The Toltecs later known as the Aztecs(a name meaning "the place of the seven legendary caves) migrated into an island in middle of swampland of Lake Texcoco which was later named Mexico City. There they established city of Tenochtitlan and expanded by conquest of nearby people and by 15th century dominated a huge area. Tenochtitlan covered an estimated 8 to 13.5 km2 (3.1 to 5.2 sq mi), situated on the western side of the shallow Lake Texcoco.
Commerce
- Agriculture was the basis of the economy
- Designed floating gardens to grow crops in swampy areas
- Raised maize, beans, squash, tomatoes, peppers, and chiles
- Established extensive long distance trading network
- Collected tribute from conquered people and established trade with western hemisphere. Some of which include jade, emerald, jaguar skins, and sea shells.
Culture and Society
- Religion central to civilization
- Cities were ceremonial centers with great temples decorated with gold
- Principal gods ; Tezcatlipoca ("the Smoking Mirror") and Quetzalcoatl ("the Feathered Serpent")
- Templo Mayor was the main temple of Tenochtitlan and was dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, the god of war and sun, and Tlaloc the god of rain and fertility
- hierarchical society with a strong military elite who received land grants and tribute from commoners
- large gap between rich and poor
- Priests were also considered elite and learned to read calendars
- Craftsmen and merchants in middle class
- Large number of slaves
- Patriarchal society but women were praised for having warrior sons
- women who died during childbirth were equally honored as males that died during war
Locations on the Post-Classical Trade Networks
- The hub of a market network that extended throughout the Valley of Mexico.
- Used cacao beans as currency and traded through the use of caravans and merchants(pochteca) to regions south which today are Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras
- Trade partners included the enemy Tarascan
Religious Influences
- Religion played an important role in the development and daily life of Mesoamerican and South American cities
- To ensure agricultural productivity, Americans believed that the gods who ruled the natural forces needed to be appeased
- The animism of the American societies confirmed the spiritual importance of nature in the form of rain and sun gods for example
Reasons for Growth
- Population growth
- Chinampa farming
- Aqueducts created to bring freshwater into city
- Cities divided into capulli
- Had large bustling economy and beginnings of economic class
- The alliance between Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan led to prosperity of Aztecs
- especially to their ruler and the warrior nobility, which was now acquiring lands and tribute from conquered towns.
- After defeating Azcapotzalco, Aztecs formed independent power
- In 1434, Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan joined together in a triple alliance that ruled over the central plateau.
Innovations
- Chinampas (floating gardens)
- Long count calendar
- Mesoamerican ballgame or ōllamaliztli
- Chocolate
Bibliography
"UNIT II: 600 - 1450 C." UNIT II: 600 - 1450 C. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
"Olmec." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Dec. 2013. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
"Tenochtitlan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
"The Aztecs, Part Five." The Aztecs, Part Five. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
"Aztec Culture: The Aztec Capital City of Tenochtitlan." About.com Archaeology. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
"UNIT II: 600 - 1450 C." UNIT II: 600 - 1450 C. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
"Olmec." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Dec. 2013. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
"Tenochtitlan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
"The Aztecs, Part Five." The Aztecs, Part Five. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.
"Aztec Culture: The Aztec Capital City of Tenochtitlan." About.com Archaeology. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2013.