Aztec and Spanish Chapter 7-9 Flashcards
Where did the Aztecs live
Tenochtitlan, Lake Texcoco, Valley of mexico
Where did the Spanish live
Iberian Peninsula
What was the long migration
In which the Aztecs left Aztlan to find a new home
Why did the Aztecs leave
They left on Huitzilopotchli’s orders
How did the Aztecs know to stop at that spot (Lake Texcoco)
There was a eagle eating a rattlesnake on top of a cactus on a rock
What work did the Aztecs do at first when they arrived
They worked as mercenaries/servants
What is the Reconquista
A movement in which the Spanish tried to take back the Moorish lands
What happened when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella married
The two largest kingdoms Aragon and Castile unified
What was the Spanish Inquisition
It was a court that executed, exiled, etc. non-catholics so later all of Spain became Roman Catholic
How did the Moors influence the Spanish
- They made Cordoba a centre of learning
- Scholars revived Classical Roman and Greek texts
- Created the Mozarabic art technique
What are some of the Religious beliefs that the Aztecs borrowed from others
- Gods could take on many different forms
- Belief in many gods
- Human sacrifice
What are some of the social systems that the Aztecs borrowed from others
- Hierarchy
- Gov’t with a strong central authority
- Military practises
What is the triple alliance
An alliance between Tlacopan, Texcoco, and Tenochtitlan to defeat the Tempanec
Why did the Aztec Emperor marry a Culhua princess
The Culhua’s were descendants of the Toltec (highly respected society), so by marrying them the Aztecs could claim Toltec ancestry,
How important was religion to the Aztecs
Very important. Everything was centred on religion.
How did Ferdinand and Isabella centralise power
- Controlled the RCC in Spain
- Chose lesser nobles for the Cortes
- Cortes couldn’t vote
- Gave land to the aristocracy
What was the Aztec hierarchy
Huey Tlatoni (emperor) -> Nobility -> Macehualtin (middle class) -> Mayeques (peasants) -> Tlacotin (slaves)
What did the priests of the Aztec empire do
- Advise the emperor
- Sacrifice humans
- Conduct ceremonies
What couldn’t an Aztec women do
Hold positions of power
What did Aztecs learn in school
Religious stuff, traditions, and rhetoric
What was the Spanish hierarchy
King -> Nobility -> Commoners (90%) {Middle class emerged later}
What did Spanish priests do
- Became religious leaders
- Teach at local schools
What could a Spanish women do
Housework
What did parishes teach
Work skills - Boys
Household skills - Girls
How did nobles in Spain learn
Home tutoring and uni
Who chose the Huey Tlatoni
The Council of Wise Men
How did the Huey Tlatoni get chosen
By showing leadership qualities
What system did the Aztecs do to trade stuff
The Barter system/ Cacao Bean Currency
What things contributed to the Aztec economy
Tribute and farming
Why was the economy of Spain bad even before they took over the Aztecs
The aristocracy didn’t care about farming and there wasn’t a demand for the wool they produced
How did the Spanish monarchs get their power
“Divine Right”
Why did the Aztecs sacrifice humans
Gods needed human blood to survive and keep the universe in balance
How were the calendars of both nations related
They both had 365 days, and they both had religious significance
Examples of nationalism in spain
Same religion, same language (Castilian), and exploration
Why were the Aztecs so confused on what to do with Cortes
- Cortes and his people looked like gods in the stories
- Cortes arrived when Quetzalcoatl was supposed to come
- Omens
What are omens
Signs or symbols that symbolise something
What did Montezuma do to check if Cortes was Quetzalcoatl
- Send him gifts
- Give him Quetzalcoatl’s clothes
- Give him food with human blood
How did Cortes’s small army defeat the Aztec
They allied with the Culhuas and Tlaxcalans
When did the first tension between the Aztecs and the spanish occur
When unarmed Aztec citizens were killed at a festival
What is Noche Triste
It was when the Spanish tried to escape Tenochtitlan and many of them died
What unforeseen enemy killed many Aztec
Smallpox
Why was Montezuma so slow to act
He had to consult his priests at every decision
How did the Spanish treat the Aztecs after they conquered them
Badly
