The Aztec Empire The Aztec built a powerful empire that became a dominant and formidable force. The empire supported an enormous population, encompassed a vast territory and yielded an abundance of precious metals and other natural resources. Several factors contributed to the overall success of the empire, including an ideal geographical location and a social hierarchy that imposed law and order. To maintain such a vast domain the Aztec had to employ tactics that included domination and subjugation of enemy forces and an enormous slave population, as well as the organization of resources necessary to support an empire. The collapse of the Aztec Empire came relatively swiftly at the hands of a small, but menacing, force of Spanish conquistadors, who had set their sights on invading the territory, displace the indigenous leaders, and seize their immense reserve of gold. The downfall of the Aztec centered on ineffective leadership, internal conflicts, susceptibility to germ warfare and a history of brutality against their enemies. …show more content…
Once a new territory had been conquered, however, the Aztec did not maintain a strong presence. Instead, they opted to take captives for use as slaves or human sacrifices and left the remaining population to their own devices with the understanding they were to pay tribute to the Aztec Empire. Any rebellion against Aztec authority met with swift and brutal force to quell the uprising. The Aztec also entered an alliance with two neighboring towns—Texcoco and Tlacopan—which aided in the expansion of the empire far beyond the Valley of Mexico region.1 However, eventually the Aztec emerged as the dominant force of the alliance and the other two became subordinate. The ability of the Aztec to organize resources for sustenance and trade also allowed them to support such an enormous population under their
The religion and culture of the Aztecs played a role in the way the way they thought and fought. They worshiped the war-god Huitzilopochtli. He was identified with the sun and was called "the Giver of life" and "the Preserver of Life" (xxxix). The religion carried some ridiculous rituals such as human sacrifice along with using magicians and wizards to cast spells. In war conditions, human sacrifice played a big role because the Aztecs would not fight to kill,...
Spain, as one of the most powerful nations in the old world, had a great influence on many events in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The Spanish also had an influence on many other empires/nations' fate. One of the empires that suffered a grave fate at the hands of the Spanish was the Aztec empire. The Aztec empire was not the oldest Mesoamerican empire and it was formed from an agreement between three city-states. The Aztec's class system had the emperor on top, then the priests, and everyone else below them. The priests were responsible for keeping the gods happy. The sacrifice of goods and people was a commonplace in the Aztec culture, and it was often the goods/people of other nations that were taken for sacrifices. As one can imagine,
It is the 1450s. Foreigners have invaded your land, and they’re capturing the citizens living there for their lethal rituals. (Doc. A) You are unlucky enough to find yourself kidnapped, along with your family. Your mother is taken away quickly, but your father is forced to become a human sacrifice for the Aztec gods. What does this mean, exactly? According to The History of the Indies of New Spain by Friar Diego Duran, your father’s chest is severed, and his heart is taken out of his body. This is all while he is still awake, and before the time of pain medication. He slowly bleeds to death on the temple stairways - and you’re watching it all. This sounds terrible, does it not?
Back in the time of the Aztec their culture was very different but also similar from our now. For instence they belived in human sacrifice and also there was only a few different jobs that you could make a living through. . There are four major jobs in their society,which are being a priest,tradesmen,warrior or in your a women you would more often then not work hard in the houses learning how to weave and make clothes.
The aspects of the Aztec’s culture; class structure, warfare, family life, religious practices, and agriculture, were all important. The Aztecs were the ruling empire in central america and accomplished many things.They were a thriving empire until the Spanish came and invaded. The Aztecs ruled because of most of their culture.
In 1521, Spain conquered the Aztecs, led by Hernando Cortes, and was a landmark victory for European immigrants. After the Spaniards arrived in Mexico, a huge battle broke out between the troops of Cortez and the Aztecs under Montezuma. The events that have taken place are critical to the development of the United States land and this year has become the subject of many historical debates. Guided by Hernan Cortés, the powerful Spanish guns and the desire for treasures will bring devastating destruction and disease. The Conqueror's team immediately discovered that the local allies are willing to help overthrow the brutal Aztec regime, get rid of the burden on tribute and the necessity of providing an endless Aztec appetite for the victims, and
The Aztec civilization was a very complex society that was feared and known well for their various gory sacrifices done to please their many gods in their polytheistic religion. The much feared civilization began by the exile of one of the two Toltec leaders, which lead to the decline of the Toltec state that was later replaced by Mexica, or the Aztecs. According to the Aztecs, the land chosen to build their main city was chosen by the portrayal of an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its mouth. Through military might, the Aztecs managed to become the most powerful civilization in the mid-fourteenth century. They maintained their power through military might and the fear they caused other civilizations because of the human sacrifices they performed on their captured victims.
