Chapter 1 Continuity and Change in Aztec CultureIn this week’s reading the authorsargue about how the Aztec Empire was able to aggressively expand its political and economic dominion over much of central Mexicoand its sudden and dramatic fall. The Aztec Empire was established around the year 1430 and lasted through 1521. The most important elements of this culture were the agriculture, religion (polytheistic), floating islets, stabilized by stakes, lakes and muddy lands of the region (where they cultivated maize, vegetables and flowers), metallurgy, weaving, craftsmanship and a very developed architecture. After the discovery of America, in 1492, many navigators and adventurers hired and aided by the Spanish Crown
Tenochtitlán was the capital city of the Aztec civilization. It was founded in AD 1325 by the Mexica people. This city was built on a cluster of small natural islands on Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico. The small island was gradually enlarged as Tenochtitlán grew. It became one of the largest and most powerful cities in Mesoamerica.
A major part of Aztec life, centered around religion. The Aztecs believed in a polytheistic, animistic religion. There were about 128 major deities, including gods of rain, fire, water, corn, the sky, and the sun, which showed you how large of a scale their religion was. When it comes to Aztec religion and culture, it becomes crucial to
Montazuma the second was possibly one of the most important people in the entire history of The Aztec history. This is because he was the king/emperor when the Spanish concurs concurred the Aztec empire. He was born in 1466 and died in 29 of June 1520. According to one of the sources I used Montazuma was killed by the citizens of Tenochtitlan using rocks and spears because Cortez and his men forced Montazuma to admit defeat to his people. Letting the Spanish in to Tenochtitlan and showing weeknes was a horrible decision because the Spanish concurs saw this and used it against him.
The Aztecs religious beliefs The Aztecs of Mexico City had very unique beliefs. They worshiped in the temple which is in the middle of the exhibit. The Aztec temples were almost always offering mounds, the priest of the Aztec religion would use these temples to worship and pray. They also used it for offerings to the Aztec Gods. The way the Aztec’s way of worshiping was praying and sacrificing.
Religion played a huge role in the Aztec society. Religion was the most important thing to the Aztec people . The Aztecs used omens and stars to tell the future. The Aztecs had believed that a god named Quetzalcoatl would and destroy the entire Aztec civilization and he would return in the year of the seed. In 1519 a Explorer named Hernan Cortes discovered Mexico in 1519.
Religion is a very important part of the Aztecs' lives, impacting their society. The Aztecs were very individual, and their religion influenced their daily life, social hierarchy, and their military campaigns. They gave great respect to the gods and goddesses, each god symbolizing different aspects such as the sun, rain, agriculture, and warfare. The Aztecs believed that their gods needed multiple human sacrifices to maintain the world. This act resulted in the erection of magnificent temples, like the Templo Mayor in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, where rituals and ceremonies happened.
In the years between 1350 and 1519 the aztec empire ruled the lower half of mexico. The capitol of the empire was Tenochtitlan, currently mexico city, on the lake Texcoco. They were disliked by many because they were tough warriors who pushed people out of there way. The capitol of their empire was tenochtitlan, current day mexico, on the lake texcoco. They were disliked because people saw them as fierce warriors and fanatical followers of the aztec gods.
The Aztec culture and religion is a unique and special one. The Aztecs capital was located on a small island that was surrounded by a land mass. And their civilization thrived for 91 years before the Spanish conquered their land and enslaved their people. They also found and built their capital among a prophecy that an oracle gave them and that location (Tenochtitlan) became a thriving Aztec city. The way that their religion influenced their daily life, the arts, and literature shows us how committed they were to their gods.
They erected great temples and pyramids to their gods. These pyramids were 20 stories tall and had a great stairway leading to the top, and at the top, that is where the ceremonial sacrifices took place. These craftsmen also erected a grand home for the emperor, his home was decorated finely. But not all Aztecs had such homes, these homes were made from clay and water, they only had one room for all the activities in the home i.e. cooking, eating and sleeping. They also had a separate building for steam baths.
Tim Burton is an American film director that many people know of. He has directed many movies that all have similar stuff in common, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands, both very well known movies. His movies are dark, mysterious and sometimes even a little creepy. Burton uses music, light, and framing to help the audience understand the current mood of the scene better. Music can be used to bring the audience feel what the character in the movie would be feeling to cause you to become more involved, and that’s exactly what Burton does in his movies.
Aztec religion reflected on mainly sacrifices and their gods. They believed in giving the gods what they wanted so they wouldn’t turn on them. For this reason, they held human sacrifice with the belief that they would then be ensured an afterlife. “Religion played an important part in Aztecs lives and was very complicated because they adopted many aspects of the people that they conquered.” (Aztec Civilization).
The Aztecs and other Meso-American civilizations kept skulls as trophies and displayed them during the ritual. The skulls were used to symbolize death and rebirth. The skulls were used to honor the dead, whom the Aztecs and other Meso-American civilizations believed came back to visit during the monthlong ritual. Unlike the Spaniards, who viewed death as the end of life, the natives viewed it as the continuation of life.
The symbols, colors, and directions in their buildings could all be traced back to gods. (218 aztec world). One important structure to the Aztecs that they designed were shrines. Inside the shrines were where people would place offerings and every individual shrine was devoted to honoring only one god. (222-223 aztec world)
They had public ceremonies and prayed to agriculture god for good harvests. Priests kept calendars. Sometimes war prisoners were sacrificed to the gods. Aesthetics (Art, literature, music, dance, leisure activities, legacies to world culture) Aztecs built large and unique structures. They consisted of mainly temples and city walls.
