500s: Aztecs controlled vast Mesoamerican empire- central Mexico to Atlantic and Pacific coasts and south into Oaxaca

• Empire divided into 38 provinces with 5- 15 million population

• Local rulers were allowed to govern their own regions if a tribute in the form of gold, maize, cacao beans, cotton, jade and other products was given to the Aztecs

• 1428 AD: Aztecs joined with city- states, Texcoco and Tlacopan to form a Tipple Alliance

• 1500s: Aztecs controlled vast Mesoamerican empire- central Mexico to Atlantic and Pacific coasts and south into Oaxaca

• Empire divided into 38 provinces with 5- 15 million population

• Local rulers were allowed to govern their own regions if a tribute in the form of gold, maize, cacao beans, cotton, jade and other products was given to the Aztecs

ReligionBy Nicole

• Aztec ceremonial calendar was full of religious festivals• The sun god Huitzilopochtli , made the sun rise every day only when nourished

by human blood according to legend• In order for Huitzilopochtli to make the sun rise, prisoners of war were

normally sacrificed on top of the Great Temple where priests carved out heart• Need for sacrifices lead to the Aztecs to carry out new conquests so the Aztecs

designed battle tactics to provide more live POW for sacrifice• With population of Tenochtitlan emperor called for more tribute and sacrifice• Aztecs thought that the Spanish was from the return of the old legend of

Quetzalcoatl• Aztecs adopted many gods and religions from Toltecs• The Toltecs, who came before the Aztecs were extremely warlike people

who’s empire was based on conquest, King Topiltzin tried to replace the war god with the god of peace, Quetzalcoatl the Feathered Serpent but followers of the war god rebelled and ovef threw Quetzallcoatl

• Aztec ceremonial calendar was full of religious festivals• The sun god Huitzilopochtli , made the sun rise every day only when nourished

by human blood according to legend• In order for Huitzilopochtli to make the sun rise, prisoners of war were

normally sacrificed on top of the Great Temple where priests carved out heart• Need for sacrifices lead to the Aztecs to carry out new conquests so the Aztecs

designed battle tactics to provide more live POW for sacrifice• With population of Tenochtitlan emperor called for more tribute and sacrifice• Aztecs thought that the Spanish was from the return of the old legend of

Quetzalcoatl• Aztecs adopted many gods and religions from Toltecs• The Toltecs, who came before the Aztecs were extremely warlike people

who’s empire was based on conquest, King Topiltzin tried to replace the war god with the god of peace, Quetzalcoatl the Feathered Serpent but followers of the war god rebelled and ovef threw Quetzallcoatl

TradeBy Andrew

• Aztec merchants were called pochtecas• Most merchants went to a market called Tlatelolco Market• They sold such things as golden jewelry, feather caps,and tortoise

shell which could be useful to other places• Being a merchant was dangerous when traveling to far away places

in foreign countries• Yacatecuhtli was the god of merchants. • Fearing thieves, the Pochtecas carried vaulble items with them and

stored the items so no one could find them in warehouses• People also used crops to trade for other products such as animal

skins or woodwork.• The Aztecs had a strong economy driven by trade

• Aztec merchants were called pochtecas• Most merchants went to a market called Tlatelolco Market• They sold such things as golden jewelry, feather caps,and tortoise

shell which could be useful to other places• Being a merchant was dangerous when traveling to far away places

in foreign countries• Yacatecuhtli was the god of merchants. • Fearing thieves, the Pochtecas carried vaulble items with them and

stored the items so no one could find them in warehouses• People also used crops to trade for other products such as animal

skins or woodwork.• The Aztecs had a strong economy driven by trade

Social ClassesBy Andrew

• Family was very important when it came to the Aztecs. There were different levels of organization in the family life of the Aztecs, beginning with the base family unit. This base family unit consisted of the parents and the unmarried children. The main thing that the Aztecs cared about was education and food preparation. Most base family units bonded together to form extended families. The households of these extended families were composed of brothers and their families, to the children, basically uncles, aunts, and cousins. The main thing that extended families cared about was growing crops and such, but extended families usually weren’t too big.

