The Aztecs

The Aztecs

The EAGLE AND THE CACTUS

map ACTIVITYON THE BLANK MAP THAT YOU WILL HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IN A MOMENT, COLOR IN THE CORRESPONDING COLORS FOR THE MAYA, INCA, AND AZTEC TERRITORIES.LABEL MEXICO, GUATEMALA, NICARAGUA, EQUADOR, PERU, AND CHILE.MAKE A COLOR KEY ON THE SIDE OF YOUR MAP. GREY = AZTECS, BLUE= MAYA, AND ORANGE= INCAS

Conquering city-statesTENOCHTITLAN FOUNDED 1325BY THE EARLY 1500S, THE AZTEC EMPIRE HAD 400-500 CITY- STATES, CONTROLLING MUCH OF PRESENT- DAY MEXICOTHE AZTEC EMPEROR RULED MORE THAN 5 MILLION PEOPLE!

THE LEGEND OF THE FIVE SUNS

HUMAN Sacrifice

More human sacrificeTHE AZTECS BELIEVED THAT IF THEY SACRIFICED HUMANS TO THE GODS, THEY WOULD NOT DESTROY THE EARTH AND ALL OF MANKIND(ANYTIME SOON)THEY WOULD OFTEN USE FOREIGN SOLDIERS AS THEIR CAPTIVES BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF SACRIFICING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND NEIGHBORS.IT WOULD TAKE PLACE ON TOP OF PYRAMIDS AND TEMPLES THAT WERE USED FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES

VOCABULARYTENOCHTITLANTHE PLACE OF THE PRICKLY PEARCAUSEWAYA RAISED ROAD BUILT OVER WATER TO CONNECT ISLANDS TO A MAINLANDLITTERA CHAIR ATTACHED TO TWO BEAMS AND CARRIED ON THE SHOULDERS OF SEVERAL MEN

TENOCHTITLANThe Aztec civilization began about 300 years after the Mayans in central Mexico.The nomadic Aztecs moved around Mexico until a god of the sun told them to search for an eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus.They found this odd thing on lake Texcoco and here they founded Tenochtitlan.It was founded in 1325 and means place of the cactus.The Aztecs conquered people around them acquiring about 500 city-states under their power.At the height of Aztec power, about 200,000 people lived in the main city and the emperor ruled over approximately 5 million people.

What We Think Tenochtitlan Used to Look Like

Tenochtitlan Today

Montezuma II Emperor of the Aztecs

Facts About Montezuma IIHe was made emperor in the early 1500sYou could never ever look the emperor in the eyes. If you did, you would be executed.His people had to literally throw themselves down in his presence. Ouch!!Whenever he traveled, his servants would carry a litter(in your vocabulary) or place mats on the ground along the way so he wouldnt get his feet dirty.So many HORRIBLE events happened when he was the emperor. They thought that the world might end.

If you thought the Aztecs were scary with their knives and their heart carving rituals, you havent seen the scariest thing yet!

The Quiz!!!