Transcript Thanks Mrs. Valenti!

Borrowed from Mrs. Valenti’s
World History Class
Saddleback Valley, CA
http://bit.ly/1qPNkMk
Thanks Mrs. Valenti!
The Aztec – Life and
Society
Aztec Religion

Main Idea 2:
 Aztec religion required
human sacrifice for
keeping the gods happy.
Aztec Religion

The Aztecs believed
that they had to
feed the gods with
human blood. Most
sacrifices were enemy
warriors.
Aztec Religion

The Aztecs made the greatest
number of sacrifices to their
two most important gods:


Huitzilopochtli: the god of the sun
and of war
Tláloc (tlah LOHK): the god of
rain
Aztec Religion
Most Aztec sacrifices went to Huitzilopochtli .
Aztecs believed that the sacrifices returned
energy to him, the sun god – allowing him to
continue the battle against the god of night.

The Aztecs believed
the sacrifices renewed
his energy
Aztec Religion

Huitzilopochtli was especially feared by the Aztec because he
could destroy the world whenever he wanted

He is also the god who sent the Aztec in search of the eagle on the
cactus
Aztec Religion

Humans were sacrificed because it was
believed that the human hearts and blood would
“feed” the gods and keep them strong.

Image of Aztec "Skull Rack" or Tzompantli
Aztec Religion

Aztec priests sacrificed as
many as 10,000 victims a
year in religious sacrifices.
Social Structure

Main Idea 1:

Aztec society was divided by social roles and
by class.
Social Structure

People in Aztec society had clearly defined roles.

These roles, along with social class, determined how Aztec
men and women lived. They had four distinct social classes.

Kings and nobles

Priests and warriors

Merchants and artisans

Farmers and slaves
Kings and Nobles

The king was the most powerful
person in Aztec society.

The king was in charge of law,
trade and tribute, and warfare.
Kings and Nobles

The nobles were tax
collectors and judges
as well as other jobs.

These hieroglyphs helped the nobility
track who had paid their tribute
Nobles passed their
titles down from father
to son.
Warriors and Priests

The priests had a great deal of influence
over the lives of the Aztecs.

The priests had many duties, but the most
important duty was to keep calendars
that decided when to plant crops
& hold religious ceremonies.
Warriors and Priests

Aztec warriors also had
many duties. They fought
to capture victims for
religious sacrifices. They
also brought great wealth
to the empire.

The warriors were very
well respected by the
Aztecs.
Merchants and Artisans

Merchants gathered goods from all over the
empire and sold them in the main market.

Many merchants were very wealthy and used
their money to build large houses and send
their sons to private schools.
Merchants and Artisans

Artisans were also rich
and important to the
Aztecs. They made
gold jewelry
and elaborate
headdresses.
Farmers and Slaves

Most of the people who lived in the empire
were farmers who grew maize, beans, and a few
other crops. Farmers were very poor and did not
own their own land.
Farmers and Slaves



Most men worked in the calpulli fields
Women cooked, wove cloth, & cared for the young
Around ages 10-14, boys were sent to school to
learn about Aztec religion, history, and other things
In this scene,
Aztec
teenagers
attend a special
school to learn
about the Aztec
way of life.
Farmers and Slaves

Slaves were people
who had been captured
in battle or who could
not pay their debts.
They became laborers,
and if they did not obey,
they were sacrificed to
the gods.