In 1116, the Aztec Empire began their two hundred year odyssey. Legend says that the Aztecs’ Sun god, Huitzilopochtli, gave them their journey. The Aztec people felt they were chosen to maintain the cosmos. They were chosen to be sure the sun had enough energy to travel across the sky and make certain the earth had enough nutrition to support their crops. They felt the way to do this was through blood offerings. To the Aztecs, the heart was the most valuable thing a mortal could offer the gods. The sun subsisted on the hearts and blood of humans. The Aztecs’ sacrifices fed the sun, in turn maintaining the universe. During their journey the Aztecs would settle to work the lands. For the Aztecs to promote fertility they worshipped the Rain
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Once there the Aztecs’ oracles told them to search for an eagle perched on a cactus, which marked the end of their journey. After two hundred years, the Aztecs found their promised land. In 1324 A.D., the Aztecs built Tenochtitlan.
Tenochtitlan eventually held a quarter of a million people. They were able to expand their land to twenty-five hundred acres, by pounding stakes into the lake bed, lashing them with reeds, and pouring mud and rocks into the water. In 1500, Tenochtitlan held two hundred thousand people; twice the population of London or Rome. Building Tenochtitlan took thousands of craftsmen and was covered in intricate, crisscrossed canals.
To decide precise days for planting, the Aztecs created a calendar. The Aztecs’ medicine was also highly sophisticated, with over one hundred herbal remedies for specific illnesses. The Aztecs had poetry, music and theater aside from their scientific genius. Some of the best Aztec poems, surprisingly, came from the most talented warriors. Aztecs also created a vast variety of …show more content…
When the Spanish landed, Montecozuma sent them gifts, which would lead to the downfall of Tenochtitlan and the Aztec empire. The Spanish were were consumed by their want for gold. Montecozuma treated Cortez like he was Itzcoatl returned, showering him with gold and gifts. The Spanish believed the Aztecs were barbarians. Cortez formed an alliance with other tribes surrounding Tenochtitlan, giving him an army of thousands to fight the Aztecs. The Spanish were setting fires, killing, and branding captured Aztec indians on the forehead, like one would cattle.
On November 7, 1519 Cortez and his allies took on Tenochtitlan. Montecozuma had invited Cortez into the heart of the city. Cortez was showered with gold and jewelery. Within a week Cortez repaid Montecozuma with betrayal. Cortez chained up. November 1519, Montecozuma was held captive in his own palace by Cortez and his men. They looted the royal treasury. Cortez had priceless artifacts melted into gold bars. The Spanish saw the Aztec gods as devils. They set out to destroy their idols. Cortez tried to throw down the idols and demanded the Aztecs remove the sun god and the rain
Once there the Aztecs’ oracles told them to search for an eagle perched on a cactus, which marked the end of their journey. After two hundred years, the Aztecs found their promised land. In 1324 A.D., the Aztecs built Tenochtitlan.
Tenochtitlan eventually held a quarter of a million people. They were able to expand their land to twenty-five hundred acres, by pounding stakes into the lake bed, lashing them with reeds, and pouring mud and rocks into the water. In 1500, Tenochtitlan held two hundred thousand people; twice the population of London or Rome. Building Tenochtitlan took thousands of craftsmen and was covered in intricate, crisscrossed canals.
To decide precise days for planting, the Aztecs created a calendar. The Aztecs’ medicine was also highly sophisticated, with over one hundred herbal remedies for specific illnesses. The Aztecs had poetry, music and theater aside from their scientific genius. Some of the best Aztec poems, surprisingly, came from the most talented warriors. Aztecs also created a vast variety of …show more content…
When the Spanish landed, Montecozuma sent them gifts, which would lead to the downfall of Tenochtitlan and the Aztec empire. The Spanish were were consumed by their want for gold. Montecozuma treated Cortez like he was Itzcoatl returned, showering him with gold and gifts. The Spanish believed the Aztecs were barbarians. Cortez formed an alliance with other tribes surrounding Tenochtitlan, giving him an army of thousands to fight the Aztecs. The Spanish were setting fires, killing, and branding captured Aztec indians on the forehead, like one would cattle.
On November 7, 1519 Cortez and his allies took on Tenochtitlan. Montecozuma had invited Cortez into the heart of the city. Cortez was showered with gold and jewelery. Within a week Cortez repaid Montecozuma with betrayal. Cortez chained up. November 1519, Montecozuma was held captive in his own palace by Cortez and his men. They looted the royal treasury. Cortez had priceless artifacts melted into gold bars. The Spanish saw the Aztec gods as devils. They set out to destroy their idols. Cortez tried to throw down the idols and demanded the Aztecs remove the sun god and the rain