Aztec essay
The Aztecs were a part of a strong culture, located in modern day Mexico. The Aztecs practiced a wealthy lifestyle and had strong beliefs of religion. Their wealthy lifestyle began to deteriorate due to the Spanish explorers disembarking at Tabasco and Vera Cruz. The Spanish were welcomed warmly when they first arrived and were treated godlike. In fact, Montezuma came to believe that the Spanish military leader Hernan Cortez was a great God called Quetzalcoatl. The Spanish took great advantage of this belief which lead to the Spanish defeating the Aztecs within 2 years. Once the Aztec culture was officially eradicated a new culture was established consisting of a combination of Aztecs and Spanish elements. The conquest allowed changes and impacts throughout the
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The Spanish and Aztecs were at war between 1519 and 1521. The Aztecs had strong beliefs of faith and they believed in many Gods. Some of their Gods controlled nature. The Aztecs believed that different gods watch over their seed sand plants and harvest. Various gods were in charge of the rain and water and wind. These gods worked together with the god who actually produced food. The war between the Spanish and Aztecs had a profound effect on the Aztec’s belief system. The Aztecs put great effort and fought to preserve their rituals and ways of life including their beliefs. However, the Spanish continued to convert the Aztecs to Christianity and commenced a crusade to change their faith. When the Aztecs were defeated by the Spanish. The Spanish began the gradual process of conversion of faith. It is believed that the Aztecs were converted more easily as opposed to another religion as they were similar-the cross being in both religions, they both have a female symbol (the virgin Mary and Tonantzin – the goddess of fertility of life). These events caused conversion of faith and impacts of their faith and
Aztecs had a wide majority of power over Southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Yucatan. Spanish arrived in Mexico in 1519, and wanted to take advantage of the massive amount of silver, the mines produced in the Aztec’s land. In South America, ingitis labor was cheaper, so it was beneficial to the Spanish to use these people to work in the mines to earn them high valued items that they can take back to the Old
The Aztecs always engaged in warfare to gain territory, and political domain. According to Feder, in The Past In Perspective, the Emperor didn’t force one religion, so the citizens were free to whatever they believed in and continued their practices. They only had to pay tribute to the Emperor
The Aztec tribe is incredible in how they lived and thrived between the 14th century and the 16th century. They were very advanced for their time and had cities that were just as large as some in Europe. The Aztecs had enormous temples, remarkable ceremonies that included human sacrifice, and gigantic monuments, all to worship their gods. All within a 200 year span the Aztecs became an empire unlike any other. It seemed as though they were unstoppable.
Introduction The Aztecs lived in a mountainout area with lots of rain. They had a good connection with water to support their farming systems. The Aztecs also participated in human sacrifice. They were polytheistic, meaning they believed in many gods, which they sacrificed people in order to please. Human sacrifice affected culture trhough intimidation and rituals.
It is said that they migrated from Aztlan to central Mexico and referred to themselves as “Mexica”. The Aztecs are quite well known to archaeologists as they left numerous written records of their existence. They were an extremely sophisticated culture. Renowned for their warfare tactics, they were skilled warriors. Gaining a lot of their power through strong political marriage alliances, they ruled with a strong military presence.
The Spanish Conquistadors had the advantage over the Aztecs in many ways. One way they used was using allies against thee Aztecs. The Aztecs was a tribute empire, where they required
Their belief is, it took multiple gods to create the various characteristics of the world (Odijk 1,2,3). Also, they celebrated over 90 festivals for these gods (Odijk 2). Usually, most of the Aztecs were forced to believe in multiple gods, and they didn't have a choice to believe in another religion (Odijk 1). However, holidays and festivals where only celebrated for the most well known gods (Ancient Aztec Festivals, Celebrations and Holidays 1). The most well known festival was the rain festival which was celebrated 3 times a year (Odijk 1).
In this week’s reading, “Spanish Conquest” by Elizabeth Carmichael and Chloe Sayer discuss the subjugation, ethnocide, and struggle the indigenous population of Mexico endured during the Spanish conquest. The Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez, enslave and forced the Aztecs to believe that Christianity was the one true religion. Therefore, the indigenous people were forced to convert their faith through the Spanish missionaries to lose their indigenous roots. Later, the authors explain the many difficulties and conflicts Spanish priest underwent to teach the Christian faith to the Aztecs. The Spanish friar first taught the indigenous people Christianity in Nahuatl.
The Aztecs’ religion is what got them into the most trouble. They sacrificed humans for their Gods, which was wrong in the Spaniards’ eyes (and mine too). They also were very superstitious .The Aztecs may have won the battle against the Spaniards if they too had advanced weaponry and battle tactics. The Aztecs and the Spaniards were vastly different people, however they had similarities.
Firstly, the Aztecs had a complicated and diversified pantheon (Appendix A). The Aztec had a strong belief in their Gods, and according to the scholars, the Aztec religion had over 200 gods and goddesses, often based on those of older Mesoamerican religions. Theoretically, the Aztec deities were divided into three groups ruling different human activities or aspects of nature: the heaven or the sky; the rain, fertility and agriculture; and the war and sacrifice. Especially, with culture based heavily on farming, the Aztec had many agricultural gods. Some Aztec popular gods and goddesses were: Huitzilopochtli (The tribal God of the Mexica of Tenochtitlan and the patron of war and sacrifice), Tlaloc (The god of rain, storm, water and thunder),
A possible reason for why the Spanish conquered the Aztecs was the Spanish wanted to spread Christianity. Two sources corroborate that Spain wanted to spread Christianity. According to Document A, it says “There is to be a church and a chaplain entrusted with indoctrinating and teaching them our Holy Catholic faith.” The government was paying for the churches and making sure the culture is spread from town to town. As a result of the churches being established in the Aztec Empire, the Aztecs have to practice the religion and learning the culture of Spain.
The Aztec lifestyle had changed drastically due to the significant rise in aztec slavery, which affected the social status, and changed their religion for the worse. The Aztec population was a very vast, well educated group of people who weren't custom to change. The large group was always very hostile when it came to battle, and would usually succeed and come out victorious because of the demand for blood shed for their gods. The Aztec people, a proud group, had been unwillingly crushed by the spanish warriors. Loosing their ways of life such as their right to religion, freedom and social status.
Not only did the Aztec’s strong religion bring them closer together as an empire, but it gave them motivation to conquer those around, due to the belief that gods’ needed blood. The loyalty of the people was to their superior, the Emperor, and the Gods. Loyalty for farmers meant that they had to pay taxes, give up a portion of their produce in taxes, and donate a certain amount of hours into a project for the state. Projects, such as road building, was made easier with their technology. The technology of the Aztecs allowed massive growth in their power.
Using this as evidence, one can construe that he Aztecs showed their loyalty and devotion through religious ceremonies. Lastly, in their civilization, dying through sacrifice was considered very honorable (Frank). Though death by sacrifice and war were both venerable, often sacrifice would be held up as more superior than death by warfare (Frank). With this, we can say that though religious ceremonies were very grave, the Aztecs held the gods’ pleasure as their top priority and
A major part of Aztec life, centered around religion. The Aztecs believed in a polytheistic, animistic religion. There were about 128 major deities, including gods of rain, fire, water, corn, the sky, and the sun, which showed you how large of a scale their religion was. When it comes to Aztec religion and culture, it becomes crucial to