Social Structure Of The Aztecs

Over a course of almost a hundred years, the Aztecs were extremely powerful while controlling and deeply influencing large parts of Mesoamerica. However, such strong forces can not last forever, and that, was the case with the Aztecs. Their reign of hundreds of years came to a sudden halt after the introduction of Spanish conquistadors. The Aztec empire finally fell on account of the diseases and war that the Spanish conquistadors, such as Hernan Cortes, brought. The beginnings of the formation of the Aztec empire starts with the fall of the Toltec empire in 1150. The Toltec empire fell after many long years of defending themselves against the enemies from surrounding, rising states, that were searching for more power to take. Until eventually, …show more content…
Tenochtitlan was raised island in the center of a lake, and transportations was composed of a system of canals and causeways. This ethnic group referred to themselves as Mexica and spoke their native language of Nahuatl. The island as well as the other residential areas held adobe houses for Mexica peoples: the rooms were usually one room divided into four different areas for different purposes. The social structure of the Aztecs held four basic levels. Nobles such as government members, military leaders, and high level priests and lords held the highest rank in the social order. Commoners held the second highest while, the lower levels consisted of serfs and next, slaves.2 This structure caused unity and solidarity among the peoples until the conquistadors came and wrecked their …show more content…
The people of Tlaxcala greeted Cortes with great pleasure and offered him gifts and food after forming an alliance against the Aztecs who had birthed a deep hatred from themselves by these people.9 During this time the Aztec empire was at its all time high yet, Cortes continued with declaring a war against the Mexica people. Trying to gain an advantage in war, Cortes sent two scouts, Pedro de Alvarado and Bernardino Vázquez de Tapia directly to Tenochtitlan to find the appropriate attack route to use. The wars began with the massacre of Cholula. The Spanish and their ally attacked Cholula first as it was in route to Tenochtitlan.10 Moctezuma II, the Huey Tlatcani of this time, received news of such attacks and ordered his army to resist and stop the Spanish. This army was extremely small because the Aztecs had put all their faith and trust into their gods while also never expecting for anyone to attack, nor did they expect their gods to not protect them.11 Although the army was small, they still attempted to protect Tenochtitlan’s bordering city, Cholula, through barriers. Plans had been made by Aztec nobility to get rid of the Spanish conquistadors and their army by killing them all in their sleep. Word of this plan had been secretly passed on to Cortes by a native woman