Aztec
People
Farmers
Farmers are the foundation of the Aztec society. This consisted of men,
women and children that worked every day. They worked the land and lived far
away from the Aztec capital city and grand temple.
Feeding the Empire
It wasno simple task to feed the whole empire that had ten million people.
The farmers had to tame their fields for better crop performance. The farmers
had to alter the low-lying wetlands and dry mountains to a field for productive
farming.
Farming Families
Farming families have their equal share of work.
Women: knits cloth and make clothing, prepares/cooks food, raise turkeys
and some other animals.
Men: the worked on the fields
growing vegetables, fruits and other food suitable to eat, when they are not
tending their farms they are working on state building project and served as
soldiers in the army.
Children: helped their parents as well as relatives (uncles, aunties) to
spin thread, carry firewood, etc.
The life of these farmers didn’t involve of all work and no freedom. Throughout
the year these farm families had holidays and ‘feast days’ – as so the rest of
the Aztec society. The farm families on these special days sang, danced, played
music and shared their food with others.
Merchants
Merchants were called pochtecas, they brought all types of goods from
long distances and foreign countries to the empire as well as capital city of Tenochtitlan. Some of the common items include
gold jewellery, tortoise shell cups, spices, feather caps and cocoa beans.
Being a merchant was difficult; it was hard and dangerous travelling to far
distances and foreign regions. These
merchants isolated themselves from the people. They lived on their own, had
their own rules, their own temples and worshiped their own gods. The merchants
are the people how made the city (Tenochtitlan) rich. But the merchants
(including the rich ones) didn’t show their wealth by wearing wealthy clothes.
They spent their wealth mostly on expensive feast to impress other merchants.
Most merchants left the city quietly and had secret warehouses to store they
goods due to the many valuable items they have. They weren’t only merchants,
they were also served as spies to the rulers of Tenochtitlan in the lands they
visited. They were great spies because they spoke various languages and blended
in with other tribes.
Warriors
The Aztecs had
professional military officers but no professional army. The warrior was a
proud and honoured position in the society; there would be no surprise that all
boys would want to be warriors. Successful soldiers get significant rewards.
The military of the Aztecs was the backbone of the empire. They had to move
constantly, extending the empire by conquering and managing removing regions
for the rulers.
All the boys in the empire received education no matter prospects for career
were. Some important subjects at school included religions, history, astronomy
and poetry. They also learnt about fighting and weapons at school. All able
bodied men were trained to be warriors.
A boy became a man ate the age of 17 in the society. If a commoner wanted to
join the army they would have to start from the lowest rank. The lowest rank
was being a servant; carrying weapons and supplies. Then there was also youth
training. When they have captured their first prisoner they became warrior.
Rulers
Rulers also known as the emperor was the centre of the Aztecs and stood on
the top of the pinnacle, supported by the nobles.
The rulers required that the citizens and the conquered people pay taxes and
the nobles to collect it. They used the money in taxes for food, raw materials
and manufacture goods.
The rulers lived enjoyed the best of everything and lived in luxury. Although
they had such a lifestyle they were burdened by heavy responsibilities. Being
the ruler required to be able to perform many roles, such as the high priest,
military commander, supreme judge and the builder of the public works.
If I ruler did not fulfil his duties be would be slain.
High Priests
Priests were both male and female. They performed many religious
ceremonies. The priests buried ritual offering, burned incense, re-enacted
sacred myths and blood offerings. Priests also danced, chanted and praised the
deities and sacrifice humans to the gods.
Men and Women
The men’s role is to be a
warrior and the girl’s is to be a wife. At a very young age the follow their
parents and carry out their duties. At the age of three or fourthe boys
followed their fathers to learn skills while the girl followed their mothers to
learn domestic skills. The commoner girls learnt cooking, spinning, grinding
maize and waving. The noble’s daughters had easier work, they were shelter and
lived a peacefully. The commoner boys had warrior training in their local
telpochcalli (House of Youth) of the local warrior house. The commoner girls
attended their own local telpochcalli and involved themselves in social events
such as dances and rituals. The boys of nobility would be trained by priests in
a monastery school while the girls in the Calmecac; a school for priestesses.
An Aztec woman’s role is to marry; unless they vowed their life to temple
service. Young noble women were pressured to honour her ancestry by devoting
and being loyal to her husband. The role of a young Aztec man is to participate
in war, take prisoners and increase their physique in his youth group. By the
time a man has achieve his status as a warrior, his next goal would be to
proceed to higher promotions.
Women had no public role and only men could speak on high public occasions. A
woman was only considered important if they were pregnant because they were
respected as an owner of a valuable product.
