🇲🇽History of Aztec Mexico and New Spain Unit 2 – Aztec Empire's Ascent

Origins and Early Development

• Aztecs originated from Aztlan, a mythical homeland located in northern Mexico
• Migrated south to the Valley of Mexico in the 13th century CE
• Initially settled on the shores of Lake Texcoco and founded the city of Tenochtitlan in 1325 CE
  • Tenochtitlan built on an island in the lake connected to the mainland by causeways
• Formed a triple alliance with the neighboring city-states of Texcoco and Tlacopan in 1428 CE
  • Alliance known as the Aztec Empire or the Triple Alliance
• Developed a complex system of agriculture based on chinampas (floating gardens) to support a growing population
• Established a hierarchical society with a ruling class of nobles, warriors, and priests
• Created a sophisticated calendar system and writing system using pictographs and ideograms

Rise to Power

• Aztec Empire expanded rapidly through military conquests and alliances with neighboring city-states
• Conquered the city-state of Tlatelolco in 1473 CE, gaining control over the Valley of Mexico
• Established a tribute system where conquered territories paid regular tributes in goods and services
  • Tributes included precious metals, textiles, food, and labor
• Developed a strong military with a focus on capturing enemies for ritual sacrifice
• Consolidated power through strategic marriages and alliances with other Mesoamerican civilizations (Tarascans, Mixtecs)
• Expanded trade networks throughout Mesoamerica, exchanging goods such as obsidian, turquoise, and cacao
• Strengthened political control by appointing governors and officials to oversee conquered territories

Political Structure

• Aztec Empire ruled by a supreme leader known as the Huey Tlatoani (Great Speaker)
  • Huey Tlatoani held both political and religious authority
  • Position was hereditary, passing from father to son
• Beneath the Huey Tlatoani were the Tlatoani (speakers), who governed individual city-states
• Aztec society divided into distinct social classes
  • Pipiltin (nobility) held the highest positions in government, military, and priesthood
  • Macehualtin (commoners) made up the majority of the population, working as farmers, artisans, and traders
• Government supported by a complex bureaucracy of officials, judges, and tax collectors
• Legal system based on a set of laws and punishments, with courts presided over by judges
• Political alliances and tribute system maintained through diplomacy and military force

Military Conquests

• Aztec military known for its strength, discipline, and effective strategies
• Utilized a combination of infantry, archers, and elite warrior societies (Jaguar Knights, Eagle Warriors)
• Employed a strategy of siege warfare, cutting off enemy cities from resources and reinforcements
• Captured enemy soldiers for ritual sacrifice to appease the gods and demonstrate Aztec power
• Major conquests included the city-states of Tlaxcala, Cholula, and Tenochtitlan's rival, Tlatelolco
• Expanded the empire to its greatest extent under the rule of Huey Tlatoani Ahuitzotl (1486-1502 CE)
  • Empire stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico at its peak
• Military success enabled the Aztecs to extract tributes and establish political control over conquered territories

Social Organization

• Aztec society structured as a hierarchy with distinct social classes
  • Pipiltin (nobility) held the highest positions and enjoyed privileges such as education and luxury goods
  • Macehualtin (commoners) made up the majority, working as farmers, artisans, and traders
• Social mobility was possible through military achievement or exceptional skill in a craft or profession
• Family served as the basic unit of society, with extended families living together in residential compounds
• Gender roles were clearly defined, with men responsible for warfare, politics, and agriculture, while women managed households and engaged in weaving and childrearing
• Education varied by social class, with noble children attending calmecac schools for religious and military training, while commoner children attended telpochcalli schools for practical skills
• Slavery existed in Aztec society, with slaves acquired through conquest, punishment, or self-sale due to debt

Religious Beliefs and Practices

• Aztec religion centered around a complex pantheon of gods and goddesses
  • Major deities included Huitzilopochtli (god of war and sun), Tlaloc (god of rain), and Quetzalcoatl (god of wind and knowledge)
• Believed in the importance of maintaining cosmic balance through ritual sacrifice
  • Human sacrifice practiced to appease the gods and ensure the continuation of the world
• Constructed massive pyramids and temples, such as the Templo Mayor in Tenochtitlan, to honor the gods
• Celebrated various religious festivals throughout the year, marked by elaborate ceremonies, processions, and sacrifices
• Practiced divination and astrology using the Aztec calendar system to guide decision-making and predict the future
• Believed in the afterlife, with different realms for those who died in specific ways (warriors, women who died in childbirth)
• Religious beliefs and practices deeply intertwined with political power and social order

Economic System

• Aztec economy based on agriculture, trade, and tribute from conquered territories
• Developed advanced agricultural techniques, such as chinampas (floating gardens), to cultivate crops like maize, beans, and squash
• Engaged in long-distance trade with other Mesoamerican civilizations, exchanging goods like obsidian, turquoise, and cacao
• Established a system of markets and merchants to facilitate trade within the empire
  • Major market at Tlatelolco attracted thousands of buyers and sellers daily
• Used a form of currency based on cacao beans and standardized lengths of cotton cloth
• Collected tributes from conquered territories in the form of goods (precious metals, textiles, food) and labor
• Employed a system of taxation, with commoners paying taxes in goods or labor, while nobles paid in military service
• Developed specialized crafts, such as featherwork, metalwork, and pottery, which were highly valued and traded

Key Figures and Events

• Acamapichtli (1375-1395 CE) - First Huey Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan, established the city's political and economic foundation
• Itzcoatl (1427-1440 CE) - Fourth Huey Tlatoani, formed the Triple Alliance and began the Aztec Empire's expansion
• Moctezuma I (1440-1469 CE) - Fifth Huey Tlatoani, consolidated power and expanded the empire through military conquests
• Axayacatl (1469-1481 CE) - Sixth Huey Tlatoani, conquered the rival city-state of Tlatelolco
• Ahuitzotl (1486-1502 CE) - Eighth Huey Tlatoani, expanded the empire to its greatest extent
• Moctezuma II (1502-1520 CE) - Ninth Huey Tlatoani, encountered the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés
• Spanish Conquest (1519-1521 CE) - Led by Hernán Cortés, the Spanish allied with Aztec rivals and conquered Tenochtitlan

Legacy and Downfall

• Aztec Empire known for its advanced civilization, with achievements in art, architecture, astronomy, and mathematics
• Aztec culture and language (Nahuatl) continue to influence modern Mexico
• Downfall of the Aztec Empire attributed to a combination of factors
  • Internal weaknesses, such as political instability and social inequality
  • External threats, including the Spanish conquest and the introduction of European diseases (smallpox)
• Tenochtitlan destroyed by the Spanish and their indigenous allies in 1521 CE
  • City rebuilt as Mexico City, the capital of New Spain and later Mexico
• Aztec codices and artifacts provide valuable insights into their history, culture, and way of life
• Legacy of the Aztec Empire continues to inspire art, literature, and cultural pride in Mexico and beyond