[citation needed] The markets, which were located in the center of many communities, were well organized and diverse in goods, as noted by the Spanish conquistadors upon their arrival. From the 13th to the 16th century the Aztecs steadily conquered and ruled over Central-America. The missionary, Toribio de Benavente Motolinia, who was witness to the disastrous outbreak in America, wrote of it: “As the Indians did not know the remedy of the disease…they died in … Although the size of these groups varied between … The Broken Spears of Miguel León Portilla, describes the Spanish conquest of Mexico and the struggle of the Aztecs to protect their cultural space in those times. The Spanish conquistador easily subdued the Aztecs. Most of the Aztecs were commoners, who provided the labor needed for the culture to thrive. The Spanish’s’ main goal was trying to get the Aztec people to subdue to their demands, both in a spiritual and physical conquest. It was merely a new European society founded upon the skeleton of the former empire. [citation needed] Some of them were educated as midwives and received the full training of a healer; they were also called tizitl. Men could marry more than one wife, but there was usually a primary wife who was in charge of the household. The tlatoani was the head of the most influential calpulli, often because of having the most prestigious lineage. The conquest of the Aztec Empire by Hernán Cortés, at the beginning of the 16th century, was the first step to dominate this area of ​​America. The key positions in the military, state administration, judiciary, and priesthood were dominated by the nobility. The healers (tizitl) had several specialities. In the valleys of the empire, irrigation farming was used. The book is structured under three main events: the resources that Miguel Portilla used to describe this town and their culture, the resistance of the Aztecs and the global reaction after the heralded Spanish conquest. The Aztec social structure placed the priests near the top of the order, though priests did have to adhere to strict rules that included vows of celibacy and sobriety. The most important social group in the Aztec society was the calpolli. When the Mayans came here the they were located in Mexico which were in Central America. The most basic social division in Aztec society was that between nobles (Nahuatl pīpiltin) and commoners (Nahuatl mācehualtin). The Social Structure Of The Aztec Empire. These “raised beds” were between 2 and 4 meters wide, and 20 to 40 meters long. For example, the pochteca, long-distance traders, were considered commoners yet at the same time held a number of privileges comparable to those of the lesser nobility. They primarily practiced four methods of agriculture: rainfall cultivation, terrace agriculture, irrigation, and Chinampa. Calpulli Mobility between the two social layers was difficult, but in practice both the commoner and noble groups were structured into finer hierarchies and a high degree of social mobility was possible within a given layer. Aztec society was not isolated from the larger Mesoamerican context, and in fact, most aspects of it were similar in structure to what existed in the surrounding societies.[1]. The Spanish were impressed by its size, beauty, order, and infrastructure. Colonial Period 1521-1550, Page 18, "Agriculture and Exchange Ancient Aztec World", Barbara A. Somervill - Empire of the Aztecs, page 101, "Xicotencatl: rethinking an indigenous Mexican hero", Florentine Codex: General History of the Things of New Spain, "City Size in Late Post-Classic Mesoamerica", Pre-Columbian America: Empires of the New World, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aztec_society&oldid=1003499127, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 29 January 2021, at 07:41. Even though the senate could attempt to make decisions, in the end the emperor had the final. The earliest, and most basic, form of agriculture implemented by the Aztecs is known as “ rainfall cultivation.”. [14], The Aztecs are credited with domestication of the subspecies of wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, which is native to this region. ...The Aztecs, part of modern day Mexico, were once the epitome of fine culture.They began their rule of southern and central Mexico during the 14th century and practiced an incredibly wealthy lifestyle. The first was how to reward the blood-soaked conquistadors who had taken the land (and who had been badly cheated out of their shares of the gold by Cortes). the Spanish conquest was a catastrophe, or disaster, for the Aztecs. [citation needed] Ultimately, there was no Aztec society left after 1521. They documented the lineage of Aztec royalty, agrarian cycles, religious ceremonies and the Aztec gods, among other topics. Their capital, Tenochtitlán, was located on the site of present-day Mexico City. A Codex is a painted pectoral and written history of the Aztec, both from the pre-Columbian and colonial eras. [4], The calpulli ran a temple for adoration of the calpulli's deity and also a school called the Telpochcalli where young men were trained, predominantly in martial arts. The parents of the young woman would advise the matchmaker whether or not they accepted the proposal. Caste and Class Structure in Colonial Spanish AmericaDuring most of the colonial era, Spanish American society had a pyramidal structure with a small number of Spaniards at the top, a