Lesson 2: The Aztecs

The Aztecs were master engineers who built their capital, Tenochtitlán, on a swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. Because land was scarce, they expanded the island by building Chinampas, or "floating gardens." These were artificial islands made of woven reed mats piled with mud, which provided extremely fertile land for growing crops to feed the massive city.

To connect the island to the mainland, the Aztecs constructed massive Causeways (raised earthen roads). They also built a complex system of dikes to prevent flooding and separate salty water from fresh water. A twin-pipe Aqueduct brought fresh spring water from the hills into the city center, demonstrating a level of urban planning comparable to ancient Rome.

The Aztec Empire was built on military conquest. All young men were trained as warriors, and success in battle was the primary way to gain social status. The main goal of warfare was often to capture prisoners for religious sacrifice and to force defeated cities to pay Tribute.

Tribute was the economic heart of the empire. Conquered peoples were forced to send vast quantities of food, cotton, gold, jade, and jaguar skins to Tenochtitlán. This flow of wealth allowed the Aztec emperor and nobles to live in luxury while the commoners and conquered peoples provided the labor and resources.

Aztec society was strictly divided. At the top was the Emperor, followed by nobles, priests, and military leaders. Below them were the Commoners (farmers and merchants), and at the bottom were enslaved people. However, the system allowed for some mobility; a commoner could rise to nobility by performing great deeds in war.

Religion dominated daily life. The Aztecs believed that the sun god, Huitzilopochtli, required human blood to battle the darkness and rise each day. To keep the world from ending, priests performed Human Sacrifice on a massive scale at the Great Temple. This religious belief reinforced the need for constant warfare to secure captives for the gods.