Unit 2: Worldviews in Conflict The Aztecs and the Spanish

Topic 1 People of the Sun

An Intro to the Aztecs

UNIT 2: Worldviews in Conflict When: 1300s -1521

Remember to only write down the bold and underlined sections. In this Unit we will learn about: -How intercultural contact between the Aztecs and the Spanish affected each society's worldview. -How their different worldviews resulted in conflict. -How does present day Mexico reflect the experience of Spanish/Aztec contact.

Terms PRIMARY SOURCE: An object such as a letter, religious text, poetry, statue, architecture etc that survived from a period of history. A primary source teaches us about that time in history. SECONDARY SOURCE: An account of a period of history or person based on a primary source of history. Example: a textbook .

Terms Cont.

Aqueduct: A channel used to move water usually supported on a bridge structure when it had to cross a valley. The Aztecs created their own version of aqueducts, though aqueducts had been invented centuries before by the Romans.

Terms Cont.

Tribute: When the Aztecs conquered a society they would collect valuable gifts and taxes from those people.

Who The Aztecs: a civilization or group of people who lived in what we now call Mexico. *Note: The Aztecs never called themselves the Aztecs, this was the name given to them by historians.

Concepts/Ideas Tenochtitlan was the sacred city that the Aztecs lived in. Mexico City is now built on the top of the ruins of Tenochtitlan.

Concepts/Ideas Cont. The geography around their sacred city was important. Mountains surrounded Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs believed the mountains were sacred because the top of the mountain was closer to the Gods. The surrounding mountains also protected the city of Tenochtitlan from enemies.

Concepts/Ideas Cont.

Religion – The Aztec society was based on life revolving around their Gods. They believed the Gods controlled every aspect of their life.

Concepts/Ideas Cont. Human sacrifice – a deeply religious ceremony where a human being was killed. The Aztecs believed human blood fed the Gods, they were not nourished the world would end.

Concepts/Ideas Cont. Calendars – The Aztecs had a sacred calendar made of carved stone. It described how the world began, and how it will end.

Concepts/Ideas Cont. The Aztecs were very talented farmers and were able to feed most of their society on farming alone.

Roles in Society Two important roles in society: 1. The Warrior – protected the Aztec people and cities -conquered other societies and took them over for the Aztecs

Roles in Society Cont. 2. Traders – travelled to other societies to trade for tropical fruit, tropical birds, gold and silver -Helped warriors take over other societies by spying on them when they went to trade

Worldviews *Their lives were ruled by the Aztec Gods Worldview: "Whatever our Gods tell us to do, we must obey. We must keep them happy or else the world will end."

Worldviews Cont.

*The Gods led the Aztecs to live in their sacred city Tenochtitlan Worldview: "Our god Huitzilopochtli commanded us to live in our sacred city. He told us to look for an eagle perching on a cactus, which would be a sign that we need to build our city there. This is why Tenochtitlan is sacred to us."

Worldviews Cont. *The Aztecs believed they were meant to eventually conquer the entire world. Worldview: “Our gods told us we shall conquer all the people in the universe. The Gods will make us lords and Kings of everyplace in the world”.