Cultures of Middle America In about 1325, the Aztecs, a people who lived in the Valley of Mexico, began looking for a place to build a new capital.In about 1325, the Aztecs, a people who lived in the Valley of Mexico, began looking for a place to build a new capital. According to legends, the Aztecs asked their god of war where they should build it this capital.According to legends, the Aztecs asked their god of war where they should build it this capital. They built it in the middle of Lake Texcoco.They built it in the middle of Lake Texcoco. The Aztecs built Tenochtitlan, their capital.The Aztecs built Tenochtitlan, their capital.

Cultures of the Mayas The Olmec were ancient peoples who thrived in Middle America before the Aztecs built their capital city. The Olmec are known for their pyramid- shaped temples and huge carved stone heads.

Later, an important culture developed in part of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula to the north. These people, called the Mayas, established a great civilization and built many cities in this region of Middle America. The Mayas greatest period was from about A.D. 250 until 900.

A Farming Culture Mayan life was based on farming. To grow crops, Mayan farmers used a technique called slash-and-burn agriculture. They first cleared the land by cutting down trees. Then they burned their tree stumps, saving the ash to use as fertilizer. Finally they planted seeds. Mayan farmers grew a variety of crops, including beans, squash, peppers, papayas, and avocados. But their most common crop was maize, or corn. In fact, maize was important to the Mayas that one of the gods they worshipped was a god of corn.

Centers of Religion and Government Mayan cities were religious and governmental centers. A different ruler commanded each city. The most important religious events took place at large temple-pyramids. Some of the ceremonies included human sacrifices. Skilled mathematician, Mayan priests developed a calendar to plan when to hold religious celebrations. The Mayas also created a system of writing using signs and symbols called hieroglyphics. They used them to record information in books made from barks of fig trees.

The Mayans Abandon Their Cities Around A.D. 900, the Mayas abandoned their cities, and their civilization declined. No one knows the exact reasons they left. Crop failures, war, diseases, or overuse of natural resources may have altered the Mayan way of life. Or people may have rebelled against their leaders. Today, the descendants of the Mayas still live in in Middle America.

The Aztec Empire The Aztecs first settled in the Valley of Mexico in 1100s. In spite of its swampy origins, Tenochtitlan became a magnificent capital city. As the population of Tenochtitlan grew the Aztecs realized they needed more farmland. Their solution was to build many island gardens in the shallow lakes around the capital. These raised fields, called chinampas, were made from rich soil dredged up from the lake bottom.

Religion and Farming To bring good harvests, Aztecs priests held ceremonies that would win the favor of their gods. Their most important god was the sun god. Aztec religion taught that the sun god would not have the strength to rise and cross the sky every day without human blood. Therefore, Aztec religious sacrifices ceremonies included human. Prisoners captured in war often served as human sacrifices. Aztec priests created a calendar based on the Mayan calendar. They also kept records using hieroglyphs similar to those used by the Mayas.

Aztec Society Aztec society had a strict class structures. The emperor was most important. Next were members of the royal family, nobles, priests, and military leaders. Soldiers were next in importance. Below soldiers came artisans and merchants. Then came the farmers. They made up the largest class of people. The lowest position in Aztec society was held by slaves, most of them were prisoners captured in battle.

War was a part of life in the Aztec Empire, as new territory was conquered. Most of the young men over the age of 15 served as soldiers for a period of time. They were well trained and well equipped. Priests and government officials did not serve in the military. Aztec women were not allowed to work as soldiers or military leaders, though they could train to be priestesses. Most women-even women from noble families- had to be skilled at weaving.

The End of an Empire In 1519, Spanish conquistadors invaded the Aztec Empire. Some of the people whose lands the Aztecs had conquered joined forces with the Spanish. Together, they fought the Aztecs and tried to overthrow the Aztec emperor, Moctezuma. Diseases carried by the Spanish spread to the Aztecs and killed many of them. In 1521, the Aztecs surrendered to the Spanish. The once-powerful Aztec Empire was at an end.