Transcript Warm Up 9/12/2013

Warm-Up #12
• Where was the Aztec Empire located?
• Retell the Aztec myth about founding their
capital city, Tenochtitlan?
Aztec Warfare
How did the Aztec’s become so
powerful?
Triple Alliance
• The Aztec civilization
was based upon a
military alliance
between the cities of
Tenochtitlan, Texcoco
and Tlacopan
• They were able to
control a large area in
central and southern
Mexico
Military Structure
• The bulk of the Aztec
army was composed of
commoners
• The nobility were
organized into exclusive
warrior societies and
ranked by their
achievements
Why did they fight?
• For the Aztecs, religion and war
went together. It was basically a
much bloodier version of the Maya
religion.
• The Aztecs went to war to capture
enemy soldiers to be sacrificed in
religious ceremonies.
– One source says that during religious
ceremony over 20,000 people were
killed in 4 days.
– This is probably exaggerated.
– Either way, sacrifices were common
for the Aztecs.
• To make money by conquering
enemy city states and collecting
tribute
Why Fight cont…
• Aztecs played Tlachtli,
the Aztec version of Pok
a Tok.
• Legend says the gods
fought for control of
man by playing this
game.
• The losers, and
sometimes the winners,
would be sacrificed.
Flower Wars
• Sometimes the Aztecs
would set up limited
battles where both sides
would agree to a set
amount of combatants.
• The objective of these
battles was to provide all
sides with enough
captives for sacrifice
without risking their
entire armies
Warrior Societies
• After capturing four warriors
you were eligible to become
an Eagle or Jaguar Warrior
• The Jaguar warriors wore skins
over their bodies
• The Eagle warriors wore
feathered helmets
• The most prestigious society
was the “Shorn Ones” who
swore not to take a step
backwards in battle upon pain
of death
Weapons and Armor
• The Aztecs did not
have metal, and made
all of their weapons
from wood, stone,
obsidian and bone
• The Aztecs did make
use of armor,
including helmets and
shields