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Aztecs
The Aztecs were active in Mexico from the 14th through 16th centuries. They are most famous for their practice of human sacrifice.
6,012 Questions
What languages were spoken by the Mayans and the Aztecs?
The Aztec spoke Nahuatl (NAH-wah-tool). I know some Maya spoke Nahuatl too, but not very many.
Montezuma was not Mayan; he was an Aztec ruler. The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican civilization that inhabited central Mexico, while the Maya civilization was located in the Yucatan Peninsula and parts of Central America.
What did the Aztec believe when they saw the crosses on the Spanish breastplates?
The Aztecs believed the crosses were a symbol of their gods because they associated them with their own religious beliefs. They saw the Spanish as representatives of a powerful deity and embraced them initially as allies.
The Aztecs constructed chinampas?
Yes, chinampas were artificial islands built by the Aztecs in the shallow waters of Lake Texcoco. They were used for agriculture and were an innovative and efficient way to grow crops in the marshy environment of the Aztec capital city Tenochtitlan.
What did the Aztecs use obsidian for?
The Aztecs used obsidian for mostly weapons and equipment. For example, the Maquahuitl (pronouced Ma Kwee Thal), a double edged, obsidian lined sword club. And also for ranged weapons too, such as the Atlatl, a javelin type of weapon.
How were Aztec causeways made?
Aztec causeways were made by stacking stones and rocks to create a raised road across marshy or wet areas. The stones were then covered with a layer of sand and soil to create a flat surface for easy travel on foot or by canoe. These causeways played a crucial role in connecting different parts of the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan.
What jewelry did the Aztecs wear?
Aztec crafts were made more for the upper classes like emperors and the emperors would have maybe necklaces or earring's . One common form of Aztec jewelry was the ear plug (also called ear spools.)Men would often wear ornaments in their noses (through a hole in the nasal septum). Men would also wear jewelry suspended from a slit in their lower lip. They also hadarmlets, bracelets, leg bracelets, and rings as well.
How did the Aztecs know where to build there capital city?
The Aztecs were wandering nomads until they saw an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus. They took this as a sign from their god, Huitzilopochtli, that they should build their capital city, Tenochtitlan, on that spot.
Was the Aztec method of agriculture in shallow areas of the lake?
Yes, the Aztecs used a method of agriculture called chinampas in shallow areas of the lake. Chinampas were man-made plots of land built up in the lake using mud, vegetation, and other materials. They were highly productive and played a crucial role in feeding the growing population of the Aztec Empire.
Why are chinampas important to the Aztecs?
It's important because it helped them farm successfully so that they could get food. <--- BAD ANSWER
a good answer is:
they are important because it made their farming land more fertile, having the river flowing under, and it was also less travelled through, so less ruined. Also, animals could not reach it.
TADA!
Did the viking practice human sacrifice?
Yes they did:) Im also trying to find more information about it as well but . this is a brief of what they did.
The Vikings worshipped their gods by performing animal sacrifice they also occasionally sacrificed humans .
sorry its not much but yeah a little :)
Okay i have more information :
The Vikings usually worshiped their gods in opened air. The Vikings liked most wild landscapes. Here they performed their rituals. The Vikings could consider sacred places like meadows, groves, rocks, hillocks, the shores of swampy lakes .Also, the fields of crops could become the scene of a worshipping ritual as they hoped the gods would bless the fields. Sometimes, the places used for rituals were enclosed with a
simple fence made of ropes. Inside this areas considered sacred, no violence was allowed. One could not enter this place with any kind of weapon.
The Vikings became Christian around about 1000 A D.
Also when a new long boat was made the often did human sacrifice and smeared human blood of the bow of the long boat , to give them care at sea from the gods.
There is also according to Norse mythology that Odin himself hanged himself from the world tree Yggdrasil for nine nights to attain divine wisdom. Also Norsemen use to sacrifice there prisoners by hanging them from trees. Its also told that Norse warriors were also buried with slave girls because they believed they would become their wife in Valhalla. Many stories are told that slaves volunteered to die with their masters.
Did the Aztecs pay for food and goods with silver coins?
No, the Aztecs did not use silver coins as currency. They primarily used a barter system, exchanging goods and services without a standardized form of currency.
What replaced the Aztec Empire?
The Aztec Empire was replaced by Spanish colonial rule after the Spanish conquest led by Hernan Cortes in 1521. The Spanish established New Spain in the region which eventually became part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. This marked the beginning of Spanish dominance in the region.
What obstacles did the Aztecs overcome in building their capital city?
The Aztecs faced challenges such as marshy land, lack of resources like wood and stone, and the need for extensive construction for their capital city, Tenochtitlan. They overcame these obstacles by creating chinampas, artificial islands made with soil and lake vegetation, to expand the city and by implementing a sophisticated system of canals for transportation and trade.
What is an Aztec spear thrower called?
An Aztec spear thrower is called an atlatl. It is a tool used to increase the velocity and distance of a thrown spear by providing leverage for the thrower.
How did the Aztecs build their capital in the middle of the lake?
The Aztecs built their capital, Tenochtitlan, in the middle of Lake Texcoco by constructing artificial islands called chinampas. They piled soil and mud on top of wooden frames to create these floating gardens. The Aztecs also built causeways and bridges to connect the islands to the mainland.
How are Inca and Aztecs alike?
The Aztec and Incas highly respected the Gods who they believed gave them their crops, rain, and food. They both had a unique way of architecture, such as the material used to make houses. An example would be the Incas, who built their houses out of adobe. Both believed in living in tribes. It was an easy way to keep a society in order and together without much dispute. Successful technology also kept both communities abundant. Canals brought the Incas water while chinampas brought the Aztecs water.
