Aztecs/Mexica
Cultural
Customs
Human sacrifice was central to culture, some land even left unconquered for "flower wars" between sides to obtain captives for sacrifice
Like most peoples in central valley of Mexico, Aztecs spoke language of Nahuatl
Art
Included poems written by Nezhualcoyotl, filled with images of flowers, birds, and song (greatly admired by Aztecs) but also blood and violence (above- Aztec sacrifice)
Religion
Aspects of religion greatly integrated into everyday life (calendar, sacrifices), but believed world was alreadty destroyed four times and would be destroyed again, so eventionally sacrifices to gods would not be enough to hold back their wrath
Huitzilopochtli- Aztec tribal patron, central figure of cult of warfare and sacrifice in Aztec state
Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent, above)- ancient god of civilization Tlaloc- god of rain
Nezhualcoyotl- king of Texcoco, wrote hymns to "lord of the close vicinity", invisible foce that supported all gods, demonstrates "abstract idea of one central religious figure
Traditional deities, gods of rain, fire, water, corn... at least 128 major deities, but also had different formsand manifestations
Economic
Agriculture
Pochteca- special merchant class, specialized in long-distance trade in luxury items such as plumes of tropical birds and cacao
Built chinampas to irrage agriculture (beds of aquatic weeds, mud, and earth, placed in cane frames and rooted to lake floor, forming artificial floating islands and allowing water to reach all plants
Lands taken were used to grow food (sometimes demanded as tribute), peasant labor used
Interactions w/Environment
Like other Mesoamericans, did not develop strong immunities to diseases that would arrive from Europe and end up with devastating results
Did not have access to animals such as horses, cows...
Location
Wandered around shores of Lake Texcoco in central valley of Mexico before settling on marshy island in the lake, founded city of Tenochtitlan
Political
Conflicts/Expansion
After founding of Tenochtitlan, began creating alliances with other city-states, but mostly dominated them and controlled majority of tributes and lands from them
Aztecs were good fighters, useful as mercenaries or allies in conflict
Political Grouping
State controlled and regulated markets, controlled use and distribution of goods and redistributed much of tribute received from subodinate peoples, tribute depended on whether or not subjects accepted or resited Aztec rule, more tribute given to nobility than commoners
Was intrusive and militant group, distrusted and disliked
During expansion, shifted from loose association of clans to society with levels, controlled by supreme ruler
Social
Military
Highly ritualized, with different orders and ranks of soldiers
If individual died while taking prisioners for sacrifice, considered a "flowery death", fitting end to a noble life, ensured eternity in highest heaven (same with women who died in childbirth)
Linked to cult of sacrifice and infused whole society
Social Groupings
Other groups with scribes, artisans and healers, long distance merchangs formed "own" calpulli with own patron gods, privileges, and internal divisions, sometimes served as spies or agents for Aztec military, but were restricted from entro into or rivalry with nobility
New class of workers (like serfs) formed as nobility broke free from old calpulli and acquired private lands, workers did not control land and worked at will of others, low status (still above slaves), may have been war captives, criminals, or people who sold themselves into bondage to escape hunger
Nobles were on top of commoners, most were born into the class, controlled priesthood and military leadership
Calpulli
Goverend by councils of family heads, although not all families were equal nor all calpulli of equal status
Building block of Aztec society, of which every person belonged
Clans formed while wandering, Aztecs had seven, shifted from kinship groups to residential
