WORKBOOK Ancient-Mexico-Jaguar-People

Ancient Civilisations – ‘Jaguar People’ – Ancient Mexico Created by Dr Anneka Rene 2020
Anci
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ent
Mex
ico:
Jag
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Peop
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Name of Student: ____________________________
Aim:
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The aim of this unit to illustrate the importance of the ancient Aztec culture to
the Americas, and the wider world. The Aztecs were a fierce people that saw
sacrifice as crucial element that connected them to their gods. Due to this, they
sought prisoners from every war. It was this desire for souls that was later to
ruin them, and an empire that flourished quickly (considering the other cultures
we have studied), fell just as quickly. The importance of the Aztecs upon the
modern world is profound, and it was at this time that chocolatl becomes
popular with Europeans.
Contents:
I. Introduction …………………….………………..…….................. Pg. 1
II. Aim and Contents …………………………………….………….. Pg. 2
III. What do we know of the Ancient Aztec? ………………..…….… Pp. 3
IV. Geography: The Countryside of the Aztec, and their Empire … Pg.
4-5
V. Economy: Produce …………………………………….………….. Pg. 6-7
VI. Economy: Food ……………………………….…………..…….… Pp. 8-12
VII. Society: Social Stratification ………..…………..…….................. Pg. 13-15
VIII. Society: Education and Language ………………..….………….. Pg. 16-18
IX. Military: Conquest and Sacrifice ………………………..…….… Pp. 19-21
X. Military: Weapons ……………..………………..…….................. Pg. 22-24
XI. Religion: The Gods and their Origins ……………….………….. Pg. 25-28
XII. Religion: Origin Stories …………………………………..…….… Pp. 29-32
XIII. Bibliography ………………………………………………………. Pp. 33
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What do we know of the Ancient Aztecs?
Exercise:
1) Our first exercise is to write down as many facts about the ancient
Aztecs that you can think of. Try to think about the wonderful
things the Spanish ‘took’ back with them from Central and South
America.
2) Once we are done with this, and we have compiled all of our ideas
together, I want you to name the feature of the Aztec world that
has most impressed you as a ‘Modern Historian’.
3) Then, explain WHY this feature (above) has impressed you so

much.
Exercise:
Look at the following image below:
In your books/devices, a) explain the features you SEE; b) explain

WHAT you think these features mean; c) explain WHY you think these
features are present.
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Geography: the Countryside of the Aztec, and the

unusual look of their Empire
Aztec Physical Geography:
North of the Yucatán Valley, in the Valley of Mexico, the Aztec empire
flourished where others (mainly the Maya) could not. The reason for this was
their organisation, and desire to hold a unified nation. Unlike the neighbouring
Maya who were a collection of city-states (just like the Greeks), the Aztecs saw
unity as a key aspect to their success.
The Valley of Mexico was perfect for the Aztecs because it both provided
natural defence and had all the features needed for the development of
civilization. First, the valley featured several lakes. These lakes were briny and
salty, but the Aztecs learned to dam the lakes so that fresh water flowing down
from the mountain peaks surrounding the valley and the salt water would
remain separate. The Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, was in the middle of Lake
Texcoco, which at 580-square-miles-large made for a good natural defence. The
lake also sat at 7,336 feet above sea level and was surrounded by mountains that
were up to 10,000 feet taller than the city. All in all, Tenochitlán was not an
easy location to attack and, therefore, a good capital city for an empire.
Additionally, the lake soil was very fertile, which allowed the Aztecs to develop
advanced agriculture.
Since they lived in the middle of a lake, the Aztecs built chinampas, long
platforms of soil floating on shallow rafts, and grew their crops on these. Each
floating garden could be up to 300 feet long. Chinampas were very efficient
means of agriculture, and the Aztecs were able to harvest their crops up to seven
times in a single year.
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Aztec Political Geography:
Legend has it that various groups of people, known as

the Chichimec (literally meaning ‘barbarian’),
left the mythical island of Aztlán in search
of a place to settle. The Aztecs were the
last of the Chichimecas. After a long
migration, they finally settled on an
island in Lake Texcoco, where they
believed they had found the sign sent
to them by their guardian god,
Huitzilopochtli: an eagle perched on a
cactus eating a snake. This sacred
symbol, indicating the place where they
should live, gave rise to the city of
Tenochtitlán in the year c.1325 CE.
In 1428 CE., to free themselves from the dominant Tepaneca people, they
joined forces with the cities of Texcoco and Tlacopan to form the Triple
Alliance. From this point, the Aztec Empire grew rapidly, first overpowering
the coastal towns of Lake Texcoco and then conquering much of Mesoamerica.
The goal was to implement a tax system that would support the growing city of
Tenochtitlán and its allies.
Exercise:
Looking at the map above, write down three factors that make the map
‘peculiar’ and ‘unique’ to the culture of the Aztecs.
*
ECONOMY: Trade, Produce, and Food

