The Aztecs
Mesoamerica
➢ Evidence of humans living in Mexico has been
dated to 9,000 BC.
➢ Early Mesoamericans were nomadic hunters who
slowly developed agriculture over thousands of
years.
➢ The first permanent settlements started around
5,000 BC.
Mesoamerica
➢ The Olmec are generally
considered the progenitor
culture for Mesoamerica.
➢ They are most famous for
their stone carvings.
➢
Mesoamerica
➢ In the Valley of Mexico, dozens of states developed
such as the Tarascans, Tlaxcalans, Mixtecs,
Zapotecs and Toltecs.
➢ These states shared similar cultures and religions,
but each had their own identity.
Mesoamerica
➢ Mesoamerican nations were city-states, like in
Ancient Greece. Individual cities had their own
kings and courts.
➢ At best, more powerful states could demand
tribute and allegiance from smaller states but not
outright conquer one another.
Mesoamerica
➢ Most city-states were built
on plateaus, hills or valleys
next to water-sources.
Cities would be walled and
highly defensible, with
villages surrounding their
outskirts.
Mesoamerica
➢ Teotihuacan, the City of the Gods, was the first
great city of Mesoamerica. From 400 BC to 750
AD, it eventually grew to house 200,000 people
and spread across 8 square miles.
➢ The city was eventually abandoned due to civil
war.
Mesoamerica
➢ The Toltecs would replace Teotihuacan as the
regional superpower with their city of Tula.
➢ In the 12th century, in-fighting and instability
made Tula a target for northern tribes of
“barbarians.”
➢ Amongst these were the Aztecs or Mexicans.
Mesoamerica
➢ The Aztecs claimed that their war god,
Huitzilopochtli, gave them a prophecy. That they
could only settle where they found an eagle eating
a snake upon a cactus.
➢ This was seen on a small island in the middle of
the lake. There, they built a temple and began
constructing buildings on the lake surface in the
1300s.
Mesoamerica
➢ The Aztecs could not farm like normal and were
forced to adapt to living on limited land area.
➢ They adapted by building their own islands, called
Chinampas. Chinampas are artificial islands
created by layering mud from the lake on top of
wooden lattices help up by stilts.
Mesoamerica
➢ The entire city of Tenochtitlan was built upon
chinampas.
➢ By the time the Spanish arrived, Tenochtitlan was
one of the largest cities in the world. Rivaled only
by Beijing in China.
Mesoamerica
➢ The Aztecs formed an alliance with two
neighboring states and fought a series of wars
against their enemies over two hundred years.
➢ They developed an elite military that slowly
outmatched their neighbors.
➢ Neighboring states were subjugated and forced to
provide troops, tribute and slaves.
Mesoamerica
➢ The Aztecs are most famous for their human sacrifices. The
Aztecs had over 200 different gods and goddesses.
➢ The Aztecs believed that the gods had created mankind by
sacrificing their own blood. In return, humans must make
blood sacrifices to appease them.
➢ Several of these had their own distinct forms of human
sacrifice.
Mesoamerica
➢ Huitzilopochtli - God of War - Heart ripped from the rib
cage.
➢ Tezcatlipoca - God of Night and Sorcery - Gladiatorial
combat and Living God
➢ Huehueteotl - God of Fire - Burned alive. Ceremonial hearth.
➢ Tlaloc - God of Rain, Water and Fertility - Shot with arrows.
➢ Xipe Totec - God of Rebirth and Seasons - Flayed alive and
eaten. Trick or Treat with human skin.