group of mixedrace people beneath them, and at the bottom a large indigenous population and small number of slaves, usually of African origin. The altepetl was the unit that held sway over a given territory and defended and possibly expanded it by military might. Click through these examples. Aztec marriage practices were similar to those of other Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Mayans. Unlike with the Incan civilization, the Aztec had social classes that started with having the king on top, then priests, followed by nobles then merchants, artisans and finally came the farmers and slaves. Their language, lifestyle, and technology were all impacted by contact with neighboring cultures. Ullamaliztli, the ball game, was a large part of the indigenous society and had ritual aspects. General laborers could be slaves, menial workers, or farm hands, while specialists were responsible for things like choosing the most successful seeds and crop rotations. The basic unit of Aztec society was the family. The composite image on the right shows a drawing of a simple peasant farmer’s house (from a codex) alongside a reconstructed Aztec house interior in a major Mexican museum. Ultimately, there was no Aztec society left after 1521. After the decapitation of the Aztecs, the conquistadors brought in their religion and new political structure and imposed it upon the few remaining indigenous peoples. Zoe lives in Malone, New York, USA, holds an associates degree in Applied Science from North Country Community College, has travelled to Mexico and visited many Aztec sites. Recent studies have countered the claim that the Aztec Empire ran the triple alliance by suggesting that Tenochtitlan was actually the dominant altepetl all along.[13]. By: Brody,Jesse,Wade Adaptations to a new society From the word of the participants Many Aztec nobles began to adapt to the new institution and spanish ways. Aztec marriages were initiated by the parents of the potential groom. [citation needed]. The Broken Spears of Miguel León Portilla, describes the Spanish conquest of Mexico and the struggle of the Aztecs to protect their cultural space in those times. The network of canals was very complex and intricate. Following the Spanish arrival in Mexico, a huge battle erupted between the army of Cortes and the Aztec people under the rule of Montezuma. Often subordinate altepetl would form alliances in order to overthrow a dominant altepetl. There were also two other opportunities for those few who had talent. To what extent was the Aztec iden-tity affected by the conquest? After a 90-day siege the city fell on August 13, 1521. [citation needed], All trade throughout the Aztec Empire was regulated by officers who patrolled the markets to ensure that the buyers were not being cheated by the merchants. As summation of how these different elements intermingled to support the Spanish in their conquest, during the Spanish invasion, when Cortes' forces arrived at Tabasco, the Tabascans attacked. While the Ciudad de Mexico was being erected on the ruins of the old Aztec capital, the remainder of the conquered territory was gradually divvied up into grants for huge estates, known as encomiendas , operated under a feudal system by some 500 Spanish … The Spaniards didn’t agree with the rituals and began to despise the Aztecs. The Aztecs called themselves Mexica, which was the name of priest-chief from ancient, legendary times of Mexi. Politically, the society was organized into independent city-states, called altepetls, composed of smaller divisions (calpulli), which were again usually composed of one or more extended kinship groups. The Spanish Conquest impacted the Aztec society’s beliefs and way of life. The natural oztomeca were forced to disguise themselves as they traveled, as they sought after rare goods. They would admonish young wives, and after the second month of pregnancy, they began to watch for any problems. The conquest of Tenochtitlan and the subsequent consolidation of Spanish domination over the former Aztec Empire was the first major possession in what became the Spanish Empire. This definition is referring to specific circumstances of one particular Aztec group it will be done with the ethnonym referring specifically to that group e.g. Recreation came in different forms in Aztec society. Images of Everyday Aztec Life The codices give us an opportunity to see how the Mexica/Aztecs lived their lives from day to day. [online] Grade 8 Social Studies. Some were trained to just inspect and classify medicinal plants, others were trained in the preparation of medicines that were sold in special places (tlapalli). Dance, however could be used in many different ways such as entertainment, religion or politics. The conquest of Tenochtitlan and the subsequent consolidation of Spanish domination over the former Aztec Empire was the first major possession in what became the Spanish Empire. Dr. Manuel Valdez 1992). In this codex a Spanish monk, named Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, documented the religion, ritual practices, social structure, economics and cosmological views the Aztecs. Boys were admonished to be humble, obedient and hard workers. [8] The word altepetl, however, did not only refer to the area but also to its population, and altepetl affiliation is thought to have been the primary criterion for ethnic divisions in Mesoamerica – rather than linguistic affinities. The Aztec