Classical Mesoamerican Societies

Aztec Origins

• The Aztecs originated from a northern migrant group known as the Chichimecas

• This group came from a land they called Aztlan (estimated to be around modern-day Utah)o this is where the word "Aztec" originates from,

despite there never being a group called the Aztecs• For centuries they slowly made their way into central

Mexico

Legends of Travel

• Much reverence was given to their war-god Huitzilopochtli

• legends have it that the Chichimecas were able to continue through their long journey because of the inspiration they received from Huitzilopochtli

Adjustments to Central Mexico

• The Chichimecas arrived in central Mexico around the 12th century (before Marco Polo traveled through the Mongol Empire)

•  The Chichimecas had then began to immerse themselves with the Toltec people and began adopting their ways

Adjustments to Mexico

• The Chichimecas admired the Toltecs• They learned the same war skills and fighting

methods, among others thingso they even adopted the deity Quezalcoatl

• Soon enough the Chichimecas became a tribe of mercenary warriors, which heighten their war-like culture

Decline of Toltecs

• As the city of Tula fell, and the Toltecs influence declined, the Chichimecas were so well adapted to Toltec culture that they considered themselves the descendants of the Toltec people

•  The Chichimecas continued to be mercenaries in central Mexicoo from their mercenary work they achieve a notorious

reputation for being blood-thirsty and violent

Finding a Place to Call Home

• By this time around the 14th century the Chichimecas are now referred to as the Mexica

• The Mexica were seen as blood-thirsty savages and were not accepted in just about every area of central Mexico

• Then came the time to find themselves a permanent home.

• The search began for this haven which they found in ca.1345

The Eagle on the Cactus (with a Serpent)• The Mexica searched and found their

home on lake Texcocoo legend of Eagle on a

 Cactus feeding on a serpent originated from this

• Despite being mostly swamp and water the Mexica still built their city on the island in Lake Texcoco (a sign of strong faith and belief)

Tenochtitlan• The massive city of Tenochtitlan

was built mainly from the use of chinampaso chinampas are basically floating

pieces of land used for agriculture that yielded large amounts of crops which allowed the city to prosper and grow

Rise to Power

• Mexica had enemies from before settling in Tenochtitlan. In order to survive they needed help

• Creation of a Triple Alliance with the cities of Texcoco & Tlacopan

• With this alliance the Mexica set a course in which they were able to defeat invading enemies & expand themselves into an empire that stretched from coast to coast

Advancements of the Aztecs

• The Mexica build one of the most advanced cities of the post-classical period in the entire world

• City planning was organized and efficiento city had causeways and aquaducts that was able to

provide freshwater to their residents so they could drink and bathe daily

• The Mexica were a merit-based society like China, which brought up the best people to the places where they were neededo they had schools for the rich and poor, and they even

had a University for those who were capable for it

Warriors and Society

• Throughout this time the Mexica maintained a war-like society, in which a warrior (especially a skilled warrior) was highly praised

• Society rested on the idea that they needed to sacrifice blood to the gods so that the world would not end. This idea brought the practice of blood-letting and gory sacrificeso a majority of those sacrificed were captured

POWs and residents of tributary or enemy states.

o many were enraged at Mexica treatment, especially the state of Tlaxcala

Tribute and Trade

• Source of Mexica's growth was the tribute network they had set upo anybody that got conquered by the Mexica had to give

tribute to Tenochtitlan as a way to be subjugatedo tributes caused resentment towards the Mexica in the

tributary and foe states• Vast network of trade brought people of the empire

together, huge crowds gathered at Tenochtitlan so that they could sell and trade their items

Spanish Attack

• Around the year 1519, Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez landed in Mexico and slowly conquered some of the smaller groups in central Mexicoo out of custom the defeated people now were allies of their

conquerers• Through a series of encounters and conflicts the Spanish

laid siege to the city of Tenochtitlan by cutting off their exits to the city, and by receiving thousands of allies of warriors from Tlaxcala and other tribes, the Spanish were able to defeat the capital of the Mexica and the Aztec empire fell quickly afterwards.

Epidemic decimation

• Through the Columbian Exchange the Spanish had the advantage of spreading diseases that the Mexica had no previous exposure to.

• A sudden exposure caused a huge decimation of the population which weaken even further the resistance to the advancements of the Spanish forces and their native allies.

• The effect of the diseases permanently crippled the native population from which it never recovered.

After the conquest

• Spanish began imposing Vice-Royal rule• Missionaries were viciously forcing Catholicism

on the remaining natives• Natives were forced into slave labor for the profit

of the Spanish empire, in which they cultivated crops and mined for precious metals in harsh  conditions that caused more death