THE AZTECSTHE AZTECS

TeotihuacanTeotihuacan

City-State of MexicoCity-State of Mexico Outside modern-day Mexico CityOutside modern-day Mexico City Abandon by 750 A.D.Abandon by 750 A.D. ““City of the Gods”City of the Gods”

ToltecsToltecs

Took over after the fall of Took over after the fall of TeotihuuacanTeotihuuacan

Leader, Topiltzin, tried to change the Leader, Topiltzin, tried to change the religion and end sacrifices.religion and end sacrifices.

Quetzalcoatl- feathered serpent godQuetzalcoatl- feathered serpent god

AZTEC EMPIRE LOCATIONAZTEC EMPIRE LOCATIONThe Aztecs were a great nation of The Aztecs were a great nation of

nomadic warriors who traveled nomadic warriors who traveled Mexico in about 1200 A.D. years ago Mexico in about 1200 A.D. years ago in search of a land to call their own.in search of a land to call their own.

THE EAGLE AND THE SNAKETHE EAGLE AND THE SNAKEThe Aztec chief had a dream in The Aztec chief had a dream in which their god appeared to him which their god appeared to him

and declared that the Aztecs and declared that the Aztecs would build a great nation where would build a great nation where

the eagle with a snake in its talons the eagle with a snake in its talons lands on a cactus. lands on a cactus.

THE ISLAND IN THE LAKETHE ISLAND IN THE LAKE

The warriors searched for many The warriors searched for many days and came upon a lake. They days and came upon a lake. They

were tired and hungry. They were tired and hungry. They gazed out upon the lake and saw a gazed out upon the lake and saw a

huge eagle swoop down, grab a huge eagle swoop down, grab a snake in its talons and land on a snake in its talons and land on a

cactus that was on an island in the cactus that was on an island in the middle of the lake.middle of the lake.

GREAT BUILDERSGREAT BUILDERS Began to build a great nation in the Began to build a great nation in the

middle of a huge lake (Tenochtitlan)middle of a huge lake (Tenochtitlan) Great gardens and streams. Great gardens and streams.

They traveled by boat much like in They traveled by boat much like in Venice. Venice.

Planned city built of goldPlanned city built of gold

Floating GardensFloating Gardens As the Aztec population grew, As the Aztec population grew,

more food was needed. more food was needed.

Created Created ““floatingfloating”” gardens. They gardens. They built a series of rafts, which they built a series of rafts, which they anchored to the lake bed. They anchored to the lake bed. They piled on dirt and grew crops. piled on dirt and grew crops. They made walkways out of mud They made walkways out of mud and reeds to connect the floating and reeds to connect the floating rafts. rafts.

Grew chili peppers, squash, Grew chili peppers, squash, corn, tomatoes, and beanscorn, tomatoes, and beans

THE AZTEC EDUCATIONTHE AZTEC EDUCATION

Very well educated Very well educated Advanced calendar Advanced calendar Performed brain surgery Performed brain surgery Great in mathematics, Great in mathematics,

architecture, building, architecture, building, astronomy, medicine, astronomy, medicine, surgery, and farming surgery, and farming

THE AZTEC RELIGIONTHE AZTEC RELIGION

PolytheisticPolytheistic Personification (i.e. Personification (i.e.

Sun, Moon)Sun, Moon) They thought that They thought that

the moon and the the moon and the sun did battle every sun did battle every night and day.night and day.

THE AZTECS GODSTHE AZTECS GODS Believed that in Believed that in

order to give the order to give the Sun power to Sun power to defeat the moon defeat the moon and rise each and rise each morning the Sun morning the Sun must have a blood must have a blood sacrifice. sacrifice.

Sacrificed a Sacrificed a beating heart beating heart everydayeveryday

THE AZTEC SACRAFICESTHE AZTEC SACRAFICES

Forced to be at constant war to obtain Forced to be at constant war to obtain prisoners to sacrificeprisoners to sacrifice

Never killed their enemies. Never killed their enemies. Captured them and held them for daily Captured them and held them for daily

sacrifice. sacrifice. Placed on a bench, and their heart was cut Placed on a bench, and their heart was cut

out while a stone statue of Chac-mool was out while a stone statue of Chac-mool was placed in.placed in.

THE AZTEC WARFARETHE AZTEC WARFARE

The Aztecs were The Aztecs were feared and feared and

hated by all of hated by all of the other the other

Indian tribes of Indian tribes of Mexico. Mexico.

THE ARRIVAL OF THE THE ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISHSPANISH

Hernán Cortes had Hernán Cortes had heard of the heard of the infamous Aztecs. infamous Aztecs.

