Around the year 1300 AD, along the shores and on the islands of Lake Texcoco the Aztec Empire began. This is where they constructed the twin cities of Tenochtitlan and Tlateleco. By the year 1500 AD these two cities were estimated to be larger than any city existing in Europe except Istanbul. The Aztecs were an interesting group of people to say the least. The religion of the Aztec people morphed several cultural aspects of their society such as economic security, social mobility, education, and war. Aztecs placed heavy emphasis on war in their religion. It is no surprise that the leader of the gods they worshipped was a young war god, named Huitzilopochtli, who symbolized the sun at high noon. In order to gain favor with the gods
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At the very top of social class system, was the emperor. The Aztecs held elections for the position of emperor, but it was limited to candidates from the royal family. They were expected to be great warriors that would lead the army into battle. Besides military duties, the emperor was in charge of the welfare of the people. Right below the emperor was a group known as the noble class, which stems from the children of the first emperor of the Aztecs. They lived elegant lives with little responsibility. The third highest social class was the upper class. The upper class was made of generals, judges, and governors which tended to live elegant, extravagant lives. Generals were men who had distinguished themselves in battle and earned their spot at the top of the social chain. War was a means of social advancement in Aztec society. Many children were dedicated to war upon the day of their birth. Parents would enroll their children, at around age six, in special schools to teach them the essential skills they would need to know when they went to war. When young warriors would reach the age of about eighteen they would go on their first military campaign. If they captured an enemy for ritual sacrifice they would achieve the title iyak. If they continued to excel in warfare in following campaigns they could earn the title tequiua. To be a tequiua meant that you shared in the spoils of war, and therefore were a member of nobility. This means there was a way to advance yourself in social class. The other side of this was that you could also go down in social rank. If a warrior continuously proved to be inefficient at warfare, they would be appointed the title of maceualtin, which meant they were part of the working class. The working class was the backbone of the Aztec empire and performed a variety of duties such as: military service, agricultural service, and domestic services. Underneath the working
At the very top of social class system, was the emperor. The Aztecs held elections for the position of emperor, but it was limited to candidates from the royal family. They were expected to be great warriors that would lead the army into battle. Besides military duties, the emperor was in charge of the welfare of the people. Right below the emperor was a group known as the noble class, which stems from the children of the first emperor of the Aztecs. They lived elegant lives with little responsibility. The third highest social class was the upper class. The upper class was made of generals, judges, and governors which tended to live elegant, extravagant lives. Generals were men who had distinguished themselves in battle and earned their spot at the top of the social chain. War was a means of social advancement in Aztec society. Many children were dedicated to war upon the day of their birth. Parents would enroll their children, at around age six, in special schools to teach them the essential skills they would need to know when they went to war. When young warriors would reach the age of about eighteen they would go on their first military campaign. If they captured an enemy for ritual sacrifice they would achieve the title iyak. If they continued to excel in warfare in following campaigns they could earn the title tequiua. To be a tequiua meant that you shared in the spoils of war, and therefore were a member of nobility. This means there was a way to advance yourself in social class. The other side of this was that you could also go down in social rank. If a warrior continuously proved to be inefficient at warfare, they would be appointed the title of maceualtin, which meant they were part of the working class. The working class was the backbone of the Aztec empire and performed a variety of duties such as: military service, agricultural service, and domestic services. Underneath the working