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PRODUCE:
As has been mentioned, the core form of production in the Aztec world
consisted of the use of chinampas. Chinampas were raised garden beds that
were made with cane holding-walls; these were then filled with mud dredged
from the bottom of Lake Texcoco. Farmers planted trees along the edges of the
walls to stabilise the sides, and throughout the beds to help anchor them. It was
a very labour-intensive activity – both in terms of construction and
maintenance, which involved the continual dredging of sediments and aquatic
weeds to fertilise the gardens. But the system used very little space and created
an abundance of produce. The Aztecs got more out of their land by using crop
rotation and adding household organic scraps and human waste to the beds. This
latter ‘compost’ was gathered in the cities then transported by canoe to the
chinampas.
Perhaps half the food (if not more!) the inhabitants of the Aztec capital
Tenochtitlán ate came from chinampas! The Aztecs had their most extensive
chinampas in Lake Chalco-Xochimilco – essentially the southern area of Lake
Texcoco – and this became one of the most productive parts of the Valley of
Mexico.
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As farming was difficult (farmers had to create chinampas, bring ‘compost’,

dredge mud from the lake bed, turn the soil, spread seeds, harvest, till with
wooden tools), many farmers were rewarded with consistent harvests several
times in a single season. The rainfall in the Valley of Mexico was unreliable
and, unlike the chinampas, the ground could be hard and dry. Where possible,
the farmers used artificial irrigation to ensure the crops grew well, and grew
consistently.
Challenges facing the Aztec farmers:
One challenge all farmers face is retaining nutrients in the soil where crops are
planted. Different crops deplete the soil of certain nutrients, so if a specific crop
is planted in the same field year after year, it would not grow as well. This is a
particular challenge in areas of Mexico where there are large populations and
small areas where farming can take place easily.
To combat this, Aztec farmers planted crops together or rotated crops to help
keep nutrients in the soil, and give them the opportunity to regenerate.
Maize, squash, and beans were referred to as the "Three Sisters" in Aztec
agriculture. These three crops were planted together because they kept the
nutrients in the soil, ensuring the crops would grow well and the people would
have the food they needed.
Aztec farmers also let the fields sit uncultivated for a time, meaning that
particular plot of land was not used for crops to let it rest and regenerate the
nutrients it needed.
Because of the importance of agriculture to the survival of the Aztec people, the
growing of crops was important to all people of the society. As young people
grew in society, they could learn agriculture as a trade, which meant the
methods were passed to future generations.
People also used crops to trade for other products such as animal skins or
woodwork. The Aztec society had a strong economy that was driven by trade,
so having crops to trade meant the people would be sure to have other products
they needed.
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FOOD:
The Aztecs grew an extraordinary range of food that we all love and enjoy
today. The chinampas could produce up to seven times per season and this
meant that food was available all year, and in great variety.
Since the chinampas were so fruitful, the Aztecs would have had the following
tasty treats in abundance all year long:
Tomatl (tomato):
Chílli (chilli):
Chayotli (squash):
Elote (maize):
Yetl (beans):
Huauhtli (amaranth):
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The Aztecs also used honey and sweet corn syrup to produce
alcoholic beverages and these ingredients were important also as
sweeteners in food.
The Aztecs also used capsicums, avocados, potatoes, sweet potatoes and
zucchinis as part of their diet.
Types of Foods:
Like the food common to modern

day Mexico, Aztec food tended to
be both rich and spicy. In fact,
many of the ancient Aztec foods
were flavoured with chili peppers
and contained spicy sauces. In
addition, the main food of the
Aztecs was the tlaxcalli, which was
a corn-meal pancake similar to the
modern day tortilla. This primary Aztec food was commonly wrapped around
meat and vegetables in order to make tacos.
Fruits and vegetables provided a strong base for many Aztec foods. The most
important of these vegetables was maize because of its ease of growth in the soil
and climate of the area. For this reason, maize was used to make a wide variety
of other Aztec foods. For example, maize was used to make tortilla shells.
Learning how to make tortilla shells was one of the primary rites of passage for
young Aztec women. Tortillas were particularly useful because they could be
eaten fresh or they could be stored to be eaten later, which was valuable for
traveling warriors and merchants.
Xoars were also made with a maize base. This meal was made from maize
dough, which was shaped into a ball. This was then filled with chilies, beans,
and sometimes meat. The entire ball was wrapped in maize leaves and cooked
through a steaming process inside a clay pot.
Atole, which was a thin gruel made of maize flour flavoured with fruits and
chilies, was another common meal.
A special soup called pozole also contained large kernels of maize and, of
course, another of the Aztec foods was simply corn on the cob. Maize was so
important in the Aztec culture that it was even an important component of their
religion.
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Beans were also served with every Aztec meal. The lima and pinto bean were
cultivated for the first time in the very earliest Mexican and Peruvian
civilisations more than 5,000 years ago, being popular in both the Aztec and
Inca cultures.
Many Aztec other recipes included meat. Most of the meat added to Aztec foods
was gained through hunting, such as geese, ducks, deer, and rabbits. In fact, the
Aztecs only raised two animals for meat: dogs and turkeys. Long before
Europeans came to America, the Aztecs had domesticated turkeys. They used
them for food, for religious sacrifices and the feathers for decoration.
Among other ingredients was the maguey

