Aztec Civilization

1
Aztec Civilization
2
Essential Question

• How were both European and Native American
  cultures changed after European contact with the
  Aztecs?

SS6H1a Describe the encounter and consequences
of the conflict between the Spanish and the
Aztecs and the roles of Cortes and Montezuma.
3
Timeline
Incas 1200-1500 CE
1600 CE
0
Aztecs 1100-1521 CE
Maya 300-900 CE
4
(No Transcript)
5
Aztecs

• Location Central Mexico
• Time Frame 1100 CE to 1521 CE
• Main City Tenochtitlán (present day Mexico city)

6
The Legend of Tenochtitlán

• (Based on Aztec mythology)
• The Aztec tribe lived in ancient Mexico for about
  400 years. For the first 200 years, the Aztecs
  were constantly on the move. No one wanted the
  Aztecs as neighbors because they practiced human
  sacrifice in order to please the sun god.
• According to legend, the Aztec tribal god
  promised to show his people (the Aztecs) the
  place they were to settle and build a great
  capital city.
• He told them to look for an eagle perched on a
  cactus on a rock with a snake in its beak. This
  would be the sign that they had reached the place
  that would be theirs.
• The Aztecs found this eagle located near Lake
  Texcoco. They then built Tenochtitlán in either
  the year 1325 or 1345 (the actual date is
  uncertain)

7
Have you seen this symbol before?
8
The City of Tenochtitlan

• Aztecs greatest city had more than 200,000
  people
• Located on an island on Lake Texcoco
• Had waterways for major streets
• Causeways linked the city to the mainland
• At the center was the great plaza with the great
  temple that was over 200 feet tall

9
The Great Temple

• Where human sacrifices and offerings to the gods
  took place.
• The Aztecs believed that if they offered blood
  sacrifices to their gods, this would keep the sun
  alive and the world would continue.

10
Aztec Society

• The Aztecs were divided into clans (called
  Calpullis) which were large family groups
• The clan was the basis of all Aztec society and
  government
• Aztec children were expected to share in all the
  work

11
Achievements

• Writing Used picture writing but did not
  develop an Alphabet
• Aztec Calendar
• 365 day calendar
• Medicine
• The doctors practiced their medicine and
  operations on human sacrifices and with dead
  bodies from wars. They got a lot of their
  medicine from plants.
• Education
• Public education for boys and girls starting at
  age 13
• They taught lessons in citizenship, history and
  tradition, religious ceremonies and arts and
  crafts.
• Boys learned methods of warfare, girls learned
  singing and dancing skills

12
Aztec Warfare

• The Aztecs believed it was a religious duty to be
  a warrior
• Used swords, bows and arrows, javelins, clubs and
  slings for weapons
• Aztecs went to war to get tribute (what losers
  gave to winners) and sacrificial victims for
  religious ceremonies
• Goal of Aztec warfare was capture, not kill
• Members of losing tribe became slaves or
  sacrifices

13
Cortés Conquers the Aztecs

• 1519- Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortes landed
  in Mexicoand developed a thirst for Aztec gold!
• The enemies of the Aztecs (other conquered
  tribes) joined forces with Cortes to take control
  of Tenochtitlan
• Cortés and his alliance headed to Tenochtitlán
  with 500 soldiers and 16 horses
• The Aztec ruler, Montezuma, thought Cortes was
  the god Quetzalcoatl and presented him with gifts

14
The Fall of the Aztecs

• Spaniards massacred many Aztecs during a
  religious ceremony and fighting began.
• The Spanish escaped and returned with more
  weapons and supplies and conquered the Aztecs.

15
What advantages did the Spanish have?

• Weapons (guns and cannons)
• Horses (the Native Americans were terrified of
  them)
• Diseases (smallpox, measles, and chicken pox)

16
What were the consequences of the conflict
between the Spanish and the Aztecs?

• The Spanish tore down temples and replaced them
  with cathedrals.
• They destroyed Aztec art and books.
• The forced them to become Christians.
• They enslaved many Native Americans.
• They spread their diseases and killed 7 million
  Native Americans within 50 years.