![]() ![]() The state ultimately controlled the economy, assigning tribute values to societies…those that totally accepted Aztec rule paid less than others (sound familiar?)…collected tributes were redistributed/resold to other peoples.A periodic market existed for exchange in the major urban centers, where gold dust and cacao beans served as currency…a special merchant class (pochteca) brought in trade goods from distant lands.Innovation came in the form of chinampas, floating artificial islands that produced high yield crops…peasants produced crops and paid them as tribute…noble clans had larger estates for farm production w/slaves.Traditional methods involved taking the land of the conquered for farming and requiring food as tribute.Traditional agriculture and technological innovations were required to feed the Aztec society.Aside from sustained social order, Aztec mysticism justified sacrifice, as the Aztecs believed the world would end and the sun would not come up the next day w/o a human sacrifice.Along with the extensive practice of sacrifice came cannibalism rituals…these activities brought motivation into the society and maintained social order.3: gods of war and sacrifice: Huitzilopochtli and Quetzalcoatl. ![]() 2: Creators: warrior sun and night sky gods were popular.1: gods of fertility, agriculture, maize and water.In religion, little distinction was made between the many gods (128) that represented natural elements in male and female forms…they can, however, be arranged in 3 classes:.This service extended itself amongst the people to the extent of practicing human sacrifice…the military had a prime role in capturing people from resistant tribes for the sole purpose of being sacrificed to the gods.The central purpose driven into the society by the Mexica was that the people should serve the gods at all times or face consequences.Society transformed from a loose association of clans (sound familiar?) into an organized society under the Mexica.They built cities on islands (Tenochtitlan being the central city)…and by 1434, were a vast empire encompassing all of central Mexico.The peoples of this region established competing tribal units that struggled for control of the lake’s resources…the most militant of these were the Mexica (Me-hica), a people who migrated in and served as warriors (mercenaries) for the local tribes…eventually, they came to dominate the lakes region.The center of population and political power shifted south from Tula to the Valley of Mexico and its great lakes…the great lakes (including Lake Texcoco) were used as water for agriculture, fishing and transportation through the valley.The Toltec Empire lasted until about 1150 CE, succumbing to (what else but) nomadic invasions from the north.Strong military/desire to conquer territory.Sedentary agriculture (capital = Tula).Mayans vanished by the 8th C and Toltecs developed in Central Mexico…the Toltecs would be the pre-cursor to Aztec civilization…comparative characteristics included:. ![]()
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