The Aztecs W ere the last to appear in Mesoamerica before the
Spanish conquest W ere the last to appear in Mesoamerica before the
Spanish conquest Had to search for land because most land was taken
Had to search for land because most land was taken Scavengers;
hated and rejected Scavengers; hated and rejected
Slide 5
Believed they were the people of the sun Believed they were the
people of the sun Huitzilopochtli, war god, was their protector
Huitzilopochtli, war god, was their protector
Slide 6
Tenoch (1325-1375) chief told to go to Lake Texcoco, look for
an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus with a snake in its beak
Tenoch (1325-1375) chief told to go to Lake Texcoco, look for an
eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus with a snake in its beak
Build the capital; make sacrifices Build the capital; make
sacrifices Legend: Huitzilopochtli and The promised Land
Slide 7
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Mexicos Flag
Slide 9
Slide 10
Tenochtitlan Settled on small island on the edge of Lake
Texcoco A.D. 1350 Settled on small island on the edge of Lake
Texcoco A.D. 1350 Became the capital Became the capital
Tenochtitlan Place Tenochtitlan Place of the Prickly Pear of the
Prickly Pear Cactus on a rock Cactus on a rock
Slide 11
Geography 3 Lakes: Texcoco (largest), Chalco, Xaltocan 3 Lakes:
Texcoco (largest), Chalco, Xaltocan Marshy created farmland Marshy
created farmland
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City Construction Linked to mainland by causeways Built
aqueducts (water channels) to bring fresh water to citys reservoirs
and waste away Population grew Built chinampas
Slide 14
Slide 15
floating gardens floating gardens -Series of rafts anchored to
river bed to river bed -filled with mud floating islands floating
islands - piled up mud and reeds -connected the gardens 25,000
acres of chinampas 25,000 acres of chinampas Chinampas
Slide 16
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Result Population grew dramatically!
Slide 20
Tlatelolco Aztec Market Main crossroads of empire every five
days Main crossroads of empire every five days Barter- the exchange
of items without the use of currency Barter- the exchange of items
without the use of currency Cocoa beans were most common form of
currency Cocoa beans were most common form of currency Main
crossroads of empire every five days Main crossroads of empire
every five days Barter- the exchange of items without the use of
currency Barter- the exchange of items without the use of currency
Cocoa beans were most common form of currency Cocoa beans were most
common form of currency
Slide 21
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Slide 23
Aztec Culture Organized and united by its beliefs Organized and
united by its beliefs Daily religious rituals Daily religious
rituals Beliefs influenced economy, government, and ways of war
Beliefs influenced economy, government, and ways of war Organized
and united by its beliefs Organized and united by its beliefs Daily
religious rituals Daily religious rituals Beliefs influenced
economy, government, and ways of war Beliefs influenced economy,
government, and ways of war
Slide 24
ClassesClasses Strict class system Strict class system Birth
determined class Birth determined class All went to school (3
different schools) All went to school (3 different schools) Schools
were tough Schools were tough Strict class system Strict class
system Birth determined class Birth determined class All went to
school (3 different schools) All went to school (3 different
schools) Schools were tough Schools were tough
Slide 25
Ruler: owned land Ruler: owned land Commoners: worked the land
Commoners: worked the land Merchants: owned shared land Merchants:
owned shared land Slaves; no land; no rights Slaves; no land; no
rights Ruler: owned land Ruler: owned land Commoners: worked the
land Commoners: worked the land Merchants: owned shared land
Merchants: owned shared land Slaves; no land; no rights Slaves; no
land; no rights 4 Social Classes
Slide 26
Divine king/ruler Divine king/ruler Each city ruled by king
Each city ruled by king Dual leadership: military/religious Dual
leadership: military/religious Judicial Branch Judicial Branch
Divine king/ruler Divine king/ruler Each city ruled by king Each
city ruled by king Dual leadership: military/religious Dual
leadership: military/religious Judicial Branch Judicial Branch
GovernmentGovernment
Polytheistic Hundreds of gods Polytheistic Hundreds of gods
Believed fate influenced entire life Naming child, planting,
crowning - fate Believed in omens signs of the future No fear of
death or sacrifice because of belief in fate Polytheistic Hundreds
of gods Polytheistic Hundreds of gods Believed fate influenced
entire life Naming child, planting, crowning - fate Believed in
omens signs of the future No fear of death or sacrifice because of
belief in fate Religious Beliefs
Slide 29
Gods required human sacrifice to stay strong Gods required
human sacrifice to stay strong Some blood letting Some blood
letting Cannibalism Cannibalism Human sacrifices were usually
prisoners of war Honor to be chosen as a sacrifice 20-50 thousand
people sacrificed each year Gods required human sacrifice to stay
strong Gods required human sacrifice to stay strong Some blood
letting Some blood letting Cannibalism Cannibalism Human sacrifices
were usually prisoners of war Honor to be chosen as a sacrifice
20-50 thousand people sacrificed each year Human Sacrifices
Slide 30
Sun and war god Sun and war god Battled forces of darkness each
night and was re-born each morning Battled forces of darkness each
