1250-1522 A.D.

<- LAKE TEXCOCO

Located in the Valley of Mexico around Lake Texcoco Legend said find a cactus with a bird perched that had a snake in its mouth Land dry Aztecs shifted from hunting to farming

Located in the Valley of Mexico around Lake Texcoco

Legend said find a cactus with a bird perched that had a snake in its mouth

Land dry

Aztecs shifted from hunting to farming

Capital city Tenochtitlán – present day Mexico city Located in the middle of a lake Linked to mainland by strips of land

Capital city Tenochtitlán – present day Mexico city

Located in the middle of a lake

Linked to mainland by strips of land

Teotihuacán Dominated the Valley of Mexico from 100-750 A.D.

Teotihuacán

Dominated the Valley of Mexico from 100-750 A.D.

Aztecs had one king/emperor who ruled over all – chosen by a council of nobles and priests Nobles served as judges, officials, and governors Wore elaborate gold jewelry Most crimes punishable by death or being sold into slavery

Aztecs had one king/emperor who ruled over all – chosen by a council of nobles and priests

Nobles served as judges, officials, and governors

Wore elaborate gold jewelry

Most crimes punishable by death or being sold into slavery

Economy based on agriculture Farming Chinampas – “floating gardens” on reed mats piled with earth Filled in lakes and made channels for irrigation Grew corn, squash, and beans

Economy based on agriculture

Farming

Chinampas – “floating gardens” on reed mats piled with earth

Filled in lakes and made channels for irrigation

Grew corn, squash, and beans

Aztecs conquered others and made them pay tribute, or money paid by conquered people

Aztecs conquered others and made them pay tribute, or money paid by conquered people

Polytheistic Chief god was Huitzilopochtli, the sun God Fought with darkness each night to raise the sun No promise the sun would win and rise Sacrifice ensured sun would rise

Polytheistic

Chief god was Huitzilopochtli, the sun God

Fought with darkness each night to raise the sun

No promise the sun would win and rise

Sacrifice ensured sun would rise

Human sacrifice About 20,000 per year Bodies taken to the top of pyramids ,chests were cut open, heart ripped out, and body thrown off Mostly prisoners of war, some slaves, some nobles Constant warfare necessary to have enough prisoners of war around to sacrifice Some historians say bodies were sometimes eaten by royalty

Human sacrifice

About 20,000 per year

Bodies taken to the top of pyramids ,chests were cut open, heart ripped out, and body thrown off

Mostly prisoners of war, some slaves, some nobles

Constant warfare necessary to have enough prisoners of war around to sacrifice

Some historians say bodies were sometimes eaten by royalty

Emperor Nobles Priests who appointed King and conducted rituals Merchants who took goods like weapons and rope for skins and cocoa Carried goods on their backs by a strap over their foreheads Traded by feet or by small boat Also served as spies

Emperor

Nobles

Priests who appointed King and conducted rituals

Merchants who took goods like weapons and rope for skins and cocoa

Carried goods on their backs by a strap over their foreheads

Traded by feet or by small boat

Also served as spies

Commoners who farmed land Warriors who could rise in status by capturing and killing enemies Landless peasants wandered in search of work Slaves were mostly prisoners of war and criminals Could own land Could buy freedom

Commoners who farmed land

Warriors who could rise in status by capturing and killing enemies

Landless peasants wandered in search of work

Slaves were mostly prisoners of war and criminals

Could own land

Could buy freedom

Merchants Farmer

Priests were the keepers of knowledge and the writers of history Schools ran for sons of nobles

Priests were the keepers of knowledge and the writers of history

Schools ran for sons of nobles

365 day calendar and a 260 day ritual calendar Calculates the end of the world as December 21, 2012

365 day calendar and a 260 day ritual calendar

Calculates the end of the world as December 21, 2012

Treated with herbs Used prisoner of war bodies to study anatomy – could set bones Steam baths used as treatment

Treated with herbs

Used prisoner of war bodies to study anatomy – could set bones

Steam baths used as treatment

Spanish came in 1519 A.D. search of Gold, God, and Glory Led by Hernan Cortes Aztec thought Cortes was the god Quetzalcoatl

Spanish came in 1519 A.D. search of Gold, God, and Glory

Led by Hernan Cortes

Aztec thought Cortes was the god Quetzalcoatl

Emperor Montezuma II (Moctezuma II) taken hostage and neighboring tribes joined Spanish 3/4ths of the Aztecs died from war and disease

Emperor Montezuma II (Moctezuma II) taken hostage and neighboring tribes joined Spanish

3/4ths of the Aztecs died from war and disease