Thursday, January 13th, 2011History of the SouthwestIN: Write down everything you know about the Aztec:

Content Objective: Students will investigate causes & effects of significant events in world history by explaining the rise of the Aztecs to power and determining the meaning of the symbols of the Mexican flag.

Aztec (Mexicas) rise…Around 1200 ad: The Aztecs (or Mexicas)

enter the Valley of Mexico (Central Mexico) after wandering for years through the deserts of northern Mexico. =Nomadic (no home) people.

Follow a Prophecy (A calling- usually religious.Prophecy says: Aztecs will wander

(walk) in search of a home until they see an eagle resting on a cactus with a serpent in its mouth. When they find it, they will stop. This will be home.

Aztecs stop wanderingThey see an eagle on a cactus with a

serpent in its mouth on a small island in the middle of Lake Texcoco.

In 1325 they build their city of Tenotchtitlan (present day Mexico City.)

Aztec society developsAztecs loved war. They were the

biggest, strongest, fastest people around. Believed it pleased the gods.

It helped them capture slaves, which they used to build their cities and to sacrifice to the gods.

While many other civilizations practiced human sacrifice, no one did it more than the Aztecs. Human blood fed the gods. Without it, the gods could become angry, the sun would not come up.

But this made them many enemies.

1502 AD Monctezuma= kingMonctezuma was king of the Aztecs. He

had complete power. Was believed to be a man-god.

What is your prediction? What will happen to Monctezuma and the Aztecs?

OUT: Draw the flag in your notes, explain the symbols in the middle.