1. 1325 – 1521 AD

2. 1. The Aztecs built a rich and powerful empire in central Mexico. 2. Life in the empire was shaped by social structure, religion, and warfare. 3. Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521.

3. - The first Aztecs settled on a swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco - Capital was Tenochtitlán (tay-NAWCH-teet-LAHN) o Problem: difficulty getting to & from the city  Solution: built canals & causeways, raised roads above water or wet ground o Problem: little area for farming  Solution: created floating gardens (chinampas), piled soil on top of rafts & anchored them to trees that stood in the water

5. - War, tribute, and trade made the Aztec Empire strong and rich. o War was a key factor in the Aztecs’ rise to power o demanded tribute payments from the people they conquered...that cotton, gold, and food became vital to their economy o controlled a huge trade network

6. - TOP “level” was the KING, head of society & his NOBLES – noble status passed from father to son; sons attended school to learn responsibilities - Next WARRIORS & PRIESTS; priests led religious ceremonies, passed down history, and, as keepers of the calendars, decided when to plant and harvest - Then…MERCHANTS & ARTISANS - FARMERS & LABORORS -SLAVES

7. - Polytheistic - Regularly provided human sacrifices as tribute to their gods o Sacrifices usually came from slaves or captives of war

8. - fine stone pyramids and statues - used gold, gems, and bright feathers to make jewelry and masks - embroidered colorful designs on the cloth they wove - studied astronomy and devised a calendar much like the Maya one - kept detailed written records & had a strong oral tradition

9. - Examples of Aztec riddles: o “What is a little blue-green jar filled with popcorn? o the sky o What is a mountainside that has a spring of water in it? o Our nose

10. - Conquistadors (Spanish conquerors) arrived in Mexico in 1519 - Led by Hernan Cortes - Wanted to find gold, claim land, & convert the natives - Aztec emperor, Moctezuma II, believed Cortes was a god Quetzalcoatl (the same god that was said to have left Mexico & was to return in the SAME year, 1519)

11. - Aztecs gave Cortes gold, but Cortes was dissatisfied & wanted more; he took the emperor hostage & war broke out (Moctezuma II was killed) - Despite pushing the conquistadors out, Cortes returned with more natives who were angry with the Aztecs for their harsh rule - Spanish won with: o Better weapons – armor, cannons, swords o Horses o Deadly disease that wiped out natives