• Aztec agricultural system = chinampas

E • Aquatic weeds, mud, earth (allowed water to reach all plants)

• Every 5 to 13 days goods were exchanged in market

• Controlled by Pochtea (merchant class)
• Tribute payment = food, slaves, sacrificial rituals
• Nobles owned slaves
• Currency = gold dust and cacao beans
• State controlled everything
• Aztec subjects were forced to pay tributes, surrender land, and offer

S •
military service.
The followers of god were called the Mexicas

• Military class = essential role in society

• Captulli (clans that local life depended on. Aztecs depended on 7
calpulli) = land was governed by family heads and councils but during
war time, military units took control).
 • Among privileged captulli, noble class emerged – (high offices, private
lands, controlled priesthoods, and military services)
• Sometimes commoners = given chance to be promoted into upper class
• Conflicts existed between class of workers and nobles
• A new class of workers served as laborers
• Women (peasants) = field work
• Some rights of women were recognized and acknowledged
• Marriages = arranged in lineages

• Mochezuma II = represented civil power and gods on earth

• Seven Captulli (clans/form of organization)

• “The Great Speaker” = ruled each city and was considered a living god.
 • Power was in the control of ruler and chief advisor
• Ruler was elected but was not a choice between family members
• Mexicas = eventually became more organized

• Migration to Lake Texococo in 1325 to center valley of Mexico

I •
•

•
Extended from Tarascan frontier to the southward to the Maya area
“flower wars” were staged where both sides could get captives for sacrifice

Toltec religion = polytheism

R •
•
•
Aztec religion centered on human sacrifice ritual (cannibalism)
Religion = large and oppressing
The nature deities of Mesoamerica = rain, fire, water, corn, sky, sun
• At least 128 deities coed

• Yearly festivals and ceremonies were giving to gods

• Tlaloc- god of rain
• Huitzilopochtil – Aztec tribal patron
Aztec religion – complex mythology
• Aztecs rewrote history to what they preferred

I • Toltec Art included jaguars and eagles

• Aztec religion art included flowers and birds
• Songs
• irrigated agriculture of chinampas