plant. Also known as agave and the
century plant, a hearty succulent surviving
southern Mexico's long, dry winter by
storing liquid in its heart. The plant's many
varieties (some large, others small) all
generally have long, sturdy leaves
bordered with sharp spines. Sixteenth-
century Spanish explorers travelling
through Mexico's highlands marvelled at
the various uses of maguey, and the Aztecs
and Mixtecs, neighbours of the Zapotec,
celebrated the plant in the earlier bark-
paper and deerskin pages of Post-classic period (CE. 800-1520) codices. The
maguey plant produces sap to feed its single, impressive flower, which blooms
at the end of its life. Growers collected the sap from the heart of the mature
plant. They cut the plant at the base then scooped out the central stalk. Sap
would collect in the hole, producing 8 litres of liquid a day for four to six
months.
Maguey sap could be reduced to syrup, an ingredient used in cooking. The

plain, clear, fresh sap alone is very sweet, and is said to taste like the milk from
a young coconut.
Maguey was also the central ingredient in octli, a popular alcoholic beverage
similar to beer. White and frothy, it had a sour smell. It was sold in the eateries
and bars that dotted the Aztec markets. To make octli, the sap from the plant
was stored in pottery jars. After a day, it began to naturally ferment, creating the
beverage. Octli had an alcohol content of 8 – 20 percent. This was fine for
everyday consumption, but professional octli makers also produced the drink
for rituals and festivals. Note: public drunkenness was punishable by death!
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CHOCOLATL:
Perhaps the most delicious (well, depends on your taste) item of food produced
by the Aztecs was chocolatl (commonly known as super-awesome-taste-of-
heavens).
The Aztecs had a passion for chocolate (vanilla was used by the Aztecs to
flavour chocolate, and they introduced the Spanish explorers to both). It was
one of the most sought after Aztec foods. Though the chocolate drink was a
favourite treat of the Aztecs, only the wealthy nobles and royalty were able to
drink it often. Aztec emperor Montezuma drank fifty golden goblets of hot
chocolate every day. It was thick, dyed red and flavoured with chili peppers.
Cacao was so important to the Aztecs that it acted as currency; a porter, the
most common Aztec occupation, could expect to earn 100 cacao beans a day.
This would buy a turkey hen or a hare. A large tomato cost one bean. Three
beans bought a turkey egg.
Sweeteners were very uncommon in chocolate drinks. In fact, chocolatl literally

means ‘bitter water’.
Homework Exercise:
For this exercise, you are going to need three ingredients: 90% dark
chocolate (as it contains cacao butter, and this is essential for the
texture), chilli powder, cornflour.
Method:
In a saucepan, melt half a block of 90% dark chocolate. Keeping the

thick liquid moving with a wooden spoon, place a teaspoon of chilli
powder and kip stirring. As the liquid is moving, place gradually a whole
teaspoon of cornflour.
There you have it.
Almost an authentic drink that was only meant for royalty or their
extended family in the Aztec world!
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Exercise:
Your task is to create a menu for the King and his family. Remember,
you are but a poor cook. Displease and your heart is on the menu;
gratify and you will be richly rewarded.
Your menu must be in a form of a pamphlet advertising your newly

built restaurant on the outskirts of Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec
world.
Remember, it has to have colour, appeal, interest, and of course, something

edible for a king. If you wouldn’t eat it, neither would he.
Exercise:
Choose ANY ingredient that the Aztecs had cultivated/used. Create a

tree (draw one with branches) and then come up with as MANY meals
(modern or ancient) that use that ingredient PREDOMINANTLY. Enjoy!
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SOCIETY: Social Stratification
The emperor of the Aztec was called huey tlatoani (which literally means ‘great
leader’). He was the head of the state, the commander-in-chief, and the chief
priest. In most cases, the huey tlatoani was a hereditary position but in many
cases, the ruler was chosen because of their military prowess, political skill, and
religious devotion. Perhaps the greatest qualities were their generalship and
military prowess.
The home of the huey tlatoani was in the centre of Tenochtitlán. He lived in a
luxurious temple (Huey Teocalli) which contained around a hundred apartments
meant for guests and visitors. The guests could relax in courtyard gardens, and
could even visit zoos. The complex contained two judicial courts (one for the
nobles, and one for the commoners). As this was the administrative centre of the
empire, the government was held here too, as well as the war council rooms, a
hall for the elite eagle warriors, a complex for teachers, and a host of craft
workshops – where goldsmiths and jewellers turned the raw materials received
as tribute into finely crafted products. The busy complex was the centre of all
the bustling activity of the city and empire, and this was where all the people
wanted to come.
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The huey tlatoani instructed the city leaders (or eight high lords) of
Tenochtitlán. These leaders formed a kind of senate of the ruling class (and
were thus generally considered, the second tier in the social pyramid).
The high lords were technically in charge of overseeing all sorts of civil
services; making and maintaining roads, building and maintaining public
structures, dredging canals, and cleaning the cities, policing the markets and
vendors to make sure the prices remain fair and the citizens are receiving their
fair share, judging disputes, and punishing criminals.
Exercise:
Your task is to compare and contrast the way New Zealand government
worked to the way that the Aztecs handled their own civic duties.
Utilise the following site:

