Rise And Fall Of The Aztec Civilization

The Aztecs were a remarkable civilization. Th is civilization were distrusted and disliked because they tended to push others out of their way. They ruled an empire in Tenochtitlan in the time of 1350 to 1519. They also were known for their agriculture and human sacrifices. Agriculture was a very important part of their h istory because without their farming method the Aztec couldn't have created such great civilization. According to Document A of the Aztec DBQ, states that the Aztec empire grew more than 200 miles west to east, and north to south. Th is means that with the growth of the empire the population also grew and more effective agriculture techniques were needed to feed the people. They created the method of ch inampas because they

The Aztecs were a civilization that emerged in Mesoamerica around the start of the thirteenth century and existed until 1521 CE. The Aztecs had their own system of government, a very complex religion, and sports and games were very important to the civilization. The Aztecs were a civilization that was complex as well as very advanced in many different areas of their civilization such as their government, religion, and sports.

The author argues that the Spanish were completely at fault for the total destruction of the Aztec Empire. In Broken spears, the author explains how many factors other than Spanish power contributed to the downfall of the Aztecs. Not only did the Spanish have many advantages over the Aztecs, but also they also exploited them and took advantage of the cultural difference. The main key aspects to the Spanish victory, is that the Spanish were viewed as gods at first because of their appearance, the Aztecs welcomed the Spanish with gifts and festivities, which showed the Spanish had total control of people. The Aztecs also held a ritual ceremony for the arrival of the “god” that included a human

     The Aztecs were an American Indian people who ruled a mighty empire in Mexico from the 1400's to the 1500's. The Aztecs had one of the most advanced civilizations in the Americas and built cities as large as any in Europe at that time. They also practiced a remarkable religion that affected every part of their lives and featured human sacrifice. The Aztecs built towering temples, created huge sculptures, and held impressive ceremonies all for the purpose of worshipping their gods. The Spaniards destroyed their magnificent empire in the year 1521, but the Aztecs left a lasting mark on Mexican life and culture .

The Aztec people felt very strong about their beliefs in gods and superstitions. Montecuhzoma the independent ruler of the Aztec empire swayed his people to believe in the power of gods and idols and live a spiritual life. This ultimately was a turning point for the Aztecs and is where the Spanish once again gained advantage over the Aztecs. While the Aztecs were faithful to their beliefs it made them powerless an easy take down. Superstitions played a huge factor in the Aztecs first encounter with the Spanish people. In 1519 when the Aztec people saw sight of something coming from a distance in the water, they believed it was Quetzalcoatl (Leon-Portilla, 18). Quetzalcoatl was a legend to them that promised to come back. Montecuhzoma misread the situation and sent messages and gifts in hopes that it sent a gesture to welcome the gods onto their land. This was a big mistake that Motecuhzoma made by opening his arms to the Spanish people upon their first encounter together (Leon-Portilla, 63). This is just one case where the Aztec people poorly used their judgement. However, Motecuhzoma did come to realize the behavior of the Spaniards or “Gods”. When the Spaniards held the gold given by the Aztecs their greed became noticed in the eyes of the Aztecs. The Natives described them as monkeys. They soon caught on that the Spaniards were not gods and heroes and more so barbarians

The Aztecs were a civilization of brave and strong warriors. They ruled their empire in 1350 to 1519. Tenochtitlan was the capital of their empire. Two things the Aztecs were known for were human sacrifice and agriculture. However historians should emphazise agriculture.""I think historians should emphasize Aztec agriculture because of these three reasons. One reason is their farming method called chinampas. According to Document B it states that when the Aztecs used the method of chinampas they did not get cut short of food. Second reason historians should emphasize mor aztec agriculture is because they created many popular Mexican foods of today. According to Document C it states that they created tortillas and popcorn. Laslty Aztecs agriculture

The Aztecs were a ancient civilization who ruled an empire in the region of mesoamerica between 1325 A.D and 1521 . From their capital city of tenochtitlan, presently the site of modern - day Mexico City, the Aztecs had many achievements. Two things they were most know for is Agriculture and Human sacrifice, which was very unique. However, historians should emphasize the role of Human Sacrifice in Aztec culture."

