1. Act. 4.1 The Development of the Aztec Empire

2. Aztec Origins:
Entered the Valley of Mexico in the 13th century
Considered vulgar by neighboring city-states
Served as mercenaries to nearby city-states
Fled to the marshes of Lake Texcoco after Coxcox declared war on them for sacrificing his daughter who was given to them as part of an alliance agreement

3. The Aztecs Rise to Power
Life in a Hostile Environment:
Used chinampas, “floating gardens,” to grow food
Created canals for trade and transportation
Ate algae and ducks
Eagle and Cactus:
Symbols of a divine prophecy
After building Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs destroyed all records of their past and created a more favorable history
Priests taught that the Aztecs were nomads who built Tenochtitlan on a spot designated by the gods

4. Aztec Religious and Social Structures
Aztec Religion:
Felt that life was uncertain and everyone was at the mercy of nature
Attempted to please the gods of nature with sacrifices
Waited for the return of Quetzalcoatl, the serpent god of the planet Venus, to return to them in human form in A.D. 1519

5. Aztec Society
Royal Family: emperors chosen from royal family based on merit; royal wives were respected, all were expected to be dignified and brave
Nobles: priests, military officers, government leaders; nobility not inherited…it was earned on a battlefield or in pursuit of priesthood
Merchants: provided trade goods like jade and quetzal feathers
Commoners: farmers, laborers, craftsmen, servants, vendors; lived in wards called calpullis (barrios)
Serfs: worked in fields or estates of the wealthy; had freedom, but considered inferior to commoners
Slaves: had some legal rights; little stigma to slavery; people could sell themselves into slavery to pay off debts or crimes

6. The Splendor of Tenochtitlan
The Floating City
Three causeways joined Tenochtitlan to the shores of Lake Texcoco
Canals were filled with canoes carrying people and goods
80, ,000 people in the city
Bustling Markets
60,000 people gathered at the markets daily
Traded for food, straw mats, cloth, and luxury items (like feathers)
Cacao beans sometimes used as currency
Architectural Wonders
Double pyramid dedicated to the gods
Had a large rack, called a tzompantli, that held thousands of human skulls
Homes of nobles were elaborate