https://www.govt.nz/browse/engaging-with-government/government-in-new-
zealand/
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The calpulli – foundations of Aztec society
The members of the ‘senate’ (leaders who answered to the high lords, and the
huey tlatoani himself, were selected for office by their calpulli. In larger urban
areas, the term ‘calpulli’ was designated to an area, or a district, where people
often had the same occupation.
Calpulli were the foundation of Aztec society. They consisted of extended

family groupings and usually shared the same occupation. For example, in the
rural areas, many would have been farmers, and this would have been the way
these groupings joined together. Interestingly, land was not owned by
individuals or by families, but instead by the calpulli, as a collective.
In the urban areas, many calpulli were formed on the basis that they were
tradespeople, crafts-people, and the like. The calpulli had an interesting
function in these urban areas, as the collective offered further training to its
members, and many of its people gained protection for their group’s occupation.
This is very similar to what we saw happening in medieval Western Europe
with the concept of ‘guilds’, and more recently, with workers’ unions in the
modern era.
A calpulli would be headed by a teuctli (lord). He would appoint a council to

make decisions and run the unit. When enough calpulli came together, this
created an altépetl, a town/city with its own government. Many towns/cities had
populations of five to ten thousand people. When an altépetl chose its leader,
the leader became a high lord (this indicates to us that Tenochtitlán had eight
major altépetls functioning consistently in the city.
Exercise:
The image that we had at the start of this section (Society) was only but a
basic version of the social pyramid. Your task is to use the Nahuatl
(Aztec language) terms to construct a more accurate version.
Social
Pyramid
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AZTEC EDUCATION
The Aztecs were one of the few older civilisations that required for their
children to be educated at home and in school. Every child was educated, no
matter their social status, whether noble, commoner or slave. Two different
schools taught the young—one for the noble class and one for commoners,
although bright, talented commoners might be chosen for advanced learning at
the noble school. Children’s education, however, started at home with their
parents. From age four or five, boys learned and worked with their fathers at a
trade or craft, farming, hunting and fishing. Girls learned from their mothers all
the tasks they would need in running a household.
Formal education began roughly at the age of 14. Prior to that, the children were
taught at home by their parents and wider family. Whilst learning the roles for
their genders, practical tasks, and basics, children were also taught values and
ideas of the Aztecs – huehuetlatolli. Through these anecdotes, young Aztec
children were able to understand the world around them, and the importance of
their culture on the wider world.
Types of Schools:
Calmecac
Calmecacs were schools for the sons of nobles, where they learned to be
leaders, priests, scholars or teachers, healers or codex painters. They learned
literacy, history, religious rituals, calendrics, geometry, songs and the military
arts. These advanced studies in astronomy, theology and statesmen ship
prepared the nobles’ sons for work in the government and temples.
Telpochcalli
Telpochcalli taught boys history and religion, agricultural skills, military

fighting techniques and a craft or trade, preparing them for a life as a farmer,
metal worker, feather worker, potter or soldier. Athletically talented boys might
then be sent on to the army for further military training. The other students
would, after graduation, be sent back to their families to begin their working
life.
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LANGUAGE:
The Aztecs spoke a language called Nahuatl. The language of the Aztecs is
quite distinctive, and it was this aspect that made it somewhat easier to allocate
a place of origin for the people. Just like the Aztec, many of the smaller nations
around them spoke the same language.
Codex painter was an honoured and necessary profession in the Aztec world.
They were highly trained in the calmecacs, the advanced schools of the noble
class. Some calmecacs invited commoner children to train as scribes if they
were highly talented, but most scribes were nobles. The Aztec Empire, as with
many empires, required a great deal of paperwork: keeping track of taxes and
tribute paid, recording the events of the year both great and small, genealogies
of the ruling class, divinations and prophecies, temple business, lawsuits and
court proceedings and property lists with maps, ownership, borders, rivers and
fields noted. Merchants needed scribes to keep accounts of all their trades and
profits. All of this official work required the scribes of the Aztecs—the codex
painters.
The Nahuatl language is an agglutinant language, which means that words and
phrases are put together by combining prefixes, suffixes, and root words, in
order to form an idea.
Words that joined the nouns into sentences were extremely difficult to draw.
The art of writing was very specialised and also difficult to learn. Scribes
needed to know a lot of extra information that wasn't written down because the
pictograms only gave a clue to the full meaning. Aztec picture writing was
mainly done by priest or scribes. They were the only ones who could read the
pictures. The Aztecs wrote about their history and religious ceremonies. They
also wrote poetry. First the scribes sketched the outline with charcoal. The
pictures were then brightly coloured with vegetables, minerals, insects and
shells.
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Exercise:
Below are some pictograms/symbols that represented