night and was re-born each morning Human sacrifices insured suns
victory thus rise Human sacrifices insured suns victory thus rise
Sun and war god Sun and war god Battled forces of darkness each
night and was re-born each morning Battled forces of darkness each
night and was re-born each morning Human sacrifices insured suns
victory thus rise Human sacrifices insured suns victory thus rise
Huitzlopochtli
Slide 31
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Former white-skinned bearded priest Former white-skinned
bearded priest Came from the east promised to return Came from the
east promised to return God of civilization, priesthood, and
learning God of civilization, priesthood, and learning Former
white-skinned bearded priest Former white-skinned bearded priest
Came from the east promised to return Came from the east promised
to return God of civilization, priesthood, and learning God of
civilization, priesthood, and learning Quetzelcoatl
Slide 34
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The Rain God The Rain God Children were drowned as sacrifices
to him Children were drowned as sacrifices to him Main agricultural
god Main agricultural god The Rain God The Rain God Children were
drowned as sacrifices to him Children were drowned as sacrifices to
him Main agricultural god Main agricultural god TlalocTlaloc
Slide 37
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God of night and all material things God of night and all
material things TezcatlipocaTezcatlipoca
Heiroglyphics Heiroglyphics Language Nahuati living language
today Language Nahuati living language today Heiroglyphics
Heiroglyphics Language Nahuati living language today Language
Nahuati living language today Language
360 days, 18 months, (5 days for sacrifice) 360 days, 18
months, (5 days for sacrifice) Each day controlled by 2 gods Each
day controlled by 2 gods Lunar and solar Lunar and solar Calendars
would synchronize every 52 years Calendars would synchronize every
52 years Believed the world would end every 52 years Believed the
world would end every 52 years 360 days, 18 months, (5 days for
sacrifice) 360 days, 18 months, (5 days for sacrifice) Each day
controlled by 2 gods Each day controlled by 2 gods Lunar and solar
Lunar and solar Calendars would synchronize every 52 years
Calendars would synchronize every 52 years Believed the world would
end every 52 years Believed the world would end every 52 years
Calendar
Slide 50
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Stone carvings Stone carvings Figures of gods Figures of gods
Calendar stone Calendar stone Stone carvings Stone carvings Figures
of gods Figures of gods Calendar stone Calendar stone Art
Slide 52
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Jewelry
Slide 54
MasksMasks
Slide 55
Chocolate
Slide 56
Mayans and Aztecs Mayans and Aztecs xocoatl bitter, spicy
chocolate drink xocoatl bitter, spicy chocolate drink Played role
in social and religious life Played role in social and religious
life Symbolized life and fertility Symbolized life and fertility
Medicine Medicine Wealthy Wealthy Cortez returned to Spain with
cocoa beans and recipe Cortez returned to Spain with cocoa beans
and recipe Mayans and Aztecs Mayans and Aztecs xocoatl bitter,
spicy chocolate drink xocoatl bitter, spicy chocolate drink Played
role in social and religious life Played role in social and
religious life Symbolized life and fertility Symbolized life and
fertility Medicine Medicine Wealthy Wealthy Cortez returned to
Spain with cocoa beans and recipe Cortez returned to Spain with
cocoa beans and recipe
Slide 57
Emperor Emperor 1502-1520 1502-1520 Trained as a priest Trained
as a priest Aztec power reached its height under Aztec power
reached its height under One goal of conquest was to gain
sacrifices One goal of conquest was to gain sacrifices Also sought
wealth Also sought wealth Emperor Emperor 1502-1520 1502-1520
Trained as a priest Trained as a priest Aztec power reached its
height under Aztec power reached its height under One goal of
conquest was to gain sacrifices One goal of conquest was to gain
sacrifices Also sought wealth Also sought wealth Montezuma II
Slide 58
Grew to 400-500 small states 15 million people Grew to 400-500
small states 15 million people Aztecs collected tribute payment in
the form of goods, services, or currency Aztecs collected tribute
payment in the form of goods, services, or currency Held empire
together by force Held empire together by force
Slide 59
Fall of the Aztecs
Slide 60
Failed to win loyalty of conquered people because of resentment
and anger Failed to win loyalty of conquered people because of
resentment and anger Conquered people were eager to join Spaniards
in defeating Aztec empire Conquered people were eager to join
Spaniards in defeating Aztec empire Failed to win loyalty of
conquered people because of resentment and anger Failed to win
loyalty of conquered people because of resentment and anger
Conquered people were eager to join Spaniards in defeating Aztec
empire Conquered people were eager to join Spaniards in defeating
Aztec empire #1
Slide 61
#2 Montezumas training led to fall of Aztecs Montezumas
training led to fall of Aztecs Believed Cortes to be incarnate of
Quetzalcoatl Believed Cortes to be incarnate of Quetzalcoatl Killed
by one of his Killed by one of his former subjects former
subjects
Slide 62
Spaniards were armed with guns, iron weapons, and had horses
#3
Slide 63
Smallpox Smallpox Natives had no immunity to this European
disease Natives had no immunity to this European disease Smallpox
Smallpox Natives had no immunity to this European disease Natives
had no immunity to this European disease #4
