In the 15th and early 16th centuries, the Aztec people controlled a vast empire in the area that is now central and southern Mexico. At its height, the Aztec Empire consisted of 400 to 500 small states spread over 80,000 square miles (207,200 square kilometers). Montezuma II, the last great Aztec emperor, ruled over 5 to 6 million people. The Aztec ruled their empire from their great capital, Tenochtitlán, which was located on the site of modern-day Mexico City. The capital reflected the empire's power and wealth with its gleaming white palaces and temples atop pyramids. The Spanish conquest of the city in 1521 marked the end of the Aztec Empire. The Indians living in the Mexico City region today, however, are largely descendants of those whom the Spanish conquered. CultureThe Aztec had the most advanced civilization in North America when the Spanish encountered them in 1519. The Aztec did not originate their culture, however. When they invaded the Valley of Mexico in about AD 1200, they adopted the culture of earlier, advanced peoples—the Toltec, Maya, Zapotec, and others. LanguageThe Aztec people spoke a language known as Nahua. It is related to the languages of some Native American tribes of the western United States. Many Aztec words were incorporated into the Spanish language. Some of these words, such as chocolate, tomato, ocelot, coyote, and avocado, have also become part of the English language. The Aztec had no alphabet of their own, but they used picture writing to record their history. Arts and craftsThe Aztec were skilled in sculpture. They carved huge pieces of stone into lifelike human figures. They also made smaller objects, such as sacred masks covered with precious stones. ArchitectureThe Aztec built the city of Tenochtitlán on an island. It was connected to the mainland by causeways, or roads raised above the water. Within the city, bridges carried the streets over a network of canals. Montezuma II lived in a grand palace. City officials lived in houses of stone and adobe, a building material of sun-dried earth and straw. Each house was built around a patio and raised on a platform for protection against lake floods. Farmers lived on artificial island farms known as chinampas. Their huts were made from wattle and daub—woven rods and twigs covered with clay. ClothingThe Aztec lived in a hot climate and therefore wore a minimum of clothing. The men wore a cloth around the waist, and the women wore tunics and skirts. These garments were made of cotton. People of higher social rank wore clothes decorated with furs and especially with feathers of tropical birds. The Aztec wore much jewelry, mainly of gold. ReligionThe great controlling force in Aztec life was religion. The Aztec worshiped several gods who represented the forces of nature. Among the most important Aztec gods were Huitzilopochtli, god of war; Tonatiuh, god of the sun; and Tlaloc, god of rain. Quetzalcóatl was the god of learning and a symbol of death and resurrection. The Aztec performed elaborate rituals and ceremonies to obtain help from the gods. Human sacrifice played an important part in the rites. The Aztec believed that because life was humankind's most precious possession, it was the most acceptable gift for the gods. They sacrificed thousands of prisoners captured in war. The Aztec had learned from the Maya how to determine the solar year accurately. With this knowledge their priests kept an exact solar calendar. An almanac gave dates for festivals and listed the various deities who held sway over each day and hour. SocietyAztec society was divided into distinct classes, and every member of the society had a role determined by their class. The military in particular played an important part in Aztec society. Bravery in war was the surest path to social advancement. OrganizationThe Aztec tribes were made up of families and clans. Each clan had its own elected officials and sent representatives to the council of the tribe. The council appointed officials to govern the four quarters of the city. The council also elected and advised the supreme chief, who led the tribe in times of wars and alliances. A second chief supervised internal affairs. The priesthood had a strong influence on society but probably took no active part in government. At the bottom of society were bonded servants and slaves. EconomyThe Aztec economy was based on agriculture. Most Aztec were farmers. They grew corn, beans, peppers, squash, alligator pears, tomatoes, tobacco, and cotton. Other Aztec were traders and craftsmen. A trade system linked the far parts of the empire with Tenochtitlán. Trade was carried on by barter because the Aztec had not invented money. Training of youthAztec boys went to the house of youth (called telpuchcalli) at the age of 15. Here older men of each clan taught the boys the duties of citizenship, religious observance, the history and traditions of their people, and arts and crafts. The boys also trained for war in this school. In another school, the calmecac, boys studied for the priesthood. Girls could learn to be priestesses in temple schools. HistoryThe Aztec are believed to have migrated to the Valley of Mexico from the north. Aztec legends reveal that the early Aztec were nomadic farmers who wandered in search of fertile land. They fought with other tribes settled in the valley and sometimes were forced to serve them. Finally they took refuge on islands in the shallow lakes. In about 1325 they founded Tenochtitlán. Here the Aztec prospered and reached out to conquer new lands. They allied themselves with other Nahua tribes. The Aztec were at the height of their power when Hernán Cortés and his Spanish soldiers arrived in 1519. The Spanish imprisoned Montezuma II, who died in custody. In 1521, when the Spanish captured Tenochtitlán, the Aztec Empire came to an end. |