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The Great Empire: The Conquest Of The Aztec Empire

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Aztec Empire The Aztecs were a great Empire that lasted approximately 200 years. They entered the Valley of Mexico from North and founded their capital in the center of a lake. Their capital was called Tenochtitlan, and it was founded in 1325. In 1428 a Triple Alliance was formed with other two cities, Texcoco and Tlacopan, consolidating what we now call, the Great Aztec Empire. The primary source, The Broken Spears, not only tells us about the Conquest of the Aztec Empire by the Spaniards, but it reveals us some of their social, cultural and political aspects. This Great Empire was able to develop a complex civilization that was divided into three social classes nobles, or pipiltin, the ordinary citizens, or macehualtin, and the serfs and …show more content…

Each city state was ruled by a supreme leader (tlatoani) and a supreme judge and administrator (cihuacoatl). The tlatoani of the capital city of Tenochtitlan served as the Emperor (Huey Tlatoani) of the Aztec empire. The tlatoani was the ultimate owner of all land in his city-state, received tribute, oversaw markets and temples, led the military, and resolved judicial disputes. Another important aspect of this civilizations was the agriculture which was the basis of the Aztec economy, and corn, squash and beans, the most important crops. Trade was also a widespread activity. They exchanged products with people from different regions. The merchants came to distant places with items of great value, such as cocoa, gems, cotton or precious feathers. The book displays this aspect when the king was rewarding his artisans for what he ordered them. He said, “Give each of these, my grandfathers, a portion of various rich cloths, and huipiles and skirts for my grandmothers; and cotton, chiles, corn, squash seeds and beans, the same amount to each” …show more content…

The Aztecs thought that the sun was weakening and needed sacrifices, and especially those of human blood, to be able to follow its course and not destroy the world. Human sacrifices were made on a large scale. The sacrifices were carried out on top of huge pyramids, to be closer to the sun, so that the blood spilled down the steps. The book: The Broken Spears, shows us how the king had no mercy for his people. Motechuzoma said to a messenger “You may rest now.” “The man that brought this news had no ears, for they had been cut off, and no toes, for they had been cut off too” (16). This book displays how ruthless was this

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