Aztec Society Vocabulary And Questions Flashcards
altepetl
It was kind of like a city sate in the Aztec era there were three main altepetl’s called Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, Tlacopan.
calpulli
In the altepetl there was a capulli and it was like clan.
Triple Alliance
An agreement or team of three states.
pipiltin
The upper class consisting of nobles, high ranked priests, and warriors.
emperor
A ruler with great power who rules a empire or a piece of land.
huey tlatoani
huey tlatoani was the great speaker also known as the emperor.
chief of Internal Affairs
He was the closest advisor to the emperor and was second in the command of the place.
council of Wise Men
They elected the emperor and they could dismiss to if he made bad decisions.
hereditary
A person who hold power based on inheritance.
tlatoque
The one who ruled the major cities and towns within an empire.
Tecutin
Ruled parts and areas smaller then the area’s the tlatoque controlled.
the Eagle
The eagles were the highest ranked soldiers in Aztec society.
Knights and the Jaguar Knights
They were the elite forces of the Aztec army.
priests
They were important advisors to the emperor and they studied the religious calendar and performed human sacrifices.
macehualtin
This was the middle class of the Aztec social status triangle.
mayeques
This was the lower class of the Aztec social status triangle and consisted mostly of peasants.
pochteca
They were the traders in Aztec culture and also spies who spied on other cities and they told everything to the emperor.
oltecah
They made things by hand and traded those things they are known as artisans in English.
tlacotin
They were the slaves of the Aztec’s nobody was born into this class as it was for people who did a crime or someone who could not pay debt. Slaves could own land and where able to be married.
How did the structure of Aztec society tell us what was important to the Aztec people?
It told us that religion was a really important part of the Aztec’s life and in order for the sun to rise each day they had to do blood- letting and also had to do human sacrifices.
Draw the Aztec social hierarchy. How was it different from the feudal hierarchy of Europe?
Aztec nobility: This consisted of the emperor, nobles, high ranked priests and warriors and also the chief of internal affairs.
Tlatoque and Tecutin: the tlatoque ruled major towns and cities and the Tecutin ruled smaller areas of what the Tlatoque controlled.
Commoners: This consisted of macehualtin and they were the middle class and the mayeques they were peasants of the society.
Tlacotin: they were the slaves of the Aztec society and nobody were ever born as one.
How did the emperor become the emperor?
The emperor became a emperor by being elected by the council of wise men.
Describe the responsibilities of the emperor.
The emperor commanded the army and was the head of it to. He could choose to sentence a criminal and he represented the god.
How did a person move up in status?
If he was good in the army and made a big difference he could be bumped up in the Aztec social structure.
