History: Aztec

• Huitzilopochtli- A Mesoamerican deity of war, sun, human sacrifice and the patron of the city of Tenochtitlan.
• Tlaloc - The god of rain, fertility and agriculture.
• The Aztecs believed that their rulers were descended from gods and therefore had divine power over them.
• Lake Texcoco- A lake where Tenochtitlan was founded. The Aztecs built the city of Tenochtitlan on an island in this lake.
• Tenochtitlan- The capital of the Aztec empire. It was located on Lake Texcoco.
• Chinampas- Small plots of land made by piling mud up in shallow water. They grew crops such as maize, beans and squash. These crops provided food for the people living in Tenochtitlan.
• Conquistadors- Spanish word for conquerors. They were soldiers who fought for the Spanish Empire.
• Motecuhzoma II- The last emperor of the Aztecs. He ruled when Hernan Cortes arrived in Mexico.
• Templo Mayor- An important temple dedicated to Huitzilopochtli. It was destroyed during the Spanish invasion but rebuilt later.
• Sacrifice- An act of offering something to god or a god.
• Guerilla attacks- A type of fighting during war where small groups of warriors make surprise attacks and quickly withdraw to safety.
• Tribute- A payment made by one ruler or nation to another to show obedience or to obtain peace or protection.
• Causeway- Raised roads linking Tenochtitlan to the shores of Lake Texcoco.
• Hernan Cortes- A Spanish explorer who led an expedition to conquer the Aztecs.
• Chinampas- Small plots of land built on shallow water near lakes and rivers. They were used for farming.
• Within Tenochtitlan there were palaces, pyramids and temples in which priests carried out human sacrifices as part of a religious ritual to nourish the gods.
• The Great Temple- A temple dedicated to two gods, Huitzilopochtli (the sun) and Tlaloc (rain).
• The Aztecs migrated from the Valley of Mexico to the North of America because of a terrible drought.
• Tenochtitlan is surrounded by high mountains
• The land has high water streams used to create Chinampas which improves cultivation for the farmers.
• There were five major social classes: The Emperor, Nobles, Warriors, Commoners and Slaves.
• Warriors were men trained to fight in battle. They could become nobles if they showed bravery in warfare.
• The emperor was the most powerful person in society as he had control over everything that happened within his empire.
• Women had few rights but some women became priestesses who held great power over their people.
• The Emperor was an absolute ruler. He was regarded as a god and the 'Great Speaker'.
• Noble families owned large estates called Calpulli. These families provided soldiers for the army.
• The only social classes that were allowed to wear jewellery and decorated capes were nobles and the Emperor.
• Their body art included holes in the ear and split bottom lips. The nobles would show their wealth and dominance through extravagant feasts and gifts to each other.
• Aztecs believed that they could communicate with gods by sacrificing humans, which is why they did it so often.
• Sacrificed victims were usually prisoners or slaves captured during warfare.
• Human Sacrifices were done on a daily basis along with people blood letting themselves, hoping good things will happen when done so.
• Warriors were highly respected in Aztec society.
• Most warriors had to practice another trade for their livelihood.
• Warriors carried a macuahuitl, a sharp stone knife, and a mace.
• It was an honour to get chosen to be sacrificed because it would mean that they would join the Sun God.
• The human sacrifices were treated as god and given everything they wanted for a year.
• Self bloodletting- cut themselves willing to start bleeding to please the Gods.
• The Human Sacrificing ceremony were done by the priests. A sacrificial dagger would be used to kill the sacrifices open and after, the priests would eat their heart raw.
• Children also got sacrificed because of their tears.