Transcript Huitzilopochtli told the Mexica that when they saw

Aztec Empire
Civilization in Mesoamerica
Aztec
Maya
Origins of the Aztec People
• During the 1100’s, a group of people
begin to migrate to the Valley of Mexico.
– Mexica = Aztecs
• According to legend…
– Huitzilopochtli told the Mexica that when
they saw an eagle clutching a serpent
perched on a cactus growing from a rock,
their journey for a homeland would end.
– See the sign in the middle of Lake Texcoco.
• In reality…
– These new arrivals are outcast by other
villages.
• Forced to live in the middle of a marshyarea.
• Not deterred by the small island and its poor land, they establish Tenochtitlán,
in 1325.
– “Place of the prickly pear cactus”
• Dried and expanded the land.
• Built roadways of stone to link the island with the mainland.
Marketplace
Farming
• Needed to create
farmland to feed the
growing population.
– Built chinampas
• “floating garden”
• Landfill
The Growing Aztec Empire
• For several hundred years, the
Aztecs gained control of
surrounding territories.
– Conquered territories had to pay
tribute
• Goods, money, or people
• “Controlled” vast amounts of
territory by the 1500’s.
• A different idea of “war…”
– Goal is to capture warrior prisoners
for sacrifice
• Not to take territory or kill the enemy.
– Flower Wars
• Prearranged wars with another state in
order to satisfy religious needs and
train warriors.
Teotihuacán – “Place of the Gods”
• During their expansion, the Aztecs
discovered an empty city in ruins.
– Believed it was the birthplace of their
gods.
– Gave it the name Teotihuacan.
• “Place of the Gods.”
• Becomes a sacred site.
• In reality, it was once the largest
city in Mesoamerica.
– 250BC – 800AD?
– Had 200,000 inhabitants at its
height.
“Avenue of the Dead”
“Pyramid of the Sun”
Aztec Religion
• Polytheistic Theocracy
– Many dietys required some form of
blood sacrfice.
• Believe that from blood/death comes
new/more life.
– Some examples…
• Quetzalcoatl
– Feathered Serpent
• Tlaloc
– Rain god
• Huitzilopochtli
– Sun and war god
• Tezcatlipoca
– Night, sorcery, destiny
• Xipe Totec
– Agriculture god
Huitzilopochtli
Tlaloc
When the Spanish Arrive…
• It is during the “five bad days”
of the Aztec calendar.
• They believe the Spaniards
could be Quetzalcoatl
returning.
– Light skin, red hair, beard.
• All of the cities under Aztec
control despise the Aztecs.
• The Aztec concept of war is
different than the European
concept of war.