Welcome to Tenochtitlan The Capital of the Aztec

Welcome to Tenochtitlan! The Capital of the Aztec Empire

Objective • SWBAT explain how the Aztec Empire arose.

The Aztecs inspired the design of the Mexican flag! In your notes, write a short poem about the legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan! Be sure to use the words eagle, cactus, snake, and Tenochtitlan.

Objective • SWBAT explain how the geography of the Aztec Empire affected its economy.

Where did the Aztecs find an eagle with a snake in its mouth on a cactus? • Page 10 of your notes

Where did the Aztecs find an eagle with a snake in its mouth on a cactus? Page 11 of your notes Does this sound like a good place to live?

Living on a swampy island led to many problems… …but fortunately the Aztecs had smart solutions!

Problem Solution • Aztec buildings sunk into swampy land. • Aztecs used wood pilings and volcanic stone to make a more solid foundation. • See You. Tube video

Problem Solution • Living on an island, the Aztecs were too isolated. • Aztecs built causeways to connect the island with the mainland. • See You. Tube video

Problem Solution • Aztecs did not have enough fresh water for 200, 000 people. • Aztecs went to war with the Tepanecs in order to control the Chapultepac springs. • Aztecs built an aqueduct. • See You. Tube video

Problem Solution • Lake Texcoco flooded. • Aztecs built a dike. • See You. Tube video

Problem • Aztecs did not have enough land for growing crops. Solution • Aztecs built chinampas (“floating gardens”).

Homework: Draw the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan • Read section 24. 3. • Draw and label a colorful diagram of Tenochtitlan. • Use all of the following vocabulary: – canal, chinampas (“floating gardens”), Coatepantli (“snake wall”), plaza, Great Temple, shine to Huitzilopochtli, shrine to Tlaloc, tzompantli (“skull rack”), ritual ball court, palace, aviary, zoo, marketplace, bridges, causeway, aqueduct, Chapultepec springs, dike • Awards for best work: – 1 st place: 3 merits; 2 nd place: 2 merits; 3 rd place: 1 merit – Anyone who beats my drawing gets 5 merits!

Objective • SWBAT describe family life of the Aztecs.

Some of you asked… • Is this stuff true? ? ? • Let’s find out! • We need to consult some primary source documents.

Primary Source vs. Secondary Source • Primary source: an object created during the historical event being studied • Examples: fossils, artifacts • Secondary source: an object created after the historical event being studied; analyzes and interprets the event – Examples: History Alive!, Horrible Histories

Mendoza Codex • Today, we will study a primary source document called the Mendoza Codex. – codex: a handwritten book • This codex gives us a lot of information about daily life in the Aztec Empire!

• Here’s a hint. The calmecac is the school where boys train to become priests. The telpochcalli is the school where boys train for the military.

Some of you asked… • Is this stuff true? ? ? • Yes, we have primary source documents to prove it!

Homework • Create a brochure to convince someone to move to Tenochtitlan • Six sections: – – – Cover Family Life (yesterday’s lesson helps) Warfare & Tribute (Station #1 and #2) Religion (Station #3 and #4) Dances & Games (Station #5 and #6) Food (Station #7 and #8) • Each section needs to have an illustration and at least 2 specific pieces of information to persuade the reader to move to Tenochtitlan. • Due on Friday! • Contest for most persuasive, informative brochure: 1 st place: 3 merits; 2 nd place: 2 merits; 3 rd place: 1 merit

Station #1: Warfare • Aztecs often asked a city-state to join the empire. The citystate had sixty days to agree. If the ruler refused, the Aztecs declared war. Most wars ended after one battle, usually with an Aztec victory. The Aztecs brought captured warriors to Tenochtitlan. Some became slaves, but most were sacrificed.

Station #2: Tribute • The Aztecs forced hundreds of conquered citystates to pay tribute. Each year, the Aztecs collected over 7, 000 tons of maize, 4, 000 tons of beans, and at least 2 million cotton cloaks from its tributaries.

Station #3: Human Sacrifice • Like the Mayans, the Aztecs tried to please the gods. Aztecs believed that the blood of strong warriors captured in battle would nourish the gods. • The Aztecs also used the threat of human sacrifice to frighten city-states into paying tribute.

Station #4: Tlachtli • The Aztecs played a game called tlachtli, which was very similar to the Mayan game of pok-a-tok.

Station #5: Volador • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=j 4 w_ D 3 Px. KFU

Station #6: Patolli • The Aztecs played a game called patolli on a crossshaped board divided into 52 squares. Five times around the board equals 260. Thus, the game symbolizes the 260 -day calendar. • How to play: – Roll five white beans. – For each bean that lands with a dot facing up, move forward one space. – The first person around the board five times is the winner.

Station #7: Delicious Food • The most important crop to the Aztecs was maize. After grinding maize into flour, women baked fresh tortillas. Women also made tamales by wrapping maize in husks and steaming it.

Station #8: Not So Delicious Food • http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=p 6 Lv. XGSh 2 N 4