Essay

The Aztecs were American Indian people who ruled a mighty empire in Mexico during the 1400’s and early 1500’s. The Aztecs were one of the most advanced civilizations in America. They were known for building very large and complex cities. They had a democratic government and they all took part in different religions. The Aztecs were short and stocky. The men were rarely more than 5 feet 6 inches tall and the women were more delicately built with an average height of about 4 feet 8 inches. Skin color varied from dark to light brown. Eyes were black or brown and almond shaped. Their hair was course, black and straight. Warriors wore pigtails! Both men and women had great powers of endurance. Religion was a big part of the Aztec life. They devoted much of their time to religious practices, including singing, dancing, and praying. They held many religious ceremonies. Aztecs believed the human body and all living things were gifts from the gods. They also believed that there was a divine power in three parts of the body – the head, the heart and the liver. Often, priests would slash open the chest of a living victim and tear out their heart because they thought it would keep them strong. The Aztecs worshiped many gods and goddesses. Some of the gods included the corn god, the sun god, the rain and fertility god, the war god, and the fire god. They worshipped close to 1000 gods. The Aztec clothing was very beautiful. Women wore a loose, sleeveless blouse and a wraparound skirt. Men wore a cloth around their hips and a cloak knotted over one shoulder. Jewelry was a very important for Aztec people. Some of the favorite additions to Aztec Indian clothing included copper, silver, gold, turquoise, emerald and jade. The amount of decoration on a garment further indicated the wealth and social rank of the wearer. The Aztecs women were held responsible for making the clothing. The principal food of the Aztec was a thin commeal pancake called Haxcalli. Aztec cooking was rich and spicy. Many dishes had sauces flavored with chili peppers. Hunting provided much of the meat in the Aztec diet. Caribou and deer were the most important animals for Aztec hunters. They would eat the meat and leave the animal skins as clothing, and other useful items. Those who lived near water, sea, lakes, and rivers, were supplied with all kinds of fish and shellfish. Maize a type of corn was the main food source. The Aztecs also ate tomatoes, avocados, and atole. The Aztecs made an alcoholic drink called Octil by using the juice of Maguey plants. They also had a chocolate drink but only the wealthy could afford. Most houses for Aztec people were very simple and designed for usefulness rather than beauty. The richer Aztec people had houses made of adobe while the poorer people had thatched roofs and the walls were made of branches. The typical Aztec household consisted of a husband and wife, their children, and the husbands relatives. The husband’s job was to support the whole family and the wives was making clothing, raising girls in the home, and cooking. Boys were taught by their father till the age of 10, and then they could go to school. Aztecs got married at a very young age; women would only be 16. The Aztec Empire had over 20 million people in about 400 cities and towns. The center of Aztec Civilization was in the Valley of Mexico. Although the valley was in the tropics, the high altitude gave it a mild climate. The lower lands were hotter and wetter. No other Spanish city had so many people. The emperor of Aztec was called the huey tlatoani meaning great speaker. Aztec had four main classes: nobles, commoners, serfs and slaves. Nobles had their own private land. Commoners made up the majority of the population and made their money by farming. Serfs worked for the nobles and slaves were owned by the nobles but their children were born free. Slaves were usually criminals or people you couldn’t pay their debts. Aztec's wandered for many years before settling in a Valley in the 1200's. In 1325 the Aztecs found their own city, Tenochtitlan. Tenochtitlan formed an alliance with four other cities in the Valley. Tenochtitlan was the main leader of the alliance and had the most power, so they began to build The Aztec Empire. Agriculture was a big part of the Aztec economy. One of the most important crops was corn but farmers also grew avocados, beans, squashes, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. Cotton, papayas, rubber, and cacao beans were provided by the low lands. One of the most used tools was pointed stick that they used for digging. The language the Aztecs spoke was Nahuatl. The form of writing they used was pictographic writing, which mostly had pictures. Some of the jobs the Aztecs did were feather work, lapidary work, pottery, spinning, dying, weaving, salt extraction, wood carving and obsidian chipping. One of the most important sports they played was the ball game. They were also very into dancing in their free time. Music was a very big part of their life and in religious services. They produced a lot of poetry. Aztec had a lot of craft makers. They would make cloaks, headdresses, and other garments.  In 1519, Hernando Cortes and his men attacked the Aztec civilization while riding huge horses. The warriors were armed with cross bows and heavy swords. But not only did the Hernandos and his men wipe out half of the Aztecs they also brought a killer disease which killed the rest of the Aztecs and ended their civilization forever. From that moment the Aztecs became a part of European History.   

 Berdan, Frances. //The Aztecs//. Philedelphia: 1989. Print.  Nicholson, H.B. "Aztec." //World Book Encyclopedia//. 2005. Print.  []  []