Farmers
Farmers are the foundation of the Aztec society. This consisted of men,
women and children that worked every day. They worked the land and lived far
away from the Aztec capital city and grand temple.
Feeding the Empire
It wasno simple task to feed the whole empire that had ten million people.
The farmers had to tame their fields for better crop performance. The farmers
had to alter the low-lying wetlands and dry mountains to a field for productive
farming.
Farming Families
Farming families have their equal share of work.
Women: knits cloth and make clothing, prepares/cooks food, raise turkeys
and some other animals.
Men: the worked on the fields
growing vegetables, fruits and other food suitable to eat, when they are not
tending their farms they are working on state building project and served as
soldiers in the army.
Children: helped their parents as well as relatives (uncles, aunties) to
spin thread, carry firewood, etc.
The life of these farmers didn’t involve of all work and no freedom. Throughout
the year these farm families had holidays and ‘feast days’ – as so the rest of
the Aztec society. The farm families on these special days sang, danced, played
music and shared their food with others.
Merchants
Merchants were called pochtecas, they brought all types of goods from
long distances and foreign countries to the empire as well as capital city of Tenochtitlan. Some of the common items include
gold jewellery, tortoise shell cups, spices, feather caps and cocoa beans.
Being a merchant was difficult; it was hard and dangerous travelling to far
distances and foreign regions.These
merchants isolated themselves from the people. They lived on their own, had
their own rules, their own temples and worshiped their own gods. The merchants
are the people how made the city (Tenochtitlan) rich. But the merchants
(including the rich ones) didn’t show their wealth by wearing wealthy clothes.
They spent their wealth mostly on expensive feast to impress other merchants.
Most merchants left the city quietly and had secret warehouses to store they
goods due to the many valuable items they have. They weren’t only merchants,
they were also served as spies to the rulers of Tenochtitlan in the lands they
visited. They were great spies because they spoke various languages and blended
in with other tribes.
Warriors
The Aztecs had
professional military officers but no professional army. The warrior was a
proud and honoured position in the society; there would be no surprise that all
boys would want to be warriors. Successful soldiers get significant rewards.
The military of the Aztecs was the backbone of the empire. They had to move
constantly, extending the empire by conquering and managing removing regions
for the rulers.
All the boys in the empire received education no matter prospects for career
were. Some important subjects at school included religions, history, astronomy
and poetry. They also learnt about fighting and weapons at school. All able
bodied men were trained to be warriors.
A boy became a man ate the age of 17 in the society. If a commoner wanted to
join the army they would have to start from the lowest rank. The lowest rank
was being a servant; carrying weapons and supplies. Then there was also youth
training. When they have captured their first prisoner they became warrior.
Rulers
Rulers also known as the emperor was the centre of the Aztecs and stood on
the top of the pinnacle, supported by the nobles.
The rulers required that the citizens and the conquered people pay taxes and
the nobles to collect it. They used the money in taxes for food, raw materials
and manufacture goods.
The rulers lived enjoyed the best of everything and lived in luxury. Although
they had such a lifestyle they were burdened by heavy responsibilities. Being
the ruler required to be able to perform many roles, such as the high priest,
military commander, supreme judge and the builder of the public works.
If I ruler did not fulfil his duties be would be slain.
High Priests
Priests were both male and female. They performed many religious
ceremonies. The priests buried ritual offering, burned incense, re-enacted
sacred myths and blood offerings. Priests also danced, chanted and praised the
deities and sacrifice humans to the gods.
Men and Women
The men’s role is to be a
warrior and the girl’s is to be a wife. At a very young age the follow their
parents and carry out their duties. At the age of three or fourthe boys
followed their fathers to learn skills while the girl followed their mothers to
learn domestic skills. The commoner girls learnt cooking, spinning, grinding
maize and waving. The noble’s daughters had easier work, they were shelter and
lived a peacefully. The commoner boys had warrior training in their local
telpochcalli (House of Youth) of the local warrior house. The commoner girls
attended their own local telpochcalli and involved themselves in social events
such as dances and rituals. The boys of nobility would be trained by priests in
a monastery school while the girls in the Calmecac; a school for priestesses.
An Aztec woman’s role is to marry; unless they vowed their life to temple
service. Young noble women were pressured to honour her ancestry by devoting
and being loyal to her husband. The role of a young Aztec man is to participate
in war, take prisoners and increase their physique in his youth group. By the
time a man has achieve his status as a warrior, his next goal would be to
proceed to higher promotions.
Women had no public role and only men could speak on high public occasions. A
woman was only considered important if they were pregnant because they were
respected as an owner of a valuable product.
