Transcript Aztec
Jayce Allred Kenzie Chadwick An advanced calendar system Pictographs Jewelry Medicine A huge empire filled with millions of people Structures - Statues, Pyramids, Temples http://globalproject.tripod.com/id2.html Aztec empire was made up of a series of city-states that was known as Altepetl. Each altepetl was ruled by a supreme leader, tlatoani and a supreme judge and administrator, cihuacoatl. The tlatoani was the owner of all land in his city-state; he received tribute, oversaw markets and temples, led the military, and resolved judicial disputes. The cihuacoatl was the second in command and served as the supreme judge for the court system; He appointed all lower court judges, and handled the financial affairs of the altepetl. http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/exhibits/aztec/aztec_politics.html New emperors were elected by a high council of four nobles who were related to the rulers before. Emperors were usually chosen from among the brothers or sons of the deceased ruler. Even though the emperor had absolute power, he governed with the assistance of four advisors and one senior advisor who were elected by the nobility. http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/exhibits/aztec/aztec_politics.html Tlatoani; King or paramount chief Cihuacoatl; Chief minister and deputy Tlacatecatl, Tlacochcalcatl, Tlillancalqui, Ezhuahuancatl; Next most senior Tecuhtli; Senior nobility and heads of noble houses Pilli; The very highest social sphere in Aztec society Cuauhpilli; Non-hereditary nobility Calpullec; Leaders of each district Pochtec; Professional travelling merchants Macehualli; The peasantry http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/899217 Aztec state was authoritarian Monarch held all power A council of lords and government officials assisted the Aztec ruler The nobility, the elite of the society was the government The rest of the population was commoners/merchants/craftspeople, indentured workers, and slaves Commoners were mostly farmers. Merchants traded goods that were made by the craftspeople http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Post/899217 Strengthened by their belief in a sign that would come from their god of war and the god of sun. Huitzilophochtli, the god told them that when they saw an eagle perched on a cactus growing out of a rock, their journey would end. The Aztecs had a polytheistic religion (they believed in many gods.). Their “supreme” god, Ometeol, represented the allpowerful forces of the heavens. Huitzilphochtli was another important god to Aztec warriors as they expanded control over neighboring people. Quetzalcoatl had a more direct impact on peoples lives. The Aztecs religion was based on a belief in unending struggles between good and evil forces throughout the universe. World History, Glencoe, 2010 http://www.mrmoore.net/GLOBAL%209%20WEBSITE%202008/Ancient%20Americas%20Homework.pdf Located in Central Mexico. Became a very powerful civilization as they learned important skills like how to grow corn and eventually adapted to their environment they migrated into in the early 1100s. Constructed pyramids that were much like the ones the ziggurats of Mesopotamia had created. There was an island in Lake Texcoco and this was where they had built “Tenochitlan”; there capital in 1335. About 300,000 Aztec people lived on the capital island. They got off the island using paved roads over water called “causeways”. The Aztec capital contained everything they needed for living everyday life. The king, his family, and thousands of servants and officials lived in a huge palace in the capital. http://www.mrmoore.net/GLOBAL%209%20WEBSITE%202008/Ancient%20Americas%20Homework.pdf Economy was based on farming. Corn was there most valued crop, but farmers also grew beans, squash, peppers, avocados, tobacco and hemp. The Aztec Indians used basic digging sticks to cultivate their crops because they had no plows, draft animals, or tools. In spite of this important stuff, Aztec farmers produced more than enough food for themselves. Trade was extremely important. The supplies that came into Tenochtitlán from distant parts of the empire expanded, If the tribes had been defeated or “conquered” they had to pay a yearly amount of goods, such as rubber, feathers, cacao, and gold and stones from the south. This brought wealth into the Aztec capital. http://library.thinkquest.org/16325/y-eco.html