THE AZTECS: SOCIAL STRUCTURE

BASIC SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Emperor Pillis Macehuali Slaves

SLAVES
Lower calss of social structure Prissioners of battles Aztecs with large debts or citzens caught stealing Auto slavery: shelter and food Farmers and household keepers

POCHTECAS
Traders Rose due to abundance of tributes Not considered part of Aztec traditional social structure Intelligence gathering force Echanged blankets, feathers, slaves and other values with warriors Developed as a very powerful class because of resources abundance and demand of them.

AZTEC MILITARY

Had chance to become a Pilli in wars by capturing prisioners Sub-hierarchies depending on captives number: Iyac: 1 captive Tequia: 4-5 captives tlacateccal: 10 captives Tlaotani: 17 captives Macehuali: waariors that didnt capture any prissioners in 3 battles and became regular people= shameful

SUB-HIERARCHIES
Tequia: after capturing five captives he was know as an Eagle knight, a superior warrior, assumed a captain-like position Tlatoani: meaning He who speks, considered a very strong ruler, manages with Aztecs provinces and every day life of the city encharged.

TOP SOCIAL CLASS DIVISION

The Emperor was considered more a god than a day to day life leader. Chacoatl: follows the Emperor and assumes position of deputy emperor, chief judge and daily running of Empire Emperor family members assumed the most important positions after Chacoatl: Tecchtlis, judges and generals.

MACEHUALI
Common people (peasantry) Base of economy and food production 20% of society work at agriculture and feed all the Empire Foof production by the chinampa system Majority worked at crafts and arts= economy basis Land was divided to clans who would develop agriculture on it.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wood, Tim The Aztecs. Viking penguin, proost (Belguim), 1992

http//www.solarnavigator.nrt/history/aztecs.htm