How Did The Americans Influence The Aztecs

Chapter 11 outline - Americas on the Eve of Invasion

Intro

Ok, so by about 1500, North America, South America, and Central America were heavily populated with Indians.
The Indians were either of Columbus or “Misnomer” descent.
Mesoamerica…
Few major city/states were actually established before the European people arrived.
Only a few major city/states were influenced by other people who came to those city/states
Was developed independently.

POSTCLASSIC MESOAMERICA 1000-1500 C.E.
The Toltec and Aztec people were able to take control of the Mayans and seize their land by about the eighth century.
The aztecs eventually founded huge, massive empires by the about the fifteenth century. These empires thrived in religion, culture and war.

Aztecs sided with the Toltecan people. Together, they tore down the Mayan civilization

The Toltec Heritage
The Toltecan empires were able to spread throughout most of central Mexico
In 1000, the Toltecs took over Itza. This city used to be controlled by the Mayans.
The culture that the Toltecs had then started to move and spread north
Trade was a huge part of their culture, so that spread north too.
Culture included: temples for rituals and prayer, sacrificing people to the Gods, pottery and jewelry making.

The biggest city the Toltecs had control of--Cahokia, could hold around 30,000 people.

The Aztec Rise to Power
The geography of the Aztecs was mostly made of water
They took control of that water around 1005.
They were heavily involved in agriculture.
In 1428, however, they began to seize other pieces of land. This was very crucial in the rise and spread of the Aztec empire.

The Aztec Social Contract
Ok, so here’s the contract:
Your responsibility as a member of the Aztec community was to pay tribute, give up lands to others (don’t really understand that one), and provide service in the military while representing your

These previous religions mostly included ones from Mesopotamia.
However, in the new religion that was made, there was not a huge difference from spiritual Gods to things in the real world.
Some Gods included: God of the fire, God of the rain, God of the water, God of the corn, God of the sky, and God of the sun
There were also agricultural Gods
A lot of people sacrificed themselves to these Gods, too
There were two Gods for each one… A male version and a female version for each one

People had questions as to what happens when they die…
What is the afterlife?
What is the difference between a “good afterlife” and a “bad afterlife”?
“Do Gods really exist in the afterlife”?

The culture included flowers, birds and music

Tenochtitlan: The Fountain of Heaven

The Metropolis: This was a place that featured many palaces
Many homes were made of brick
If you had a large home, that usually meant you were an important person, or were important in the government, or you were even an emperor
Many kings owned a garden
A man named “Calpulli”: he ruled neighborhoods and was in charge of