The Spanish were The Spanish were experiencing gold experiencing gold feverfever

Agreed to come to Agreed to come to the Americas and the Americas and conquer the Aztecs conquer the Aztecs and steal their goldand steal their gold

THE CONQUEST OF THE THE CONQUEST OF THE AZTECSAZTECS

The Spanish conquistadors landed The Spanish conquistadors landed in Mexico with approximately 300 in Mexico with approximately 300 men and 40 horses. men and 40 horses.

Traveled Mexico and met with the Traveled Mexico and met with the IndiansIndians

Upon hearing how fierce the Aztecs Upon hearing how fierce the Aztecs were, Corteswere, Cortes’’s men became scareds men became scared

Cortes burned his ships. This forced Cortes burned his ships. This forced his men to fight or die.his men to fight or die.

THE AZTEC TRAITORTHE AZTEC TRAITOR Another Indian tribe Another Indian tribe

gave Cortes a gave Cortes a woman slave by the woman slave by the name of Malintzin. name of Malintzin.

She had been She had been captured as a child captured as a child by the Mayas. by the Mayas.

She was an Aztec She was an Aztec and spoke many and spoke many different languages different languages because she had because she had been traded.been traded.

THE COMING OF THE AZTEC THE COMING OF THE AZTEC GODGOD

Malintzin became Malintzin became infatuated with infatuated with Cortes because he Cortes because he was nice.was nice.

Told Cortes that Told Cortes that the Aztecs were the Aztecs were awaiting their god awaiting their god Quetzalcoatl to Quetzalcoatl to return this yearreturn this year

THE MEETINGTHE MEETING According to Aztec According to Aztec

legend a tall white man legend a tall white man had appeared and had appeared and ruled and left the ruled and left the Aztecs after promising Aztecs after promising to return in 100 years to return in 100 years to rule them again. to rule them again.

Hernán Cortes was Hernán Cortes was Spanish. He was a tall Spanish. He was a tall white man. white man.

He came to He came to Tenochtitlan that exact Tenochtitlan that exact year. year.

MOCTEZUMAMOCTEZUMA

Hernán Cortes Hernán Cortes presented presented

himself to the himself to the Aztec leader Aztec leader Moctezuma Moctezuma

and claimed to and claimed to be their be their

returning God.returning God.

THE END OF THE AZTECSTHE END OF THE AZTECS Moctezuma gave the Moctezuma gave the

Spaniards gifts of Spaniards gifts of gold and welcomed gold and welcomed them to his city. them to his city.

The Aztecs had The Aztecs had never before seen never before seen horses and guns and horses and guns and wept with fear. wept with fear.

They believed They believed Hernán Cortes to be Hernán Cortes to be their long lost god. their long lost god.

HERNAN CORTESHERNAN CORTES Hernan Cortes and his men killed Hernan Cortes and his men killed

Moctezuma. Moctezuma. They had given an enemy a key to They had given an enemy a key to

the city. the city. Disease spread throughout Disease spread throughout

Tenochtitlan. Tenochtitlan. One third of the Indians were One third of the Indians were

stricken and died of Small Pox. stricken and died of Small Pox.

THE GREAT BATTLETHE GREAT BATTLE

The Aztecs decided to kill the The Aztecs decided to kill the Spaniards. However, they were sick Spaniards. However, they were sick with disease and without a leader. with disease and without a leader.

Spaniards were out numbered one Spaniards were out numbered one thousand to one. thousand to one.

The other Indian tribes saw this as The other Indian tribes saw this as an opportunity to be rid of the an opportunity to be rid of the Aztecs and came to help. Aztecs and came to help.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE WHAT TO DO WITH THE GOLD?GOLD?

While some were fighting the While some were fighting the Spaniards, the Aztecs men, women, Spaniards, the Aztecs men, women, and children worked and gathered and children worked and gathered up the gold throughout the city up the gold throughout the city and piled it into boats. and piled it into boats.

One by one they sunk those boats One by one they sunk those boats into the lake. into the lake.

MEXICO CITYMEXICO CITY

The bulk of the Aztec gold was lost The bulk of the Aztec gold was lost to the world. to the world.

The great Aztec empire fell. Mexico The great Aztec empire fell. Mexico then built a great city on the site then built a great city on the site which used to be Tenochtitlan. which used to be Tenochtitlan.

The Aztec symbol is proudly flown The Aztec symbol is proudly flown on the Mexican flag, and today the on the Mexican flag, and today the Mexican people view the Aztecs and Mexican people view the Aztecs and not Cortes as national heros.not Cortes as national heros.