The Aztecs were a marvelous civilization that were located in the Americas, from 1350 to 1519. Their main city was tenochtitlan , in a geological basin of modern day central Mexico.Two things the Aztec culture is known for are their complex farming methods and their somewhat disturbing religious beliefs. However historians should emphasize the role of agriculture in the Aztec civilization .""The Aztecs farming methods helped them expand their territory and empire. Document A shows that the Aztec empire grew to more than 200 miles west to east and north to south . As the empire started growing , the Aztecs needed a efficient method of farming . This means that the growth of the empire meant that the population also grew and since they had an effective

The ancient Aztec civilization is usually thought of as a barbaric, unintelligent people throughout modern society. This could be an ideal carried down from the Spaniards that concord the native lands or even something as simple as today’s society creating overblown stereotypes because of conjoined lack of understanding and overall knowledge. But, because of the extensive research and studies done by Miguel León-Portilla we are able to discover the true nature of the Aztec peoples way of life. Within the book “Aztec Thought and Culture” the author explains the develop of the Aztec civilization through education and philosophy as well as describing the Aztec people as an advanced society rather than the popular belief of a savage people and culture.

Some of the many ingenious ideas used by the Aztecs were the calendar stone and the chimpanas. In Chimpana’s Agriculture, the author states,”...an ingenious system for irrigating agriculture called chimpanas. These floating islands approximately seventeen feet across and one hundred to three hundred thirty feet wide that rested in reed framed that were anchored to the

Friar Diego Duran points out that an Aztec god ordered them to call the piece of land that they settled in, Tenochtitlan (Doc. 2). There are religious reasons that justify the Aztec reign and control over central Mexico; one of these reasons if their gods telling them what to do. There is a polytheistic reign in the Aztec empire, which makes them feel like they have to build towers to impress their gods and make their lives better. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Student Edition describes “the central plaza of an Aztec castle included a pyramid temple to the war god, left, temples to other gods and palaces” (Doc. 4) The Aztecs relied on their gods to help them make choices in life. The Aztecs did fierce human sacrifice to turn the sacrifice into a god. Most of the Aztecs fierce fighting game from human sacrifice to their

The Aztecs were describe as warrior. The Aztecs ruled on the empire on the city of Mexico, from 1325-1521. From their capital city of Tenochitlan, presently the site of modern day lake Texcoco. The Aztecs were known for two things in especially for their farming and Human Sacrifice. Historians should emphasize the rule of Human Sacrifice in Aztecs culture""It was Human Sacrifice that led to the Aztecs expanding their empire.

There were many different methods the Aztecs used to sacrifice their victims but most sacrifices centered on the method of heart extraction. The victims were, “thrust onto the stone, where a temple priest cut through their chest wall with a ritual flint knife,” and the heart was, “[offered] to the sun for vitality and nourishment,” (“Aztec Human Sacrifices”). There was also the act of burning the victim alive in the sacrificial fire but before they reached death they were taken out and their heart would be taken out (Callery 33). Victims were not the only ones that were sacrificed; priests also conducted a method of sacrifice called bloodletting. The priest would begin by punctuating his tongue or any other body part and then proceeding to letting blood flow out (“Aztec Human Sacrifices”). A torture method of the Aztecs that might be

The first being political political: the subjugation of enemy city states in order expand the empire and demonstrate power and superiority. The second objective was religious and socioeconomic: the taking of captives to be sacrificed in religious ceremonies. According to Friar Diego Durán’s accounts of the Aztec civilization, Tlacaelel - a king of the Aztec Empire - arranged with leaders of other Pre-Columbian city states to engage in ritual battles that would provide all parties with enough sacrificial victims to appease the gods. Tlacaelel reigned over a period of great famine in the empire in year 1450. The Aztec Religion believed that Gods required sacrifices to keep all running smoothly. There were several gods that the Aztecs worshiped to for agricultural purposes, for example: Tláloc, who sends rain and nourishes maize7, Centeotl, the god of maize in general, Teteoinnan, the god of agriculture as well as sexual fertility, and Xipe Totec, god of rituals and sacrifice8. The Aztecs believed that through worshipping certain gods, and generously providing them with a steady supply of sacrifices and blood, the gods would in return keep things balanced. When there was not enough victims, Tlacaelel resorted to these battles to collect more humans to be sacrificed. War was a dominant aspect of the Aztec civilization, and they aspired to exponentially expand their empire through military conquest, while also collecting tribute from the

The Aztec civilization during its peak was the strongest civilization in the western hemisphere. When the Spaniards first set foot in the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, they could not believe that a civilization so primitive in their minds could have been so culturally developed and powerful. However, before making it to Tenochtitlan, they had discovered that all was not well in the Aztec empire. From many native Indians that had tension with the Aztecs, they learned of internal and pre-existing problems that existed. This investigation examines to what extent where those internal and pre-existing factors to blame for the downfall of the Aztec Empire. The investigation was undertaken using some of the only primary