The Aztec Civilization

     When visiting Aztec Ruins, you as a traveler can expect to see similarities with the Olmec and Mayan ruins. The Aztec ruins have tall pyramids, richly decorated temples and palaces, ritual ball-game courts and gruesome sacrificial sites. Combine these interesting sites with a beautiful surrounding area with stunning forests and picture perfect skies, and you have yourself a once in a life time opportunity.

     The rise of the Aztec empire really began in 1150 with the fall of the Toltec empire. After the fall of the Toltec empire, there was a period of violence, with many tribes fighting for control. After much fighting, the Aztecs won and became the greatest state in all of Mexico. The Aztec civilization came to an end after the arrival of the Spanish in the Americas. Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes led a number of attacks against the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan with the help of native people who were enemies of the Aztecs. The Aztec ruler, Montezuma, was killed by Cortes's army in 1520, and the entire city was eventually destroyed in 1521. The Spanish also introduced smallpox, a deadly virus, to the Aztecs. The Aztecs bodies’ had no immunity to this virus, and between 10 and 50 percent of the Aztec population in Tenochtitlan died from the illness.

     The Aztecs had several contributions to society. They created floating gardens that supported their massive population even though they had poor soil. The Aztecs were the first to have universal education. Education was very important to the Aztecs and everybody, no matter what skin color, social status, or any other difference, attended a school to gain knowledge. The Aztecs also played a ball game similar to soccer. While it was played in Olmec and Mayan civilizations, it was popularized by the Aztecs. The Aztecs were the first to use plants to treat sicknesses and pains. One example of their brilliant herbal medicine is the use of the sap of the maguey (agave) plant as a disinfectant and wound treatment. Today this is used to kill both Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli bacteria. The Aztecs also introduced the modern red clothing dye to the world. Before the Spanish conquests, Europeans had never experienced fabric dyed a deep scarlet color. The best red dye Europeans had only produced a paler color than what the Aztecs were making.

     The family unit was the basic structure of Aztec society. After the family, the basic unit of ancient Aztec government was the calpulli. Families didn't individually own land, the land was owned by a group of families, the calpulli. The leaders of the calpulli were responsible to make sure taxes were collected from the families. After the calpulli came the nobility and the priests. But although the nobility provided leadership, each calpulli would have a leader, and those leaders would form a city council. Each council would have a kind of "executive council" within it.  4 members would be chosen who would lead, and out of those there would be one tlatcani - the leader of the city.  These leaders would not only control the city proper but the surrounding areas as well. After the nobility and the priests came the Huey Tlatcani. The Huey Tlatcani is the emperor of the empire and he is worshiped as a god. The Huey Tlatcani did have absolute power in a sense, however, he did come to power by a semi-democratic system, and he could be removed from power. 

     The economy of the Aztecs was heavily centered around trading and agriculture. Trading was very important in the Aztec empire and it kept society moving and pushing forward. The Aztec people would trade daily, visit the marketplace and use the various forms of accepted currency to make their purchases. This practice is of course not unique to the Aztec people, but with the marketplace being a large part of Aztec society it was as import here as anywhere.

     Ancient Aztec religion was polytheistic and focused on how the gods, humans and nature were interconnected.  There was a strong emphasis on the worship of Huitzilopochtli, the warrior sun who needed blood sacrifice in order to win the battle against darkness. Every 52 years people were terrified that the world would end. The military conquest and ritual sacrifices were all related, and in a great part focused on helping Huitzilopochtli keep the sun strong so that disaster could be averted every 52 years.

     A lot of the art that has been preserved was religion related. The gods were often depicted, and they themselves often resembled animals of various kinds. The drawings of the gods were often sharp and angular, brightly colored. Art would often show gods, or priests dressed as gods in a ritual, or Aztec warriors in their finery. They also often created animals such as jaguars, ducks, monkeys, snakes, deer, and dogs. Ancient Aztec art was also very lifelike.  Many of their statues of people, as well as animals, look amazingly realistic.  They also show age, and a huge amount of expression.