Aztec, self name Culhua-

Mexica, Nahuatl-speaking people who

in the 15th and early 16th centuries ruled
a large empire in what is now central and
southern Mexico. The Aztecs are so
Aztec called from Aztlán (“White Land”),
an allusion to their origins, probably in
northern Mexico. They were also called
the Tenochca, from
an eponymous ancestor, Tenoch, and the
Mexica, probably from Metzliapán
(“Moon Lake”), the mystical name
for Lake Texcoco.
 Aztec

From Tenochca was derived the name of their

great city, Tenochtitlán, and from Mexica came
the name for the city that superseded the Aztecs
capital and for the surrounding valley, which was
applied later to the whole Mexican nation. The
Aztecs referred to themselves as Culhua-Mexica,
to link themselves with Colhuacán, the centre of
the most-civilized people of the Valley of
Mexico.
Tenochtitlan:
Capital of
Aztec
The Aztecs emerged as the
dominant force in central
Mexico, developing an intricate
social, political, religious and
commercial organization that
brought many of the region’s
city-states under their control
by the 15th century.
 They are believed to have begun
as a northern tribe of hunter-
gatherers whose name came from
their homeland Aztlan, or “White
Land” in the Aztec language of
Nahuatl.
 Civilization
The first European to visit Mexican territory was Francisco
Hernandez de Cordoba, who arrived in Yucatan from Cuba with
three ships and about 100 men in early 1517. Cordobars reports
on his return to Cuba prompted the Spanish governor there, Diego
Velasquez, to send a larger force back to Mexico under the
command of Hernán Cortés. In March 1519, Cortes landed at the
town of Tabasco, where he learned from the natives of the great
Aztec civilization, then ruled by Moctezuma (or Montezuma) II.
 Civilization
Defying the authority of Velasquez, Cortes founded the
city of Veracruz on the southeastern Mexican coast, where
he trained his army into a disciplined fighting force. Cortes
and some 400 soldiers then marched into Mexico, aided by
a native woman known as Malinche, who served as a
translator. Thanks to instability within the Aztec empire,
Cortes was able to form alliances with other native peoples,
notably the Tlascalans, who were then at war with
Montezuma.
NEW
DEVELOPMENT
OR FINDINGS
ASSOCIATED
ABOUT AZTECS
Even though the Aztecs are remembered as
a violent, warlike people, their peaceful
contributions influence today's society in
such fields as education and
pharmacology. The Aztec empire was one
of the first to require mandatory education
for its children. It began as a form of
homeschooling, and, at 12 years of age,
boys and girls left home to attend formal
schools.
Another contribution made by the Aztecs is in
pharmacology. By using herbs and flowers, they
were able to create medicines used to prevent
muscle spasms and reduce pain. One of their
medicines, which used the sap of an agave plant
to heal and disinfect wounds, is still used today
to kill E. coli bacteria.

Aztec innovations influence today's society in

many other ways, such as food, language and art.
AZTEC
TECHNOLOGY
AND
SCIENCE

Aztec technology used for making
weapons mainly relied on the use
of stone and copper. This was
because Aztecs did not have
access to iron and bronze.
Weapons and Weaponry
Before the use of copper for making
weapons, they mainly relied on
obsidian and chert. In certain other
areas, Aztec technology for weapons
was quite sophisticated. For instance,
they made drills which were made of
reed or bone.
One of the innovative weapons
used by the Aztecs was called
macuahuitl which was a wooden
club having sharp pieces of
volcanic glass. It was used to
disable an enemy soldier without
killing him.
 Roads and Transportation

Aztecs faced two crucial
disadvantages in terms of Aztec
technology for transportation: the
absence of wheels and horses. On
the land, travelling by foot was the
most common way of
transportation which naturally was
very slow.
Due to this reason, the Aztecs did
not construct any roads. However,
Aztecs has developed special
boats called canoes which made
transportation through streams
and rivers easier.
This mode of transportation
was thus extensively used
throughout the Aztec Empire.
They dug many small canals for
the transportation of canoes.

Aztecs made several
important advancements
in the domains of
education and science.
They were among the
first societies in the world
to make education
compulsory for all
children.
Inventions, Science, and Education
This education also In mathematics, they had
included basic military their own number system
training for all male which used 20 as its base.
students. In the field of Among various other
science, they made purposes, this numbering
advancements in system was used for
mathematics, medicine, calculating taxes.
and astronomy. Steam
baths and a variety of
herbs were used as
medicine.
 Building and Structures

One of the most Proper care was taken which was divided into
remarkable achievements about proportions and four parts each having its
of Aztec technology was structure of these own architectural value.
in the domain of pyramids which served as The Aztecs also built two
architecture and building the temples. Another large aqueducts which
of various structures. example of Aztec fulfilled the need of fresh
Some of their enduring technology in the domain water for bathing in the
feats include the of architecture was the city of Tenochtitlan.
chinampa system of city of Tenochtitlan
farming, stone carving,
and the remarkable step
pyramids.
 Tools and Equipment chinampa system

Aztecs made a variety of Obsidian was a strong Various kinds of tools and
weapons and tools even and brittle volcanic glass instruments made using
though they did not have and had central these materials included
access to iron or copper. importance in Aztec the digging stick called
Instead, they made use of technology for tools and “uictli”, fire kindling
andesite which was a weapons. sticks, copper axes, a
form of volcanic rock wooden club containing
other than obsidian and sharp pieces of obsidian
later on, bronze. called macuahuitl, and
others.
 Calendars and Charts

In the development of This calendar was called This one had 365 days
calendars, Aztec tonalpohualli or “day having 18 months of 20
technology was once count” and had 260 days. days each. Both calendars
again at its finest. The The other calendar was coincided after each 52
Aztecs made use of two using for tracking of time years.
calendars one of which and was called
was exclusively reserved Xiuhpohualli or “solar
for tracking of religious year”.
ceremonies and festivals.
 Health and Well Being

In the domain of medicine To prevent muscle It also helped for

and healthcare, the Aztec spasms and relax the insomnia, epilepsy, and
technology was no less muscles, they invented a high blood pressure.
impressive for their own special kind of Aztecs also extensively
time. antispasmodic medicine used steam baths and
using various herbs which believed that sweating
was very effective. In made the poisons leave
particular, the Passion the body of the sick
Flower was used for this person.
purpose.
 Farming and Agriculture

Very innovative Aztec The most important This was an artificial

technology was used for aspect of Aztec island built on the
farming and agriculture. technology for agriculture swampy ground. Various
was the farming method metal tools and
called “chinampa” in instruments were also
which the land was made to be used in
divided into rectangular agriculture and farming.
areas and farmed through This included a wooden
canals. digging stick with metal
end known as uictli.
Aztecs had certain technological disadvantages
against the Spanish invaders including the absence
of iron, bronze, horse, and wheel. Despite these
crucial disadvantages, Aztec technology had made
impressive advances in various other respects. For
instance, they had developed innovative methods
for farming where the artificially made farming
land over the swampy lake beds was used for
farming. According to some observers of the time,
the methods used by the Aztecs in their medicine
were, in certain aspects, even better than the
methods used by the Europeans at the same time.
Aztec technology made impressive
advancements in various spheres of life
such as mathematics, astronomy, medicine,
education, agriculture, and the making of
tools. They were among the very first
societies in the world to introduce
compulsory education for all the children. In
the domain of farming, they invented new
farming methods to overcome the problem
of swampy land, in addition to making
various useful tools.
THANK YOU!