Human Sacrifice
What is human sacrifice?
When a human gives up their life/mortality for some purpose.
Why did the Aztecs have to trade with other societies?
Some things they couldn’t grow or make where they lived, so they had to trade with others to access the items.
Why did the Aztecs look for signs from the gods before making a decision?
Because religion and beliefs greatly influcenced the Aztecs, and was one of the most important aspects of their life.
How long can the Aztec merchants be gone for trading?
Up to months.
Who was at the top of their hierarchy?
Emperor.
What was the (believed) best expression of the Aztec’s devotion to the gods?
Giving human sacrifice, or blood to the gods.
What did the mountains mean to the Aztecs?
The mountains were a holy site, they thought it brought them closer to the Gods.
How was their civilization found? (Hint: Tenochtitlan)
Divine intervention.
What did they trade for?
Food and resources that they couldn’t access.
The Aztec was organized into units what were they called __
Calpolli
The Aztecs believed that their gods sacrificed themselves into the forms they represented. What are some examples?
Sun, Moon (night), Rain, War, etc…
Because the mountains held back water from the Aztec city, what did they do to get the water?
They built Aqueducts, which are water bridges to underground springs.
What is the god of the sun called? (Hint: The name is in our booklets.)
Huitzilopochtli.
Who did the Aztecs trade with?
Tenochtitlan, and Nanton
What was the luxury that the Emperor had?
Gardens and a private zoo.
Why did the Aztecs think they needed to give human blood to their gods?
They believed that without human sacrifice, the gods would grow sick and die.
To deal with the flooding, what did the Aztecs build?
They built a great dam was built east of Tenochtitlan.
The Aztecs had two calendars. What were they called?
The solar calendar (365 days), and the sacred calendar (260 days).
Why would they need to trade for goods with other societies?
The Aztecs could not produce the food they wanted, or gain resources that they needed for their society.
What is their hierarchy in order, top to bottom.
Emperor, nobility and priests, merchants, artisans and soldiers, farmers, fishers, and women, slaves.
About how many gods/goddesses did the Aztecs worship? (Hint: More than the 4 in the slides)
The Aztecs had a polytheistic religion, believing in over 200 gods and goddesses.
Tenochtitlan was nearly _ kilometers above sea level.
Nearly two kilometers.
What were the main gods the Aztecs worshipped? (Ex: God of the Sun)
God of the sun, god of thunder and lightening/rain, god of the night/moon, god of the wind.
What did they get from their trading partners (specifics)?
Fruits such as avocados, papayas, and cacao.
What are some examples of what they would do for their king?
Obeying him without question. Servants carried him through the streets on a screened platform draped with ocelot skins, other servants ran ahead, sweeping the street.