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Social Studies 8 > Aztecs > Flashcards

Aztecs Flashcards

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Praxis (5004) - Elem. Ed: Social Studies flashcards
1
Q

Why were mountains considered sacred sites

A

They thought that if they go on a mountain they would be closer to god because of the height. They made temples on top of mountains.

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2
Q

Why did Aztecs choose to make their homes where they did?

A

They believed that god said that they had to travel until they found a eagle on a cactus eating a snake. They found this and make their home there. This was in the middle of Lake Texcoco and they found this in 200 years of pilgrimage.

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3
Q

Describe the landscape, including geography and climate

A

There was mountains both ways making the Aztecs settle in a valley. There was also a lot of precipitation because the clouds hit the mountains, and the rain that fell on the mountains slid to the land. In Mexico there were also a lot of deserts and two main rivers. The two rivers were either north or south. Lake Texcoco was a salt lake but they made a fresh lake come to the city.

Mexico’s landscape includes deserts, mountains, tropical forests. ranch lands, rich farmlands, and sea coasts on east and west. Mexico is in Mesoamerica and has desert-like climate along with tropical coastal areas

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4
Q

What is one benefit of the mountains and what are two drawbacks of the mountains

A

One benefit is that they got protected by enemies and it was harder for them to come.
One drawback was that they got more water because the mountains and water slide.
Another drawback is that it is easier for enemies to attack as they have higher ground.
There was only salty water which is a drawback.

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5
Q

How did Aztecs use Lake Texcoco to protect them

A

When people came to attack the Aztecs would break the bridges(causeways). This prevented the attackers going into the city.

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6
Q

Explain two ways the Aztecs altered the geography to help them survive.

A

They made fake islands (chinampas) to help expand and they increased farming land by doing this. They also Made land that could fall so enemies cant enter. They also made dams to prevent water from coming in the city. The aqueducts helped transport clean water

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7
Q

Where is Modern day Mexico City located

A

Modern-day Mexico City is around Tenochtitlan and it is in the Valley of Mexico. In Mesoamerica and in Central America

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8
Q

Plateau

A

A flat land on top of a mountain. High ground.

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9
Q

Aztecs

A

People that lived together in Tenochtitlan. Indigenous people dominant of Mexico.

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10
Q

Aztlan

A

Also known as the Mexica. The mythical homeland of the Aztecs. The city before the 200 year journey.

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11
Q

Mexica

A

What Aztecs called themselves.

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12
Q

Nahua

A

The group of indigenous people of Mexico and El Salvador also present in parts of Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

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13
Q

Huitzilopotchli

A

The human sacrifice, patron city of Techtitan, sun and war god for the Aztecs. Gave them guidance to Tenochtitlan.

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14
Q

Mesoamerica

A

The diverse civilizations that shared similar cultural characteristics in geographic areas. In modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rico

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15
Q

Lake of Texcoco

A

The lake where Tenochtitlan was located. Natural lake.

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16
Q

Saline

A

Everything was salty. containing salt

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17
Q

Tenochtitlan

A

The permanent residence of the Aztecs. from 1325-1521. had system of canals and causeways.

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18
Q

Causeways

A

Bridges connecting the island to the mainland. Road on a low or wet place.

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19
Q

Chinampa

A

The use of artificial floating land for agriculture.

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20
Q

Aqueduct

A

Structures used to bring in water to city

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21
Q

What are the two Aztec calendars and what are the three parts

A

One calendar is the Solar Calendar called Xiuhtlapohualli. It contains a number and a symbol and the god they represent. The Sacred Calendar is called Tonalpohualli. The 52 year calendar too.

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22
Q

Describe the xiuhtlapohualli calendar in 2-3 sentences.

A

It is the Solar Calendar. This calendar was created before Europeans found that a year had 365 days in a year. It determined market days and when to farm. Every year began with a festival to honour the rain god

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23
Q

Describe the tonalpohualli calendar in 2-3 sentences.

A

Every day was associated with a specific fate. People were named after the day they were born on this calendar. They used this to determine the sacrifices performed.

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24
Q

Why do you think time was important to the Aztecs?

A

Time was important because 1. They wouldn’t know when to sacrifice, they wouldn’t know when to celebrate the fire ceremony and the world would end and they wouldn’t have names. What god to pray to every day.

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25
Q

Would the Aztec Sun stone be considered a primary source or secondary source?

A

Primary source, because it came direct from the place they created it.

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26
Q

How are the two calendars related?

A

They have numbers and symbols. They are very important. They had 20 days per month.

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27
Q

What kinds of information is on the Sun stone?

A

The sun god and how the world ended 4 times. It even shows the important symbols in a month.

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28
Q

How are the calendars similar and or different than the one we use today?

A

The Aztecs have two calendars we have one. We both have 365 days.Aztecs use symbols and numbers. We only use numbers and words.

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29
Q

What is the New Fire Ceremony and how did it work?

A

It happened when both calendars aligned. They believed the world would end if they didn’t. They would take a person high in status and sacrifice them. The person usually volunteered. They opened the stomach and put their hand through and ripped the heart. They instantly died but the heart would keep pumping. They would put a stick and put a fire in the heart. and put the fire in every house in the city. They had 52 sticks but we don’t know what happened. Pregnant women were locked in. All fires were taken out. Children couldn’t sleep as they would turn into mice.

30
Q

In what ways was the new fire ceremony like the way we celebrate the coming of a new year?

A

We both have fires. We have fireworks and they have real fires. We gather at one place. There were parties too.

31
Q

How do the the two calendars influence the way the Aztec live their life?

A

They were named by the days. They had to choose when to sacrifice. They had to make sure when to celebrate the fire ceremony. They also new lucky and unlucky days. They also knew what god to pray.