- Religions
- Belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies
- Science and technology
- The arts and architecture
Economy
- The Aztec religion highly influenced their everyday lives & work. An agricultural society, the main purpose of crops was not only for consumption but to please the gods such as the rain and fertility gods. Sacrificial ceremonies also had a great influence in their lives. They believed that in order for the sun to rise everyday, they must sacrifice human blood and heart to the Sun God, Huitzilopochtli.
- Aztec homes were usually made of adobe or poles. Aztec women would grind corn and do household work while their husbands and sons worked in the fields.The Aztec's successfulness of crops and farming came from their technique of using mud from the bottom of the lake to grow crops. These were called chinampas, little islands made from mud from the bottom of a lake.They usually harvested corn, chili, and beans. They substituted money with cacao beans because it was valuable being considered "food of the gods". What each person wore represented were they stood in the society. If a man carried a fan they were an ambassador and women wore skirts. Colorful designs also distinguished their rank.
- The Incas usually became wealthy due to their gold, silver, and copper mines. Just as the Aztec, the Incas were great farmers. To travel they often used Llamas and Alpacas. They used canals just as the Aztecs used chinampas. It was their way of watering their fields to keep the agriculture prosperous. Camelids, such as llamas and alpacas were used to transport goods from place to place.
The Aztecs used chinampas(above) to extract the rich, fertile mud/soil from the lake bottom in order to grow crops.
Political
- Although the Aztec form of government is often referred to as an empire, in fact, most areas within the empire were organized as city-states, known as altepetl, in Nahuatl. These were small polities ruled by a king from a legitimate dynasty. The Aztec conquered many tribes, allowing them to retain their own religion and government. However, the tribes were expected to supply the Aztecs with food, textiles, pottery and other items needed to support the nobles, priests and administrators of the city of Tenochtitlan, which numbered perhaps in the hundreds of thousands. However, the reign of Moctezuma II (the most known leaders of the Aztecs) was interrupted by the invasion of the Spaniards in 1519.
- Unlike the Aztecs, the Incas ruled by proxy and had a highly organized government based in Cuzco. After conquering a people, they would incorporate local rulers into their imperial system, generously reward anyone who fought for them, and treat well all the conquered people who cooperated. So, in reality, the Inca "empire," was not really an empire. It was more of a confederation of tribes with a single people, the Incas, more or less in control. Each tribe was ruled independently by a council of elders; the tribe as a whole gave its allegiance to the ruler, or "Inca." The "Inca" was divine; he was the descendant of the sun-god. The sun -god was the highest god for the Incas and Aztecs. Both empires also believed that there was a heaven, a hell, and a resurrection of the body after death. In 1521, Herman Cortés conquered the Aztecs; this conquest inspired Francisco Pizzarro to invade the Incas in 1531.
Moctezuma II and Herman Cortes
Social
SIMILARITIES
- The Aztec's and Inca's social structure and life were alike in many ways. Both the Aztecs and Incas social structure was based on royalty and wealth, with the royal people being at the top of the social ladder and the common people at the bottom. They both lived in groups in cities with a huge temple in the center working as both a masterpiece and a town center. Slavery was a common issue between these two tribes, both enslaved others as a form of punishment or if in battle the losing, conquered tribe would become slaves.
- As there are similarities between the social structure of the Aztecs and Incas there are also differences. The head of the Inca civilization was known as the "Inca" and he was the sole ruler. The Aztecs had a primary ruler who chose four other leaders, creating a democratic type of government opposed to the monarchy type used by the Incas. Aztecs were able to move into other social classes from the ones that they were born into but the Inca's social structure was rigid and inflexible making it hard and nearly impossible to change social classes.
What island did the Aztec settle on and why did they settle there?
The settled in an Island in lake Texcoco because they were told by their gods to stop in the area were they see an eagle with a snake in its mouth. that's why their flag has an eagle on a cacti with a snake.
Ps. It's me Nathanael! :)
Did the Aztec's use a tomahawk?
No, the Aztecs did not use tomahawks. Tomahawks are a type of Native American weapon used mainly by tribes in the Eastern Woodlands region of North America. The Aztecs primarily used weapons like macuahuitl, which were wooden clubs embedded with obsidian blades.
How were the Mayan pyramids different from the Aztec pyramids?
Mayan pyramids were generally taller, with steep steps and often had temples on top. Aztec pyramids tended to have a more truncated top platform for ceremonies and sacrifices, with steep sacrificial altars nearby. Additionally, Mayan pyramids featured more elaborate carvings and decorations compared to Aztec pyramids.
Yes, the Aztecs hunted in tribes or groups. Hunting was often a communal activity that involved cooperation and coordination among members of the tribe to track and take down prey. This practice was essential for their survival and provided a way to procure food and resources for the community.
The Aztecs made clay by mixing water with powdered clay soil to create a moldable substance. They then used their hands or tools to shape the clay into various objects, which were then dried and fired in kilns to harden. Clay was an important material for the Aztecs, used in pottery, sculptures, and building construction.
Why did The Aztecs constructed chinampas?
To be able to support their buildings in the city of Tenochtitlan. Since it was built in the middle of lake Texcoco they needed a way to build the Causeways to and from the city, and to provide a foundation for growth.
Did Aztecs put the corn that they farmed into bins?
Yes, the Aztecs stored their harvested corn in granaries or bins made from adobe or stone. These storage structures helped to keep the corn dry and protected from pests. Corn was an essential crop for the Aztecs and was used in various ways, such as making tortillas and tamales.
How much is the Aztec calendar worth?
The Aztec calendar is a priceless artifact of cultural significance and historical value. It is considered a national treasure in Mexico and is not available for purchase.