words/nouns/concepts. Copy any 5 into your books that you feel are
interesting or appealing to you. Then write down a reason why you
have chosen these.
Exercise:
Your task is to use the following two tables of symbols and to create a
pictorial story (at least two sentences). Remember, for things you do not
know, it is ok to use your imagination. (note: some figures are the same
on both tables).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FalwGt4pE4
(a song in Nahuatl)
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MILITARY: Conquest and Sacrifice

In Aztec society, warriors, priests, and
the nobility were considered to be among
the most respected in the Aztecan social
hierarchy. Because of the Aztecs'
emphasis on warfare, the warrior class
was highly valued, and often warriors
would volunteer for the most important
Aztec sacrificial rituals. Volunteering to
give up on things you find precious
(blood) were a common aspect of their
society, and kings had to do this
publically and openly.
The life of Aztec warriors was one of

constant battle. The primary purpose for
this continual Aztec warfare was to take
prisoners to be sacrificed to their gods. As the Aztec empire expanded,
however, another major purpose of Aztec wars was to expand the size and
power of the empire.
Exercise:
How did the Aztecs differ to other

cultures in their military? Explain by
using comparison examples.
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How to become an Aztec Warrior?
Young Aztec men became warriors at the young age of 16-18. Aztec
warriors were expected to be brave and noble. Yet, both free commoners
and nobility underwent military training. Those who were of noble
lineage, however, also received training in religion, politics, or history
by the priests. The priests, too, engaged in warfare, as the overall
purpose of the Aztec warriors was to serve and pay respect to the gods.
The pride the Aztecs felt in warfare was even made evident by their
system of government, which required new rulers to prove themselves
first on the battlefield.
Exercise:
What purpose would military and success in fighting have for a

potential future ruler? Explain by using comparison examples.
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Those Aztec warriors who demonstrated the most bravery and who fought well
became either jaguar or eagle warriors, others remained commoner fighters. Of
all of the Aztec warriors, they were the most feared. Both the jaguar and eagle
Aztec warriors wore distinguishing helmets and uniforms. The jaguars were
identifiable by the jaguar skins they wore over their entire body, with only their
faces showing from within the jaguar head. The eagle Aztec warriors, on the
other hand, wore feathered helmets including an open beak.
Exercise:
On your devices, find examples of other cultures using animal-based

military uniforms.
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AZTEC WEAPONS:
The macuahuitl is a
weapon shaped like a
wooden sword. Its sides
are embedded with
prismatic blades made
from a volcanic glass
stone. It was similar to a
large wooden club with
cuts in the side to hold
the sharpened obsidian.
It is 4-6 metres long,
and 10-12 centimetres broad. With a groove along either edge, into which
sharp-edged pieces of flint or obsidian were inserted, and firmly fixed with
some adhesive compound. Since the macuahuitl lacked a sharp point. It
couldn’t be used as a stabbing weapon. However the jagged rows of obsidian
gave the weapon a vicious tearing power that could cut deep lacerations in the
enemy.
The atlatl was a spear throwing device, for

longer distance combat. An atlatl is essentially a
stick with a handle on one end and a hook or socket
that engages a light spear or "dart" on the other. The flipping
motion of the atlatl propels a light spear much faster and farther than it
could be thrown by hand alone. As you can see, the atlatl was used in
other parts of the world and is still used today. The Aztec artists often drew the
gods with atlatls in their hands. Darts were used made from oak, single pointed
with obsidian, flint, or even copper or bone. The propelled darts tended to be
more powerful than arrows.
Atlatls often had a symbolic significance, and some were made with great
artistry. One was given to Hernan Cortes by Motecuhzoma II.
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Bows, known as tlahuitolli, were common as

well. The bows were around 150cm long,
and the arrows (yaomime) were pointed with
flint, bone or obsidian, and kept in a quiver
(mixiquipilli). As with all their weapons, the
Aztecs were very skilled in using the bow
and arrow. It is believed that the arrows
could fly 140 metres or more.
Another devastating ancient Aztec weapon, the sling, was made with fibres
from the maguey plant (latin agave americana). The slings (tematlatl) were
used to send stones flying toward the enemy. They were thrown so powerfully
and accurately, that they could do significant damage to a soldier in full metal
armour.
The Aztec warrior didn't just pick up stones on the battlefield - they would be
prepared ahead of time, carefully shaped. It is believed that the stones could be
thrown farther than the arrows could be shot - perhaps over 200 metres.
The maquahuitl could be used as a club, but

