Daily Life of the Aztecs was an incredibly insightful and educational source of information regarding all aspects of Aztec life. One thing I found to be especially intriguing was how many similarities there are between the current day traditions of many different cultures and the traditions the Aztecs used to observe. Understandably, there are some major differences too, but the fact that we can still find ways to relate to people who lived centuries before us is pretty extraordinary. Before…
The Aztec Empire, with its capital of Tenochtitlan and its population of approximately 200,000, was constructed on an island on the western side of Lake Tetzcoco. The people of the empire were, however, both diverse and widespread throughout the region, with a collection of more than 300 city-states and perhaps more than 30 provinces, in the valley of Mexica by the 14th century, many of whom came from a variety of sociocultural backgrounds. While most, if not all, Aztecs likely spoke the Nahuatl…
The Aztecs were a harsh and cruel empire. The Aztecs practiced human sacrifice, which caused them to be feared by others (Cornale,2). Many of the sacrificed people were captured from neighboring Indian tribes. Cortes really did not like the thought of human sacrifice (Livescience). This was a reason that helped him make allies with other Indian tribes. The other Indian tribes supported Cortes and his men by helping them fight the Aztecs. This helped Cortes and his men defeat the Aztecs because…
The Aztecs had one of the most distinctive and intelligent cultures of its time. Aztecs were very educated. They studied the stars and created an accurate calendar. Creativity was another key aspect in Aztec life. Many statues and paintings that displayed their imagination were found where they used to live. Poetry was also found at their cities. Aztec poetry was written for ceremonies and common life, about important themes relevant to the Central American civilization, and by wise men and the…
Carrasco, David,, and Scott Sessions. Daily Life of the Aztecs. Westport, CT: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 1998. Print. Daily Life of the Aztecs was an incredibly insightful and educational source of information regarding all aspects of Aztec life. One thing I found to be especially intriguing was how many similarities there are between some current day traditions of many cultures and the ones the Aztecs used to practice. Obviously there are some major differences too, but the fact that…
The three major civilizations of the American continents were the Mayans, The Aztecs, and the Incas. They all originated in Mesoamerica, an area including Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, although the Incan Empire spanned to the south end of Chile. The different civilizations shared many characteristics due to their intercultural exchange and proximity to each other. This paper will compare and contrast the religion, government, economy and trades systems, architecture,…
The Mesoamerican region is the cradle of civilization of the Americas, it has given rise to some of the most successful empires in history, starting from 1200 BC until the Spanish conquest of the area in 1525 AD. Two of the very prominent reigning civilizations within the region during the Classic Period (200 - 800 AD) include the Mayan and Teotihuacan civilizations which was home to hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. Although they have many similarities between them since they existed at the…
Mesoamerica's cilvilzation included the cultivation or corn, the building of pyramids, a 260-day ritual calendar, similiar deities, an important ritual ball game, and a belief in the role of human blood iinstaining the gods and the universe. The Aztecs (the most powerful culture in the region) collected and admired jad sculptures by the Olmec. When the Aztecs arrived to Teotihuacan it was abadoned, and they viewed the city as a sacred site where the gods had created the universe. They are who…
Conquistadors found what are now the remnants of the Aztec Empire, they had encountered the indigenous peoples participating in an activity that seemed to mock death. This ritual was in honor of their goddess Mictecacihuati, the Queen of Mictlan (the underworld), as they believed her role was to watch over the bones of the deceased. The original festival, which developed into the modern Dia de los Meurtos, fell on the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, which was dedicated to honoring and…
had many great political and military innovations they created, built buildings and temples that were decorated with warriors and human sacrifice for art. But when they declined, their cultural and political assimilation brought political order. The Aztec, northern people who pushed their way into central Mexico, had social divisions divided the lower and higher classes, as the upper class owned slaves that worked on their estates, while the lower class lost all their rights, and also the king…