Transcript How Did the History of the Aztec Affect Their Worldview

How Did the History of the
Aztec Affect Their Worldview?
Reflect and Respond Page 235
Thursday, April 23,2008
1. Imagine that you are a teenaged boy or girl traveling with the
Aztecs during their long migration.
What types of hardships might you
have to endure? Do you think that
people who experience hardships
would have a different worldview
than those whose lives are easier?
Explain.
1. Look For
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lack of fresh food and water
harsh weather conditions
need to carry heavy loads over difficult terrain
conflict with other peoples
conflict with members of own society – perhaps
living conditions were too difficult
• possible deaths of friends and family members
because of hard journey
• getting used to staying in one place and then
having to move on; never being considered as
equals by other groups
• contact with dangerous animals, poisonous
snakes, etc.
1. Continued
• A difficult life may lead to different values
and beliefs. For example: belief in the
need to be independent and self sufficient;
need to be innovative in order to succeed;
perhaps different family values and a
different work ethic; belief in gods who can
protect and support.
1. Continued
• People who experience hardships often
develop specific skills and knowledge that
allow them to change their experiences
and/or situations to more positive ones.
1. Continued
• Values such as courage, strength, cunning
and patience might become more
important to them than to others in easier
situations because they want to change
the status of their existence.
• Perhaps harsh treatment they received by
others would harden them to values of
kindness and mercy towards others.
2. What personal qualities
would the Aztecs have had to
develop in order to survive their
difficult journey?
2. Look For
• patience to endure and never give up
• intelligence to survive the semi-nomadic lifestyle
and living among hostile neighbours
• appreciation of those with good hunting skills
• courage
• toughness
• sense of community and team as they traveled
together and helped each other
• strong belief in the possibility of a permanent
home
3. Huitzilopochtli is described as
a demanding god. Why do you
think it was important for the
Aztecs to believe that they had
a patron god? Why do you think
they believed he took on the
role of the sun, and not that of
another heavenly body?
3. Look For
• It was important to believe that a god was
looking out for their wellbeing – like their
guardian – the belief that Huitzilopochtli
was leading them to a promised place
where they would be happy would make
the hardships of the migration more
bearable. Huitzilopochtli was the sun god
and the sun gives life and warmth and so
was associated with a good life.
4. How might the Aztec destiny
have been different if their belief
in Huitzilopochtli had not been
so unquestioning?
4. Look For
• If there was no promise of a homeland in
the Valley of Mexico, the Aztec may have
given up during their journey and settled
elsewhere.
• Without their beliefs, they may not have
had the will to endure the severe
hardships and perhaps would have
perished or have been assimilated into
another culture.
5. The Aztecs eventually build
an empire in Mexico. How might
the Aztec worldview have been
influenced by how they were
treated by other societies?
Explain.
5. Look For
• They would learn that they had to rely on
themselves, not others.
• Neighbouring societies made the Aztec work as
servants to meet their own greed and needs; the
Aztec would do the same to those they
conquered.
• They saw that power came to the societies with
the most ferocious warriors and so they became
ferocious themselves.
• They saw the skills needed for a society to thrive
and understood that they needed to acquire the
appropriate skills in order to build their city.
• They recognized that a strong society valued