MEXICO THE POST CLASSICAL PERIOD JOHNATHAN TERRY GAGE

MEXICO THE POST CLASSICAL PERIOD JOHNATHAN TERRY GAGE DAVIS

MAP OF THE POST CLASSICAL ERA

THE TOLTECA CULTURE Ø After the Mayas disappeared the Toltecs established a capital at Culhuacan in the central valley of Mexico. Ø After killing his uncle, Topiltzin became the leader of the Toltecs. Ø The Toltecs were very militaristic, and the practice of massive human sacrifices were thought to start there. Ø The Toltecs mysteriously disappeared in the 11 th century.

Warrior Statue of Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli War and death became popular in the statues of the Toltec people. Tlahuizcalpantecuhtl i Is a serpent in disguise of a morning star. Statue Representation Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli himself

QUETZALCOATL v First incarnation of Quetzalcoatl was 10 th century priest-king. Second was a deity of progress and humanity. Third was an object of interest to many scholars. v He later became the new leader of the Toltecs. v Original name was Ce Acatl Topitzin. v He abolished human sacrifice. v Many priests summoned Texcatlipoca, an evil god, to help get rid of him. Texcatlipoca persuaded him to drink an alcoholic beverage laced with honey to get him drunk , and sneak a beautiful dancing girl in his room. After the incident Quetzalcoatl wandered around , and ran into the Mayas. They admired him and changed his name to Kulkulcan.

TARASAN EMPIRE �Flourished between 1100 A. D – 1530 A. D. Capital was Tzintzuntzan. Which had a row of five pyramids called yacatas. �The Aztecs tried to conquer the Tarascan Empire many times but always failed. Which made them become huge rivals with each other. In 1478 the ruling Aztec lord, Axayacatl, marched against the Tarascans. He found his army of 24, 000 confronted by an opposing force of more than 40, 000 Tarascan warriors. A ferocious battle went on all day. Many of the Aztec warriors were badly wounded by arrows, stones, spears, and sword thrusts. The following day, the Aztecs were forced to retreat, having suffered the loss of more than half of their elite warriors.

TARASCAN EMPIRED CONTINUED �The arrival of the Spanish Captain Hernán Cortés and his men on the east coast of Mexico in April 1519 led to the end of the Tarascan Empire.

AZTECS � Originally was a nomadic tribe called Mexica. Got the name Aztecs from there original home land called Atzlan � The Aztecs considered themselves the chosen people of the sun and war god Huitzilopochtli. An ancient prophecy told them to look for an eagle perched on a cactus devouring a serpent , and that would tell them where to put their capital Tenochtitlan soon became the capital city of a vast empire, a magnificent metropolis graced by great canals, colorful markets places and temples galore. It was inhabited by highly organized society, ruled by a king and dominated by a noble class of priests and tax collectors, a warrior elite and an active, vital merchant class. The state engaged in war with other states for two express purposes: to exact tribute for maintaining the society and to capture prisoners for sacrifice to the gods.

AZTECS CONTINUED �In the 15 th century the Aztecs formed the Triple Alliance with the states of Texcoco and Tlacopan. The joint armies were sent east to wage war against Tlaxcala and Huejotzingo. When the victorious warriors returned to Tenochtitlan in 1487 they brought 20, 000 captives to be sacrificed for the dedication of the Great Temple built to honor both Huizilopochtli and Tlaloc. �The empire extended for most of central and southern Mexico. A comet was thought to be the end of the Aztec Empire.

Nezahualcoyotl: Texcoco o Nezahualcoyotl was not an Aztec , his people were the Alcohuans. o He was known as a philosopher king, and one the greatest poets ever. He was also born heir to his fathers thrown. During a battle his father was captured and thrown in a dungeon where he later died. Nezahualcoyotl almost faced the same fate as his father. He dressed like a commoner and fled the city at the risk of being caught. He escaped the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. Later sensed he was in danger and returned to his homeland of Texcoco.

Jeronimo de Aguilar �Aguilar was born in Ecija, Spain, in 1489. Educated for the Church, he came to the New World and while in route from Panama to Santo Domingo in 1511 he was shipwrecked off the coast of Yucatan. With several other people from the ship, they escaped the wreck in a lifeboat. Unfortunately for the survivors, this part of the coast was inhabited by cannibals. Some of the Spaniards died of hunger and exposure; others were sacrificed by the cannibals. Aquilar and his friend escaped the cannibals and ran into the Mayan tribe and joined with them. Later fighting in the war with the Spaniards.

Hernán Cortés was born in 1485 at Medellín, in the southwestern Spanish province of Estremadura. His family wanted him to practice law , but he wanted to be in the military. He then set sail to the Americas. first landed in Yucatan and there encountered a priest named Jerónimo de Aguilar accompanied Cortés and his forces. He went on many conquests throughout Mexico. He helped rebuild Tenochtitlán after the battle that destroyed it. Also became the governor of New Spain. He returned to Spain in 1541 and was almost drowned in a storm that his fleet while he was pursuing Barbary pirates.

CUAUHTEMOC �He was born around A. D. 1495. Cuauhtemoc was of royal birth, nephew to both Moctezuma and his brother Cuitlahuac. Moctezuma stepped down as leader , and Cuitlahuac become new leader of the Aztecs. After that Cuitlahuac died and Cuauhtemoc became the new leader. Later he was defeated by the Spanish Army , but was actually defeated more by famine than by the actual war.

Timeline �The time of the Tolteca Empire the Magna Carta was being signed. (1096) �During the time of Quetzalcoatl , it was the height of the Renaissance in Europe. (1500) �During the time of the Aztecs Leonardo Da Vinci wrote “La Gioconda” (1503 -05) �The time Cortes land in the Americas, Charles I of Spain was elected emperor of the Holy Roman and Germanic Empires