Empire had a strict social structure that was identified with nobles, commoners, serfs, or slaves. After three months of fighting, he finally took control of the city and completed his conquest of the Aztec Empire. [3] In Nahuatl another word for calpulli was tlaxilacalli – "a partition of houses". Aztec Religion, Culture, and Social Structure (02:29) Two great temples occupied the heart of Tenochtitlan, demonstrating the importance of religion to the Aztecs; it was here human sacrifices were made. These people were often referred to as the richest of merchants, as they played a central role in capturing the slaves used for sacrificial victims. Dams diverted water from natural springs to the fields. Marriages were arranged by matchmakers. Aztec society can trace its roots to Mesoamerican Origins. Important among these are the Florentine Codex, a 12 volume ethnographic description of precolumbian Aztec society compiled by Bernardino de Sahagún, the chronicle of Diego Durán, and the descriptions of the first conquistadors such as those of Hernán Cortés himself and of Bernal Díaz del Castillo. First Contact -The Spanish InvasionThe Spaniards benefited from the weaknesses created by the economic and political instability of the Aztec Empire. Aztec Social Structure aztec social structure Pre-Columbian Aztec society was the highly complex and stratified society that developed among the Aztecs of central Mexico in the centuries prior to the Spanish conquest of Mexico, and which was built on the cultural foundations of the larger region of Mesoamerica. James Lockhart, who specializes in the historical description of the Nahua, said Aztec society was characterized by a "tendency to create larger wholes by the aggregation of parts that remain relatively separate and self-contained brought together by their common function and similarity". The noble class of the Aztecs was known as the pipiltin, and was actually somewhat larger than most might expect. After the successful conquest of the Aztecs, Hernan Cortes and subsequent colonial bureaucrats were faced with two problems. In some Aztec citystates calpullis practiced a specialized or specific trade, and these calpullis functioned something like a medieval trade guild. The second was how to rule large swaths of conquered land. As the Spanirards took over the throne, most of the indigenous people became … The Aztecs believed that the Toltecs built the city (its now believed that the city predates the Toltec civilization). The pre-conquest Aztecs were an empire that prospered agriculturally, and they did so without the wheel or domestic beasts of burden. In Aztec society, dance could be used for entertainment, religious and sacrificial purposes, or for politics. The social structure was also identified with boys and girls. In 1577, a generation after the conquest of Mexico, a unique illustrated book was completed. After consulting with the extended kinship group, the parents would approach a professional matchmaker (ah atanzah), who would approach the potential bride's family. Traders could become powerful and wealthy, but their prosperity was based on their class, and most citizens stayed farmers. The family was very important to the Aztecs and marriage was considered sacred. More than a hundred preparations are known, including deodorants, remedies for smelly feet, dentifric paste etc. One particular scene that shows Spanish colonialism is when the Aztecs are sacrificing a young woman to the Goddess by taking out her heart, then they were caught in the act by the Spanish and Father Friar Diego. [9] Prestigious lineages also traced their kin back through ruling dynasties, preferably ones with a Toltec heritage. This was the case in Otompan[5] and in Texcoco and Tlatelolco. The author gives insight on how many ways the Spaniards used their power to assist in the downfall of the Aztecs. This was a collection of families connected by blood or long association. At first, after the conquest, interracial marriages between the soldiers and indio women was sanctioned. The history of the Central Valley of Mexico after tenth century A.D. is dominated by a long tradition of tribal conflicts that led to the fall of several civilizations, replaced by subsequent Nahua tribes. After two centuries of migration, around 1200 AD the Aztecs started to form their foundation in the Valley of Mexico, and that was the start of one of the most mightest civilization. [citation needed] It is possible that the common people preferred the telpochcalli, because a warrior could advance more readily by his military abilities; becoming a priest or a tlacuilo was not a way to rise rapidly from a low station. They preferred to save the woman's life over that of a fetus,[citation needed] resorting to embryotomy. The Aztecs broke bread and welcomed the Spaniards with gifts and parties. The society in the Incan empire was more organized than the Aztec. The Aztec Empire lasted from the year 1345 to the year 1521. Also there were tizitl specialized in surgery, digestive diseases, teeth and nose, skin diseases, etc. Tactical Organization of the Spanish The immediate question is how the two sides in this conflict used their forces and how that use led to victory for the Spanish and defeat for the Aztecs. The exact nature of the calpulli is not completely understood and it has been variously described as a kind of clan, a town, a ward, a parish or an agriculture based cooperative. Periodically