other types of clubs also existed.
The cuauhololli was a mace made of wood with
a ball at the end. It could be used to smash and
crush. Various other types of clubs were
commonly used, sometimes just made of wood,
other times with embedded stone as the
maquahuitl.
Another common
ancient Aztec weapon was the spear. They were
extremely sharp, and sometimes over 12 metres long.
They didn't have a small point as many spears you
may be familiar with, but a blade 30cm wide made of
smaller stone blades. Theses spears were known to
pierce the Spanish armour, and were sharp enough that the warriors could use
them to shave. They are called tepoztopilli. Spears were used in Mexico long
before the Aztec empire.
Exercise:
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Your task is to create a report on the Aztec military might and to

compare this with those of ANY OTHER culture that we have studied
this year. This can be done as a table:
AZTECS Chosen Culture #2
Weapons used (best)
Social classes fought

and why
Successful battle and
why
Ranking out of 10
(when compared to
other culture)
You should include:

 Weapons used
 Social classes that fought and why
 One successful battle in which they fought in
 Your ranking out of 10 for – 10 being, ‘I would love to join your
army please’, to 1 ‘no thanks, your army is like, omg, weak’.
RELIGION: The Gods and their Origins
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GOD/DESSES:
Tlaloc
Tlaloc (pronounced Tlá-loc) was the rain god and one

of the most ancient deities in all Mesoamerica. His
origins can be traced back to Teotihuacan, the Olmec
and the Maya. He is associated with fertility and
agriculture. To Tlaloc was dedicated the second shrine
on top of the Templo Mayor, the Great Temple of
Tenochtitlan. His shrine was decorated with blue
bands representing rain and water. The Aztec believed
that the cries and tears of newborn children were
sacred to the god, and, therefore, many ceremonies for
Tlaloc involved the sacrifice of children.
Centeotl
Centeotl (pronounced Cen-teh-otl) was the god of maize.

His name means “Maize cob Lord”. He was closely related
to Tlaloc and is usually represented as a young man with a
maize cob on his headdress.
Mayahuel
(Pronunciation: My-ya-whale). Mayahuel is

the goddess of the maguey plant, and she is
also known as "the woman of the 400
breasts" to feed her children, the Centzon
Totochtin or “400 rabbits”.
Tlaltechutli
Tlaltechutli (Tlal-teh-koo-tlee) is the monstrous earth goddess,

whose name means "The one who give and devours life".
25 | P a g e
Tezcatlipoca
(pronounced Tez-cah-tlee-poh-ka). His

name means “Smoking Mirror” and he often
represented an evil power. Tezcatlipoca was
the patron of the night, of the north, and in
many aspects represented the opposite of
Quetzalcoatl.
Huitzilopochtli
Huitzilopochtli (pronounced Weetz-ee-loh-POCHT-lee)

was the patron god of the Aztecs. He was the god that,
during their migration, indicated them the place to found
their capital Tenochtitlan. His name means
“Hummingbird of the left” and he was the patron of war
and sacrifice. His shrine, on top of the pyramid of the
Templo Mayor, was decorated with skulls and coloured
in red for blood.
Tonatiuh
Tonatiuh (pronounced Toh-nah-tee-uh) was the

sun god. He was a nourishing god who provided
warmth and fertility. In order to do so, he needed
sacrificial blood. Tonatiuh was also the patron of
warriors. For Aztec mythology, Tonatiuh
governed the era under which the Aztec believed
to live, the era of the Fifth Sun.
Chalchiuhtlicue
26 | P a g e
Chalchiuhtlicue (pronounced Tchal-chee-uh-tlee-ku-eh) was the goddess of

water and all aquatic elements. Her name means “she of the Jade Skirt”. She
was the wife and/or sister of Tlaloc and was also patroness of childbirth.
Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-atl), “the

Feathered Serpent”, is probably the most famous
Aztec deity and is known in many other
Mesoamerican cultures such as Teotihuacan and the
Maya. He represented the positive counterpart of
Tezcatlipoca. He was patron of knowledge and
learning and also a creative god. The fame of
Quetzalcoatl is linked to the idea that the last Aztec
emperor, Moctezuma, supposedly believed that the
arrival of Cortes was the fulfilling of a prophecy
about the return of the god. However, many scholar
now consider this myth as a creation of the
Franciscan friars during the post-Conquest period.
Xipe Totec
(Pronunciation: Shee-peh Toh-tek) His name means

“Our Lord with the flayed skin”. Xipe Totec was the
god of agricultural fertility, the east and the goldsmiths.
He is usually portrayed wearing a flayed human skin
representing the death of the old and the growth of the
new vegetation.
Exercise:
27 | P a g e
Utilising the powers and the look of your chosen god, join with someone
random from the class and, as a duo, create a story in which the two
god/desses were involved in.
You should aim to have:
1) A morale for the story

