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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 is the Nahuatl word for hello?
hello can be translated as any of the following:
- Niltze
- Tialli
- Pialli
Where did the Aztecs get obsidian from?
Mostly from the Aztec city-states of Pachuca and Otumba. Pachuca's greenish obsidian was considered better quality, and was favored, but Otumba's greyish obsidian was also in common demand.
Did the Aztec Indians wear lions?
Not exactly. What we usually think of when we use the term "lions" are the felines of the species Panthera Leo which are currently indigenous only to Africa - although historically their range included parts of southern Europe and southwest Asia.
There were plenty of large felines in the area where the Aztecs lived however including jaguars (Panthera onca) and cougars (Puma concolor). There were also several more moderately sized cats like the lynx, ocelot, and jaguarundi. The Aztecs were known to wear skins of the jaguar - especially for cerimonial purposes - and may have worn skins from some of the other large cats.
Historically there was a "lion" of the genus Panthera that was native to the Americas; the Panthera atrox - American lion or North American cave lion. It is possible but doubtful that the Aztecs encountered this beast since it is believed to have gone extinct 11,000 years ago. If they or their ancestors encountered it, it would probably have made a significant impression on them since it was one of the largest types of cat ever to have existed, slightly larger than the Early Middle Pleistocene primitive cave lion, P. leo fossilis and about 25% larger than the modern African lion.
Why was the Aztec legal system positive?
The Aztec judicial system is seen as positive mostly because it mirrors our modern day sentiments regarding the law and its implementation. Aztecs ran three different levels of courts consisting of trial (Teccalli) for matters among the common people, appellate (Tlacxitlán) courts for criminal appeals and a supreme court ran by a Chief Justice with the title of Cihuacoatl. The Emperor only ruled on cases that were deemed too important for the courts alone. This particular model of government intrigued many of the Spanish that encountered the Aztecs due both its complex level of organization and the similarity to other legal systems already in place in Europe.
Cortes attacked the Aztec people for the money. It is said he was very greedy. He burned most of their religious books. I think only three remain today.
Pizarro gave the Incas a disease and no food or water
Why did people build the metropolitan cathedral in Mexico city?
The same reason most temples, churches, basilicas and cathedrals are built: to worship God.
How did the Mayan Aztec or Incan empires affect culture in Latin America today?
They help us shape our culture and lifestyle today. They were apart of the first to learn how to make an underground water system. By studying about the we also learned more about agriculture and domesticating animals.
Also, when the Aztecs first came to South America they were following their God. He told them where to plant their capital city. Where the eagle was. The eagle is still a symbol of Latin America today.
Explain the Aztec caste system and its role in the Aztec society?
From the bottom to the top: Slaves, Commoners, Nobles, Emperor. The slaves held the majority however.
Did god set fire on all sacrifices that pleased him?
No. Those who offered the sacrifices set fire to the offerings.
What did the Aztec often use for human sacrifices?
Baby Boys
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The God Huitzilopochtli received human sacrfices, where as Quetzalcoatl received animal sacrifices.
The Aztecs mostly sacrificed warriors captured in battle from the surrounding lands. They did not tend to sacrifice their own people. This is one reason why the Aztec never completely conquered the cultures that lived near to them, even though they had the power to do so. They believed without human sacrifices, the sun would cease to burn.
Why was Antonio de Mendoza envy of Hernan Cortes?
Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztec civilization in the name of the Spanish crown, and he was given some lands south of Mexico City. Antonio de Mendoza, on the other hand, was appointed as viceroy of the New Spain (as was Mexico known at the time).
