 The Aztec History Directory
Created by: * Xolotl Huascar, 2008-08-21 10:07:47
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The Aztec History Directory is a board which members of the
Tenochtitlan group use to suggest and create threads to examine all aspects of history culture and the arts of the Aztec Empire
The Conquest (14 posts)
In February 1519, Hernan Cortez was sent by the governor of Cuba, Diego Valesquez to explore the area occupied by the Aztecs. For some reason at the last minute, Valesquez ordered Cortez not to go. Disobeying his orders, Cortez set out with 400 soldiers, 100 sailors, and about 15 horses
All 14 posts...
The Arts (11 posts)
The Aztecs exhibited many different styles of art, but the expression they favored most were sculptures. Most of the sculptures were made out of limestone, which was and still is readily available in Mexico. Most of the art they created was related to their religion.
All 11 posts...
Religion (16 posts)
Aztec religion was very different that that of modern religions. The Aztecs believed in many gods, whom they paid tribute to every day of their lives. The myth of creation was that Coatlique gave birth to the moon(Coylxauhqui), the stars, and the sun(Vitzilopochtl).
All 16 posts...
Aztec Government (13 posts)
Political, economic, and social institutions characteristic of the governmental form
War and tribute were central to the Aztec empire, which gained territory, subjects, and economic power as it expanded (Berdan 1982:35). War was a nearly constant activity requiring a large bureaucracy supported by tribute (Id. at 38). "Aztec rulers were chosen from eligible royal offspring by a council of noble elders" (Marcus and Flannery 1983:218). Manufacturing, trade, and agriculture were the main economic institutions for the creation of tribute. Traders were used as a kind of spy network outside the empire and provided information for future areas of conquest. The form of government at the time of the Triple Alliance was a confederacy that bonded together militarily, politically, and economically. The Aztec empire was a multiethnic and multilingual political organization. Near the end of the empire, religious and military activity may have resulted in the astounding figure of 20,000 human sacrifices per year.
All 13 posts...
War (7 posts)
Farming and Agriculture (5 posts)
The main activity in Aztec daily life was farming. The people spent continuous hours cultivating the land, and because it was quite infertile to begin with they were always creating new methods to increase their yields. The main methods that they used included irrigation, fertilization, and the building of terraces.
All 5 posts...
The City of Tenochtitlan (2 posts)
In 1325 the Aztecs occupied a small isle off the coast of Lake Texcoco, and founded the city of Tenochtitlan, and its sister, Tlatelolco. According to some views, the second city, Tlatelolco was founded by a seperate group of Aztecs who sought to be independent from those at Tenochtitlan. But whatever the case, almost from the outset, Tlatelolco was dominated by her fast growing sister.
All 2 posts...
Sciences (2 posts)
Most of the Aztec advances in science were in the area of astronomy. Their most famous accomplishment was the building of a stone calendar, which took them 52 years to build. The calendar itself was 3 feet thick, 12 feet in diameter, and weighed about 24 tons.
All 2 posts...
The Triple Alliance (2 posts)
The Alliance of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan, threw off the Atzcapotzalco yoke, and established their dominance in the Valley of Mexico.
All 2 posts...
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The Laws of Mexico before the Conquest. (2 posts)
Trade (- posts)
In the Aztec empire, some manufactured goods were produced for the ruler or sold in the local markets. These included pottery, tools, jewelry, figurines, baskets, and cloth. Other goods, especially prized luxury items such as lake salt, gold ornaments, and rich garments, were carried by traveling traders to distant peoples in the lowlands along the Gulf coast and south toward what is now Guatemala. There they were exchanged for luxury items native to those regions, such as tropical-bird feathers, jaguar skins, cotton, rubber, and cacao beans for chocolate. The Aztec had no metal coins. They used cacao beans, cotton cloth, and salt as a form of money.
All - posts...
Human sacrifice in Aztec culture (* Kevin Gupta, Apr 8, 2007 - 04:45 )