2) Powers are used
3) There is a relationship between the god/desses
4) There is a setting
5) There is a climax to the story.
ORIGIN STORIES:
28 | P a g e
The time of Creation:
In the beginning there was nothing. It was at some ancient time in the Aztec
creation story that the dual god, Ometecuhtli/Omecihuatl, created itself.
(Looking back, of course, the Aztecs believed that the many opposites that they
saw in the world would have to somehow unite in the origin of the world.) This
god was good and bad, chaos and order, male and female. Being male and
female, it was able to have children. It had four, which came to represent the
four directions of north, south, east and west. The gods were Huizilopochtli
(south), Quetzalcoatl (east), Tezcatlipoca (west), and Xipe Totec (north). The
directions were very important to the Aztecs, since their great empire was
believed to be at the very centre of the universe.
These four gods began to create; they created water, and other gods, and the sea
monster Cipactli. Cipactli was part fish and part crocodile, a massive creature as
big as all things that now are. This was a consuming monster, a jaw at every
joint. Cipactli was to become the source of the cosmos in a strange way.
As the gods continued to create, they had a problem - their creations would fall
into the water and be eaten by the dreadful Cipactli. So it was time for war - the
four gods attacked the sea monster, pulling her in four directions. She fought
back, biting Tezcatlipoca and tearing off his foot. But at last Cipactli was
destroyed.
From this enormous creature the universe was created (in some traditions this
happened between the last two suns). All the 13 heavens stretch into her head.
The earth was created in the middle, and her tail reaches down to the
underworld (Mictlán) (nine underworlds, to be exact).
You could say that in the Aztec creation story the world is on the back of this
sea monster, floating in the water of space (reminiscent of the Iroquois belief
that the world rests on the back of a turtle).
The Five Suns (Ages):
The first sun - Jaguar Sun (Nahui Ocelotl)
29 | P a g e
To complete the world, the great source of energy had to be created - the sun.
This is the key to the cycles in the Aztec creation story. But the sun is so
powerful, it can't just be created. It can only come into being through the
sacrifice of a god; the god chosen for this was Tezcatlipoca.
Tezcatlipoca only managed to become half a sun, however, making this first
creation incomplete. During the first age, the gods created giants from ashes,
and gave them acorns to eat.
A fight began, however, between Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca. In the end, the
sun was knocked from the sky, and in anger Tezcatlipoca sent jaguars to destroy
the giants.
The second sun - Wind Sun (Nahui Ehecatl)
At this point Quetzalcoatl took over for his brother as the sun. Humans were
created as they are now (normal size). They lived on piñon nuts, and for a while
things were fine. But the people became corrupt, and perhaps out of revenge
Tezcatlipoca turned them into monkeys. Furious, Quetzalcoatl sent a hurricane
to blow the monkeys away.
The third sun - Rain Sun (Nahui Quiahuitl)
Tlaloc was one of the early creations of the gods, the god of rain and water. He
became the next sun. But his personal problems became his downfall. Once
again, Tezcatlipoca was the instigator. Tezcatlipoca stole Tlaloc's wife
(Xochiquetzal), and Tlaloc was grief-stricken. He shone as the sun but refused
to send rain, in spite of the pleas of the people. Drought swept the earth, and
finally in a rage Tlaloc made it rain fire, burning away this version of the world.
(Another version attributes the destruction of this world directly to the
continuing battle between Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl).
The fourth sun - Water Sun (Nahui Atl)
30 | P a g e
This time the gods selected Tlaloc's sister to be the sun. She was Calchiuhtlicue.
But filled with jealousy, Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl struck down the sun. As
she fell, the sky opened up and water flooded the earth. All things were
destroyed again.
In the darkness between the suns, Quetzalcoatl descended into the underworld
to bring up the bones of the dead. They would be used to bring to life the
people who are now here.
The fifth sun - Earthquake Sun (Nahui Olin)
The gods gathered to bring another sun into being. This is when the Aztec
creation story really gets around to explaining what the world is today.
The proud god Tecuciztecatl offered himself, but the other gods preferred the
humble Nanahuatzin. A great fire was built, but Tecuciztecatl was too afraid at
the last minute to jump in. Nanahuatzin did jump. Filled with jealousy,
Tecuciztecatl jumped after, followed by a brave eagle and jaguar. As this was
happening, two suns began to rise in the east. It was too bright - the gods threw
a rabbit into the face of Tecuciztecatl to dim the light, and he became the moon.
But Nanahuatzin was weak. He was motionless, so the other gods gave their
blood to give him the energy to rush across the sky.
This is the world in which we now live. The Aztecs believed its end would
come in massive earthquakes.
Exercise:
31 | P a g e
In an essay format, attempt to answer the following question:
“What is the main difference between the two origin stories, and what
purpose does the need for two contrasting origin stories serve?”
Remember, follow this structure:
 Introduction: Contains your main argument (1 sentence); your three

