Transcript The Aztecs
The Aztecs 1325 CE-1521 CE The Aztec build an empire • • • • Aztec were farmers who migrated from northern Mexico to central Mexico. Settled on swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. Why? Legend 1325, began building capital city: Tenochtitlan 3 key reasons for the rise of the Aztec: • War • Tribute • Trade Tenochtitlan: The city of gold • • • • Home to 150,000 people Included large temples, busy market, grand palace Built 3 causeways-raised roads across water or wet ground, to enter-exit the city. Aquaducts and Canals-channels filled with water, throughout the city for travel and trade. • Chinampas-floating gardens for farming-corn, squash and beans • Pile soil on rafts, anchor to trees that stood in water (page 220) Tenochtitlan Life in the Aztec Empire • Aztec were ruled by a Monarch-Emperor • Aztec Society (in order of importance) • • • • • • Aztec emperor- the most important person-attended to law, trade, tribute and warfare Nobles- tax collectors, judges and other government officals Warriors and priests-religious ceremonies, kept calendars, decided when to plant and harvest Merchants and artisans Lower class-farmers and laborers Slaves Religion, Warfare and Cultural Achievements • Religion and Warfare • Worshipped many gods • Performed human sacrifices-victims captured in battle • Cultural Achievements (Aztecs appreciated art and beauty) • Architects, sculptors-created stone pyramids and statues • Artisans-used gold and gems to make jewelry and masks • Women embroidered beautiful cloth • Created a calendar to keep record of historical events • Nahuatl-Aztec language • Enjoyed speeches and riddles Design your own Aztec mask Midterm Project-Design your own Aztec Mask • • • • • Paper will be provided Size- at least 12” by 8” Details-eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair? Color-colored pencils, crayons, markers or combination of all three Additional item-You must include at least 1 additional item from home and use it as a decorative element on your mask-buttons, glitter, cereal, pasta • Research examples of masks, create a rough draft Cortes Conquers the Aztecs 1519-1521 • Conquistadors-Spanish soldiers, led by Hernan Cortes came to the Americas: • Looking for gold • To claim land for Spain • To spread Christianity • Montezuma II welcomed the Spanish, thought they were sent by the gods. • Gave them gold, Cortes wanted more The End Of The Aztecs • The Spanish took Montezuma prisoner, enraged the Aztecs. • Aztecs won the battle but Montezuma was killed leaving the Aztecs without a strong leader • Within a year, the Spanish returned with weapons and horses (Aztec had never seen before). Spanish also brought disease, Smallpox which killed thousands of Aztecs • Disease not Cortes who defeated the Aztecs • 1521, Cortes destroys Tenochtitlan and builds Mexico City in it’s place.