When the Spanish conquistadors discovered and conquered Tenochtitlan, there was an enormous amount of political change. Politics relates to deciding who should govern a specific part of land, in this case, Tenochtitlan, the great Aztec city. Moctezuma II was the ruler of this land at the time, and he had known of the Spanish coming ever since they started acquiring allies. Economic conditions in the Aztecs’ time were comparable and arguably better than that of the Romans. With plumbing, garbage collection, postal service, and a sophisticated law and order system, the Aztecs were truly the pioneers of their time.
Paintings illustrate the Aztec’s style of clothing and the important roles they play as such as those who led the ceremonies wore robes
August 13th, 1521 marked the end of a diabolical, yet genius group of leaders. They were referred to as the Aztecs. They were an extremely advanced ancient civilization. The Aztec’s were overthrown by the Spanish, yet we still haven’t forgotten the Aztecs. But since their culture was so complex it’s hard to know what is the most necessary thing to study when it comes to them, especially when their were so many things that defined their culture. The Aztecs were highly religious and believed in human sacrifice. They also had a complex method of farming called chinampas. This grew an extremely large amount of food per year by using canals. This was extremely successful because of how complex it was. When asked if historians should emphasize agriculture
The ancient Aztecs, who most likely originated as a nomadic tribe in northern Mexico, arrived in Mesoamerica at approximately the beginning of the 13th century. For a long time, the nomads wandered the land of Mexica, countlessly resettling into new areas in a constant search for land that was fertile and that they could call their own. Before the founding of their capital city of Tenochtitlan in 1325, the Aztecs had to work for various cities and small empires that were more powerful than them in order to gain military experience and come out as the dominant force in central Mexico. Through developing an intricate social, political, religious and commercial organization, it was by the 15th century that the empire brought many of the region’s city-states under their control.
It was February 14 of the year 1519.It was the year of autumn. It was a very humid day, but also chills.. it was getting to morning. I was woken up It was very humid that I felt my skin was sticky and sweaty. I checked outside to see the street and my neighbors drinking their coffee every morning, but no one was outside It was a very foggy day. I woke up my wife had already left for work I woke up my daughter's getting them ready for school while I was packing their lunch. When One of them came up to me and said “I am ready dad” I replied back with “ Alright let’s go then.” I was on my way to drop off my daughter’s hearing lots of noise and seeing lots of traffic. I dropped them off I was dazing thinking in bills and problems while I I turned the car hearing some horrifying
This did little to save them. The Spaniards had brought diseases with them that killed off many Aztecs. Their population was severely diminished by the small-pox and measles brought by the Spanish invaders. When Cortes came back, after reorganizing his troop, he was able to easily conquer the Aztecs. Only three years after the Aztec were defeated, their empire was changed to the New Spain colony and their capital was replaced by Mexico City.
The Aztecs, as conquerors, expanded their power, influence and territory by subjugating a myriad of local and tribal cultures. Ignoring the obvious violence and death, the Aztecs imposed their culture and values on the conquered peoples. The cultural practices of the Aztecs which focused upon fertility, agriculture, ancient games, war, and social and political power, led to the perversion and distortion of the Aztec’s initial religious ambition by virtue of their increased usage of human sacrifice. Their original spiritual worship involved minimal human sacrifice to appease their various gods of the cosmic structure; however, eventually, human sacrifice was required in virtually every aspect of their lives. I would argue that this perversion, in form of extensive human sacrifice, was used solely for political purposes to instill fear and had nothing to with religious worship.
The Aztecs were a strong empire, that had all of the right tools to be one of the greatest in world history, but as many other civilizations that also had their struggles as well, some say to this day that if they were more prepared for Cortes and his army that they could have possibly defeated them.