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The Aztecs Control Central Mexico. Chapter 16 Section 3. Key Terms. Obsidian Quetzacoatl Triple Alliance Montezuma II. The Valley of Mexico. 7,500 feet above sea level Where Mexico City is now Aztecs the greatest empire is Mesoamerica Accessible resources Fertile land. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Chapter 16Section 3
Obsidian Quetzacoatl Triple Alliance Montezuma II
7,500 feet above sea level
Where Mexico City is now
Aztecs the greatest empire is Mesoamerica
Accessible resources
Fertile land
Teotihuacan-first major civilization
First century AD 6th century 150,000
to 200,000 people Avenue lined with
20 pyramids dedicated to various gods
Pyramid of the sun the largest
People lived in apartment style buildings
Thriving center of trade
Obsidian-most valuable item◦ Green or black
volcanic glass Did not conquer
neighbors or create an empire
Their art, style and religion found all over Central America
City abruptly declined
Virtually abandoned by 750
Name means city of the gods
900 new people take over
Capitol is Tula Built pyramids and
temples Carved pillars like
warriors Warlike, based on
conquest.
Worshipped a fierce war god
Demanded blood and human sacrifice
Topiltzin- tried to change religion
Encouraged them to worship Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent)
Uprising forces exile
Tolpiltzin and followers go to Yucatan Peninsula
Influences later Mayan culture
Power Declines 1200 end of their
reign
Mexico Valley 1200 Aztecs called Mexica
◦ Poor nomadic people◦ Came from harsh
deserts◦ Fierce and ambitious
Soldiers for hire God of sun and god
or warfare told to find city of their own
Look for a place where the eagle perched on a cactus holding a serpent
Small island in Lake Texcoco
1325 found the city of Tenochtitlan
1428 joined with two other city-states
Triple alliance- Aztecs, Texcoco, Tlacopan
1500’s controlled a vast empire◦ 80,000 square miles◦ 38 provinces◦ 5-15 million people
Central Mexico from Atlantic to Pacific
Power based on military conquest and tribute from conquered lands
Let local rulers govern their area
Tribute◦ Gold, maize, jade,
Cacao, beans or cotton Refusal meant death
and destruction of their village
Military rulers led Made up the noble
class Vast estates, life of
luxury Two other classes
◦ Commoners-merchants, artisans, soldiers, farmers (owned land)
◦ Enslaved persons-captives
Emperor atop the social pyramid
Absolute power Magnificent palace Entered in bare
feet and looked down
1500’s became an urban center
200,000 to 400,000 people
Large than any European city of that time
Aztec engineers made raised road
Streets and broad avenues connected the city
Canals let canoes come into center city
Tlatelolco- huge market
Most items grown on chinampas (floating gardens)
Center of city massive walled complex◦ Palaces◦ Temples◦ Government buildings
Great Temple- giant pyramid with twin temples on top◦ One to sun god◦ One to rain god
Tenochtitlan contained hundreds of temples
1000 gods Aztecs worshipped
Toltec gods Quetzalcoatl- not
only pictured as a feathered serpent but also pale skinned man with a beard
Public ceremonies Communicate and
win their favor Priest made
offerings Ritual dramas,
songs, and dances Aztec calendar full
of religious festivals
Huitzilopochtli- made the sun rise every day
Battled evil to get to next day
Needed human blood for nourishment
If no blood the god would be too weak to rise
World will be plunged into darkness
Human sacrifice on a massive scale
Thousands led to temple
Hearts carved out with obsidian knives
Usually enslaved persons, criminals, people offered as tribute from their community
Aztecs made new conquests to get more victims
1502 Montezuma II crowned emperor
Empire began to weaken
Montezuma wanted more tribute and sacrifices
Provinces rose up Period of unrest
and rebellion
Aztecs predicted bad things would happen
Saw omens in everything
Most worrying event was the arrival of the Spanish
Fair skinned bearded strangers brought back thoughts of Quetzalcoatl