32
Q

In what way do a group’s beliefs and experiences contribute to shape a unique identity?

A

We believe that if a group is ahead in science they are pretty smart and that is how we think of a group. We think that if a group is bad probably a person in that group is bad too.

33
Q

Huitzilopochtli

A

The Sun God. Told The Aztecs where to put there homes.

34
Q

Human Sacrifice

A

The Give the human body at loss of the person.

35
Q

Tezcatlipoca

A

Smoking Mirror. Evil power. Patron of night and cold. Of the North

36
Q

Quetzalcoatl

A

The feathered serpent. positive counterpart of Tezcatipoca. Is in other Mesoamerican cultures. Patron of learning and knowledge.

37
Q

Tlaloc

A

Rain God. Main shrine was second shrine after Huitzilopchtli. Made people sacrifice children because he liked tears of children.

38
Q

Bloodletting

A

To give blood to the gods but not killing yourself. Made blood come out of body and would purposely bleed

39
Q

Ritual

A

Ceremony to gods in a performed order.

40
Q

Fifth Era

A

The fifth rebirth or fifth time.

41
Q

Sacrifice

A

To give something at your own expense with no benefit for yourself.

42
Q

What were the Aztecs beliefs about the gods?

A

Gods controlled every aspect of their life. Some were greater than others. Every god was either good or bad. No god was in the middle. Gods had a physical body either human or animal or both.

43
Q

Why was human sacrifice so important?

A

To make sure that the Earth didn’t lose the sun die. They belived if they didn’t give blood the sun would die out and would take Earth with it.

44
Q

Why was Huitzilopochtli so important to the Aztecs?

A

He sacrificed himself to let humans stay alive. He provides sunlight. He could kill all of the humans too.

45
Q

List two responsibilities that the gods had according to the Aztecs?

A

They were supposed to give sunlight and protect life and not kill.

46
Q

What were the responsibilities of the Aztecs to the Gods?

A

they were supposed to pray to gods. They were supposed to do human sacrifice and give tears of children. They were supposed to fight and die for the gods

47
Q

List 4 gods and their powers.

A 
Huitzilopochtli
Gives sunlight
Tezcatlipoca
Gives death
Quetzalcoatl
Gives knowledge and lets us live and find easier ways to do things and makes us smart.
Tlaloc
Gives rain
48
Q

altepetl

A

A piece of land to live on. Related to Italian City-States.

49
Q

calpulli

A

Clans. Group of people working together.A group of related people the belonged to a altepetl.

50
Q

Triple Alliance

A

An Alliance of three altepetl. Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, Tlacopan.

51
Q

pipiltin

A

The upper social class in the Aztecs Society.

52
Q

emperor/ huey tlatoani

A

The top person in the Aztec Society. Controlled military and the city. Was usually passed down by blood but could be voted out by the Council of Elders. Could be elected by them too. The great speaker.

53
Q

Chief of Internal Affairs

A

Second position from top. Was in control but not as powerful as the emperor.

54
Q

Council of Wise Men

A

Could vote the emporer and could vote out. Was made of most wise priests and warriors.

55
Q

Hereditary

A

Passed down by blood.

56
Q

tlatoque

A

The “mayor” of large areas.

57
Q

Tecutin

A

The “mayor” of small areas. They kept records of tributes and managed the marketplace resources, and local legal matters.

58
Q

The Eagle Knights and the Jaguar Knights.

A

Two different military orders. Only some noble warriors can join them. gained sufficient honor.

59
Q

Priests

A

The religious people. They controlled the calendar and they were responsible for sacrifices. Offer human sacrifice to the gods.

60
Q

macehualtin

A

The middle class of the commoners. Can improve if recognized. priests, merchants, artisans, or long-distance traders.

61
Q

mayeques

A

The lower class of the commoners. The farmers. Labours required to maintain temples.

62
Q

How did the emperor become the emperor?

A

They were usually passed down by blood, but the Council of Wise Men could even vote them or vote them out.

63
Q

Describe the responsibilities of the emperor.

A

The responsibilities were to help the military, Control the military, and to control cities. Head of State.

64
Q

pochteca

A

Long-distance traders that used to trade with other nations and spied them. High status.

65
Q

toltecah

A

Artisans of the middle-class in the Aztec Society. Making things by hand.

66
Q

calpulli

A

A community for Artisans of the Aztecs.

67
Q

tlacotin

A

Lowest in class. The slaves. Was not owned. Work was owned.

68
Q

How did the structure of Aztec society tell us what was important to the Aztec people?

A

Work was important because people had a chance to go to the next level. There was inspiration. The knight got promoted for capturing people. That explains how important sacrifice was. There was almost equal work too. Emperors controlled rest did work.

Religion was very important. Emperors were “god”. Warriors were high in status because they cared about warfare. The long distance traders were important because they got enemy information.

69
Q

Draw the Aztec social hierarchy. How was it different from the feudal hierarchy of Europe?

A

Emperors was first. They had the least people with only one. Nobles and priests were next there were a little more.

Nobility(piplitin): political power and wealth

Merchants, Artisans, and Soldiers were after they were the middle class. The low class was next with the most people.

The slaves were next but had a little less people than the low class.

This is different because the Aztecs could upgrade, and the lowest class doesn’t have the most. The emperor had to do work too.

Similarities. lower pyramid, greater population. Same order different names.

70
Q

How did a person move up in status?

A

If they showed that they did good work they would get promoted. EX. If a knight captured 4 prisoners they would move up as they did good work.

71
Q

What were the three signs of status?

A

The three signs were jewelry, the cloth, and size and location of the house.

Social Studies 8 (3 decks)

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