main points which allude to the question, and preferably are weaved
together (up to 3 – 4 sentences).
 3xParagraphs: Connected and Linked ideas that explore the question.
You should have 2 subpoints as well as 2 examples per paragraph. Make
natural links between your points.
 Topic Sentence: YOUR MAIN ARGUMENT
 Link to Quote/Evidence: A sentence that links your idea to
the quote
 Quote/Evidence: WEAVE it, don’t try to stop to place it.
 Explanation: Explain the evidence and idea through two or
three sentences at the most.
 Link this idea to the next idea:
 Link to quote2/evidence2:
 Quote2/evidence:
 Explanation2:
 LINK THIS Paragraph’s idea to the next paragraph (if para3,
conclude ideas)
 Conclusion: Essentially, because of the above points mentioned, the
answer is this, and therefore there is no more need for further discussion.
Bibliography:
32 | P a g e
Books:
Haywood, J., Hurdman, C., Tames, R., Steele, P., McDonald, F. (eds), The
Illustrated Children’s Encyclopedia of the Ancient World, Anness Publishing:
2007
Jimson, Kerry, Aztecs: Conquest and Glory, Te Papa Press: Wellington, 2013
Internet Sites:
http://archive.archaeology.org/0209/abstracts/mexico.html
http://study.com/academy/lesson/effect-of-geography-on-the-maya-aztec-inca-
civilizations.html
http://www.aztec-history.com/aztec-agriculture.html
http://www.aztec-history.com/aztec-creation-story.html
http://www.aztec-history.com/aztec-language.html
https://www.historyonthenet.com/aztec-empire-education-at-home-and-school/
http://www.mexica.net/nahuatl/nahuawds.php
33 | P a g e

WORKBOOK Ancient-Mexico-Jaguar-People

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Ancient Civilisations – ‘Jaguar People’ – Ancient Mexico Created by Dr Anneka Rene 2020

Name of Student: ____________________________

What do we know of the Ancient Aztecs?

3) Then, explain WHY this feature (above) has impressed you so

Look at the following image below:

In your books/devices, a) explain the features you SEE; b) explain

Geography: the Countryside of the Aztec, and the

Aztec Political Geography:

Legend has it that various groups of people, known as

ECONOMY: Trade, Produce, and Food

As farming was difficult (farmers had to create chinampas, bring ‘compost’,

Challenges facing the Aztec farmers:

Like the food common to modern

Among other ingredients was the maguey

Maguey sap could be reduced to syrup, an ingredient used in cooking. The

Sweeteners were very uncommon in chocolate drinks. In fact, chocolatl literally

In a saucepan, melt half a block of 90% dark chocolate. Keeping the

There you have it.

Your menu must be in a form of a pamphlet advertising your newly

Remember, it has to have colour, appeal, interest, and of course, something

Choose ANY ingredient that the Aztecs had cultivated/used. Create a

SOCIETY: Social Stratification

Utilise the following site:

The calpulli – foundations of Aztec society

Calpulli were the foundation of Aztec society. They consisted of extended

A calpulli would be headed by a teuctli (lord). He would appoint a council to

Telpochcalli taught boys history and religion, agricultural skills, military

Below are some pictograms/symbols that represented

MILITARY: Conquest and Sacrifice

The life of Aztec warriors was one of

How did the Aztecs differ to other

How to become an Aztec Warrior?

What purpose would military and success in fighting have for a

On your devices, find examples of other cultures using animal-based

The atlatl was a spear throwing device, for

Bows, known as tlahuitolli, were common as

The maquahuitl could be used as a club, but

Your task is to create a report on the Aztec military might and to

AZTECS Chosen Culture #2

Weapons used (best)

Social classes fought

You should include:

RELIGION: The Gods and their Origins

Tlaloc (pronounced Tlá-loc) was the rain god and one

Centeotl (pronounced Cen-teh-otl) was the god of maize.

(Pronunciation: My-ya-whale). Mayahuel is

Tlaltechutli (Tlal-teh-koo-tlee) is the monstrous earth goddess,

(pronounced Tez-cah-tlee-poh-ka). His

Huitzilopochtli (pronounced Weetz-ee-loh-POCHT-lee)

Tonatiuh (pronounced Toh-nah-tee-uh) was the

Chalchiuhtlicue (pronounced Tchal-chee-uh-tlee-ku-eh) was the goddess of

Quetzalcoatl (pronounced Keh-tzal-coh-atl), “the

(Pronunciation: Shee-peh Toh-tek) His name means

You should aim to have:

1) A morale for the story

The time of Creation:

The Five Suns (Ages):

The first sun - Jaguar Sun (Nahui Ocelotl)

The second sun - Wind Sun (Nahui Ehecatl)

The third sun - Rain Sun (Nahui Quiahuitl)

The fourth sun - Water Sun (Nahui Atl)

The fifth sun - Earthquake Sun (Nahui Olin)

In an essay format, attempt to answer the following question: