Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • World Americas 3 Aztecs

    Uploaded by

    wildabeast49
    1 views10 pages
    The Aztecs ruled central Mexico from 1350 to 1550, building their capital city of Tenochtitlan on an island in a lake. They practiced human sacrifice as part of their polytheistic religion and waged constant wars to capture prisoners for sacrifice and tribute. Though their economy was based on agriculture, the Aztecs developed advanced calendars, writing, and architectural planning. They were eventually conquered by the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cortes in the 1530s.

    Original Description:

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    The Aztecs ruled central Mexico from 1350 to 1550, building their capital city of Tenochtitlan on an island in a lake. They practiced human sacrifice as part of their polytheistic religion and waged constant wars to capture prisoners for sacrifice and tribute. Though their economy was based on agriculture, the Aztecs developed advanced calendars, writing, and architectural planning. They were eventually conquered by the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cortes in the 1530s.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    1 views10 pages

    World Americas 3 Aztecs

    Uploaded by

    wildabeast49
    The Aztecs ruled central Mexico from 1350 to 1550, building their capital city of Tenochtitlan on an island in a lake. They practiced human sacrifice as part of their polytheistic religion and waged constant wars to capture prisoners for sacrifice and tribute. Though their economy was based on agriculture, the Aztecs developed advanced calendars, writing, and architectural planning. They were eventually conquered by the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cortes in the 1530s.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 10

    Aztecs – c.

    1350- 1550

    A Continuation of the
    Olmec and Maya cultures
    Location / Geography
    • Central Mexico
    (not the Yucatan)
    • Capital at
    Tenochtitlan
    (island)500,000
    people
    • Total Pop: 10-20
    million
    Politics
    • Theocracy led
    by divine
    king/Priest
    • Military –
    nearly constant
    brutal wars for
    conquest, collect
    tribute, captives
    for slaves and
    sacrifice
    Economics
    • Agriculturally based
    • merchants are limited by
    what they can carry since
    they don’t have large
    pack animals
    • Chinampas – huge
    floating islands for
    agriculture
    • The great market – daily
    trade in the merchant
    section of large cities
    Chinampa
    Religion
    • Polytheistic
    • Many Temples based
    on astronomy for
    worship, agricultural
    planning and sacrifice
    • Each holiday included
    ceremonies involving
    human
    sacrifice/cannibalism
    • Fatalistic and cyclical
    view of the world
    Social

    • Large gap between upper/lower classes


    • Role of Women – decide fate of prisoners,
    domestic chores (grinding maize), can
    inherit land
    • Common people in constant fear of
    war/sacrifice/slavery
    Intellectual
    • calendar, numbers
    and pictorial writing
    similar but not
    identical to Maya
    • Capital built on an
    island required great
    planning and
    coordination
    Art
    • Temples
    • Gold objects
    • Sculpture
    • Skull racks
    Conquered by Spanish
    • Spanish conquistadors led by Cortes crush
    the Aztecs during the 1530s
    • More on that later

    You might also like