The Rise of the Aztec Empire The Aztecs

The Rise of the Aztec Empire • The Aztecs were a small group of people who migrated into the Valley of Mexico from the north, establishing Tenochtitlán as their capital around 1400 B. C.

Aztec Empire Many competing small empires war ends in 1428 Triple Alliance (Texcoco, Tlacopan, and Tenochtitlan) 3 states to form the Aztec Empire 1428 -1520

Tenochtitlan (tee-noch-tit-lan)

ISLAND IN LAKE TEXCOCO = capital with causeways to mainland

TENOCHTITLAN 200, 000 - 250, 000 in city (4 x pop. of London in 1500)

DRAWBRIDGES FOR protection Aqueducts for freshwater Clean Temples, plazas

Aztec Daily Life • The Aztec Empire in the Valley of Mexico was home to 800, 000 to 1. 25 million people in the early 1500’s • Aztec city-states were incorporated into the empire as semiautonomous administrative units • Markets, plazas, temples, residences, and fulltime craft specialists were a part of each citystate • Have texts, codices of life, tribute, war – Ritual almanacs that priests used

Modern Mexico City and the Zocalo – central plaza

TEMPLE MAYOR Major temple 1978 found in Mexico City

Private inner space – drains, altars

SKULL RACK

100’s of named gods and goddesses spirits or forces many were transformations Feathered Serpent Quetzal bird and snake Quetzal god

Rain god Tlaloc War god Huitzilopoctli (wee-zil-o-poch-tli

War god – needed to be fed every day Tonalli = animating spirit is located in the blood concentrates in the heart when scared Without sacrifice all MOTION Stops Sun would not rise World would come to an end sacrifice kept world in balance

Human sacrifice Dresden Codex Spanish observations war captives, slaves, youths, maidens Why? intimidation, power, world was unstable, (protein? ? )

Aztec Militarism

The End of the Aztec Empire Ø Aztec expansion grew to incorporate much of central and southern Mexico Ø Aztec policy was one of expansion, not consolidation (military and commercial) Ø nearly impossible to administer Ø Spanish conquest - Cortez 1520 has help from “dispossessed” conquered peoples Ø Overthrows Montezuma