While many may be aware of the Aztec civilization, their accomplishments can often be overshadowed by the time period when they were conquered by Spanish explorers, such as Hernan Cortez. However, the Aztecs were a prospering society before their downfall to the Spaniards. The Aztec’s demise is not the only characteristic to remember about one of the most commonly recognized civilizations of the fifteen hundreds. As an ancient Mesoamerican civilization displaced by powerful explorers, the Aztecs can still be seen as an organized society driven by their spirituality and traditions. The Aztecs used an organized system of chinampas and documents surveying what conquered peoples owed them, ensuring that they would be productive on a daily basis. …show more content…
As some may conclude the Aztecs performed human sacrifice out of pure evil, the real reason behind the gruesome act revolved around the Aztec’s gods. The ritual of human sacrifice was ultimately to receive the god’s gifts, which gave them life. In document J the previous opinion is discussed saying, “…humans must sacrifice that which was most important to them – life – to receive the sun, the rain, and other blessings of the gods that made life possible”(Document J). If Aztecs looked at human sacrifice in this way it can be argued that they participated in this act for the sake of keeping the gods happy, who were the providers of everyday fundamentals such as the sun and rain. Ultimately, the Aztecs were determined to give the gift of life to the god’s. Even if the Aztecs only sacrificed humans for daily needs, it may be assumed that people being sacrificed were mistreated, but that opinion can also be refuted. Document H gives an account from a Seventeen-Year-Old Aztec reporting that human sacrifices were treated like the royal family, received ample food and clothes, and were considered as gods. The Aztec added that many of the towns people were sad to see them go, proving that the Aztecs did not take the process of human sacrifice lightly. All things considered, the Aztec’s spirituality may be seen as gruesome, but it is driven by the need of their survival which happens to correlate with human