they attended their local temples, to test their progress. One's lineage determined social standing, and noble traced their lineage back to the mythical past, as they were said to be descended from the god Quetzalcoatl. Aztec culture was organized … [citation needed] They even managed to divert a large portion of the Cuauhtitlan River to provide irrigation to large areas. [citation needed] They were not taught to read or write. The Aztec peoples included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica from the 14th to the 16th centuries. Since the government was based on hereditary rule, the senate had little to no control or preference over who would be emperor. Men could marry more than one wife, but there was usually a primary wife who was in charge of the household. It is clear that they understood the nature of the Inca civil war and were dealing with emissaries from both factions. This bibliography was generated on Cite This For Me on Sunday, September 13, 2015. Though still the smallest of the social orders, the pipiltin consisted of not only the government rulers and administrators but also the priestly classes and even the military commanders. It is believed that he died when some Aztecs contemplated his possible complicity with the Spaniards and threw ston… The Aztecs or Mexica as they called themselves, weren’t originally from the Valley of Mexico, many people migrated from the north. In recent decades the archaeological study of precolumbian Aztec civilization has also unearthed important information about Aztec society which has led to a deeper understanding particularly of social structures and trade. What impact did the conquest have on Aztec society? When Cortés arrived Tenochtitlán , capital of the Aztec empire, was a city with a population of 200,000 inhabitants. Much of it covers the period within a few decades after the conquest, and it is uncertain how much change had occurred because of the introduction of Spanish culture. They served as soldiers, farmed the land, and built cities such as Tenochtitlan. Humanities Essay: The Aztecs 1830 Words8 Pages. This book explores the ancient Aztecs through social structure. Aztec teachers (tlamatimine) propounded a spartan regime of education – cold baths in the morning, hard work, physical punishment, bleeding with maguey thorns and endurance tests – with the purpose of forming a stoical people. Some alliances were short-lived and others were long-term relationships wherein a group of altepetl would converge to form what could almost be considered a single political entity. When the Spanish voyagers first arrived, they were … [15], Aztec armed forces were typically composed of large numbers of commoners with basic military training, who were stiffened by smaller numbers of professional warriors belonging to the nobility. The altepetl (from Nahuatl āltepētl "water-mountain") was a city-state composed of several calpullis and ruled by a tlatoani. Because of this, their work, called temiuxiuliztli, has sometimes been translated as "obstetrics" (Medicine in Mexico, before the Discovery. In the aftermath of the Conquest the Spaniards began to set up Nueva España’s political, social and economic structure. allowed them to germinate. This system was easier to manage because the total population was around 5 million. As the Aztec state was centered on expansion, dominance, and extraction of tribute from other city-states, warfare became the basic dynamic force in Aztec politics, economy, and religion. Female tizitl would treat women throughout their reproductive life. Pre-Columbian civilizations - Pre-Columbian civilizations - The Spanish conquest: Meanwhile, the Spaniards had landed at Tumbes on the northern coast of Peru early in 1532 and were seeking an interview with Atahuallpa so that they could kidnap him. Lineage was traced through both the maternal and paternal lines, although with a preference for paternal lineage. After a 90-day siege the city fell on August 13, 1521. [18] These performances often included songs, instrumental music and sometimes comic sketches. Of supreme importance is the Florentine Codex, a project directed by Franciscan friar Bernardino de Sahagún, who drew on indigenous informants' knowledge of Aztec religion, social structure, natural history, and includes a history of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire from the Mexica viewpoint. Socially, the society depended on a rather strict division betwe… Furthermore, each Altepetl usually produced some form of unique trade good, meaning there were significant merchant and artisan classes. When the intent was entertainment, it was performed in either a temple, temple or secluded areas for nobles. The Valley was surrounded by high mountains protecting them from any enemies, freshwater from the mountains, marshy lakes that provided them with food, plants, salt and also water for cultivation and agriculture (Nicoletta Maestri, “Aztec Origins and the Founding of Tenochtitlán - Aztec Tenochtitlan”). This is a wonderful question that is not easy to answer briefly. The Aztec empire was a wealthy and a well-organized society. But, while they were impacted by various sources, they developed their own distinct social groupings, political structures, traditions, and leisure activities. The cities in the mayan words was more like we're modern day Guatemala, flourished between roughly.

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