• Usually, the extended families didn’t own the land that they farmed on. This land belonged to the calpulli, groups of families that controlled the use of land and performed other territorial functions, as well as social ones. Most calpulli had a telpuchcalli, which was a school for boys. The calpulli also had a function as a taxation unit. The empire would collect taxes from each calpulli, which in turn let them collect taxes from the other families. In Tenochtitlan, the wisest and most powerful leaders in the capulli were chosen as a city council. Those people would soon turn into only four, and then one would be selected to be the tlatoani, or leader of the city. Below the ruler, there were nobles, priests, warriors, administrators such as tax collectors, plain soldiers, common farmers, and then slaves. Aztec slaves were usually people that had been punished, or could be bought for a price. There was a special class of traders known as the pochteca, and they existed below the nobles and above the commoners. They were their own class and had many of their own rights and privileges. There was one more class, the highest class, known as Huey Tatloani, which was basically the descendant of the gods, and basically treated as a devine. A Huey Tatloani was a very rare encounter in the Aztecs social structure, but it did exist.

• Family was very important when it came to the Aztecs. There were different levels of organization in the family life of the Aztecs, beginning with the base family unit. This base family unit consisted of the parents and the unmarried children. The main thing that the Aztecs cared about was education and food preparation. Most base family units bonded together to form extended families. The households of these extended families were composed of brothers and their families, to the children, basically uncles, aunts, and cousins. The main thing that extended families cared about was growing crops and such, but extended families usually weren’t too big.

• Usually, the extended families didn’t own the land that they farmed on. This land belonged to the calpulli, groups of families that controlled the use of land and performed other territorial functions, as well as social ones. Most calpulli had a telpuchcalli, which was a school for boys. The calpulli also had a function as a taxation unit. The empire would collect taxes from each calpulli, which in turn let them collect taxes from the other families. In Tenochtitlan, the wisest and most powerful leaders in the capulli were chosen as a city council. Those people would soon turn into only four, and then one would be selected to be the tlatoani, or leader of the city. Below the ruler, there were nobles, priests, warriors, administrators such as tax collectors, plain soldiers, common farmers, and then slaves. Aztec slaves were usually people that had been punished, or could be bought for a price. There was a special class of traders known as the pochteca, and they existed below the nobles and above the commoners. They were their own class and had many of their own rights and privileges. There was one more class, the highest class, known as Huey Tatloani, which was basically the descendant of the gods, and basically treated as a devine. A Huey Tatloani was a very rare encounter in the Aztecs social structure, but it did exist.

Fall of Aztec EmpireBy Maayani

BibliographyBibliography• "The Aztecs for Kids - Achievements and Inventions."

The Awesome Aztecs for Kids. Web. 10 Apr. 2011. <http://aztecs.mrdonn.org/achievements.html>.• "The Fall of the Aztec Empire." Aztec History. Web. 10

Apr. 2011. <http://www.aztec-history.com/>.• "Aztec Society Family." Aztec History. Web. 10 Apr.

2011. <http://www.aztec-history.com/aztec-society-family.html>.• Beck, Roger B., Linda Black, Larry S. Krieger, Phillip C.

Naylor, and Dahia Ibo Shabaka. "The Aztecs Control Central Mexico." World History Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2009. 400-06. Print.

• "The Aztecs for Kids - Achievements and Inventions." The Awesome Aztecs for Kids. Web. 10 Apr. 2011. <http://aztecs.mrdonn.org/achievements.html>.• "The Fall of the Aztec Empire." Aztec History. Web. 10

Apr. 2011. <http://www.aztec-history.com/>.• "Aztec Society Family." Aztec History. Web. 10 Apr.

2011. <http://www.aztec-history.com/aztec-society-family.html>.• Beck, Roger B., Linda Black, Larry S. Krieger, Phillip C.

Naylor, and Dahia Ibo Shabaka. "The Aztecs Control Central Mexico." World History Patterns of Interaction. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2009. 400-06. Print.