social chapter 7 Flashcards
What factors shaped the history and culture of the Spanish nation
Their catholic faith
The moors lived peacefully among them for 100s of years sharing knowledge, math, important libraries, architecture.
The reconquista and the Spanish inquisition
Desire for exploration
Ferdinand and Isabella were a huge factor and funding exploration, and made many laws, they shaped Spain during their time
Explain what it means that the Aztecs were semi-nomadic
The Aztec left their homeland and migrated because their priests said their patron god Huitzilopochtliand had a better place for them to live(land of their destiny) They would move and plant crops but if the priests believed Huitzilopochtli wanted them to move they would continue migrating even if it meant leaving crops behind. They were semi- nomadic for 200 years looking for a sign where Huitzilopochtli wanted them to settle.
Explain how war played a role in Aztec life.
It was a way of survival as they migrated
They built an empire based on conquering certain groups.
Life in Aztec society developed around a culture of war. For the Aztec, the goals of battle were two-fold: 1: To seek an honourable defeat for the enemy and then make them pay tribute and provide labour to the emperor. 2: To gain soldiers for the human sacrifice to the god Huitzilopochtli. The Aztec developed an effective military strategy.
They first conquered weaker societies around those that were stronger and more challenging. Then they attacked the isolated altepetl. When the Aztecs defeated a city-state, they usually attacked the isolated altpetle.When the Aztecs defeated a city-state they usually attacked the temples in the cities, took hostages, and negotiated tribute
- The Aztec military orders of the Coyote, the Jaguar, and the Eagle originated with the Toltec. The rise of the Toltec resulted in the rise of militarism in Meso-America.
What was the reconquista? What was the purpose of it?
The Reconquista is the move to take the Iberian land under Muslim control, also called the Reconquest.
The move to retake the Iberian land under Muslim control, the reconquest, was called the Reconquista in Spanish
The purpose was to unite the kingdom through one religion - The Roman Catholic Church and to carry out their duty as christians to convert non christians to christians
Many christians believed that it was their duty to carry forth the word of god and convert non-believers to Roman Catholicism.
Spanish conquistadors carried on this tradition, as they felt they were fighting for god and for their country.
They fought for both religious and nationalistic reasons
What was the Spanish Inquisition
The Inquisition was both a civil and a religious court. Originally, the court was set up to judge if the Jews and Muslims who had converted to Roman Catholicism were true Roman Catholics. Soon it was judging any citizen who was accused of not following the Roman Catholic faith. If the court found an individual guilty, punishment could include confinement to dungeons, torture, or death. If an individual was simply accused, but not proven guilty, property was confiscated and the person was forbidden from holding any public office.
Why did the Spanish value exploration?
-because the routes to the East around Africa had already been explored by other countries
-As the Spanish monarchy began to build its empire, it had religious, economic, and political motives. The monarchy felt that an empire should serve Spain economically. Ferdinand and Isabella dealt with any new lands the same way they did with the Iberian kingdoms recaptured during the Reconquista: resources and goods from anywhere within the empire were considered the rightful property of Spain. They also sent missionaries to these lands to teach the beliefs and customs of the Roman Catholic Church. When the conquistadors came into contact with societies of the New World, they carried forth the idea that they were serving both God and country.
How did the Spanish view the Aztecs
Inferior to them, having treasures and riches the Spanish wanted
What does legacy mean
Something of value (monetary (worth money) or an idea, philosophy left by you, passed down by you for others after you die. It often leaves a lasting impact.
What legacy was left by the Moors?
The legacy included the following:
important schools of astronomy, mathematics, and architecture
illuminated manuscripts and murals from the 9th and 10th centuries that showed the strong influence of the Islamic and Byzantine artistic style known as Mozarabic. Mozarabic is known as the first genuinely Spanish national art
Who were the Teotihuacans?
They were an ancient, mysterious civilization. The Aztecs were impressed by the enormous ruins left behind by the Teotihuacan. Aztecs believed it was a holy place where the sun, moon, and universe were created. The name meant “City of Gods.” When Aztecs built their own city, Tenochtitlan, they copied the way Teotihuacan was laid out.
What was the Aztec view on marriage?
- Having a respected lineage often played a role in the respect a leader received. The Aztec claimed the Toltec as their ancestors. This means that marrying the right person from the right family was highly important. Aztec emperors increased their power by creating alliances with other powerful rulers, often through arranged marriages, a common practice of European rulers as well
What were the Aztecs’ religious beliefs?
The Aztec believed the gods had created and destroyed the world four times. They believed that these four destructions were caused by the death of the sun. After the fourth destruction, the gods met at Teotihuacan to create the fifth world. The Aztec believed they were living in this fifth world, known as the fifth sun, and that it was their duty to keep the sun alive to prevent the destruction of the Earth and its people. (pg. 258) To keep the sun alive they had to feed it human blood so human sacrifice was common. Often prisoners of war were sacrificed.
Aztec stories reinforce their beliefs that there must be some form of sacrifice in order for the sun to shine and the world to exist and remain in balance. This belief became an important part of their worldview and led them to perform human sacrifices. They believed the blood of humans was the most precious offering they could give to their gods. The Aztec believed the gods would be satisfied with sacrifices made in their honour and would be nourished by the blood of those sacrificed. The Aztec considered warriors who were sacrificed to the gods to be great heroes. Gods and humans worked together to maintain the balance of the universe of the fifth sun. (pg.259)
Aztec warriors were expected to bring back captives so they could be sacrificed to the gods. Killing the enemy was not the goal in battle. The most honoured soldiers were those who captured four or more of the enemy
Geographically, where was the center of the Aztec civilization?
Tenochtitlan, now modern Mexico city.
The valley of Mexico, in the middle of a swampy island in Lake Texcoco
What were the ecological zones in Mexico? What did they influence
The Valley of Mexico is a high central Mexican plateau providing all the essentials of life: water; rich, deep soil; all kinds of plant and animal life; and a comfortable climate. Surrounded by forested mountain ranges on three sides, and large hills on the fourth, the area was easy to protect from invaders. One of the ranges, the Sierra Madres, had rich deposits of gold and silver. The large interconnected lakes covering the length of the Valley provided a reliable source of water and a fast and efficient transportation system.
Why was Spain made up of many small kingdoms?
Because of fragmented power, different rulers are in charge of different areas. Islamic rulers in some places, Christian in other places.
What was the long migration?
The Aztec were one of several Nahuatl-speaking (NAH-watl) groups who left the desert-like country of northern Mexico and migrated southward over many, many years. (p.232)
The Aztec believed they were the chosen people of Huitzilopochtli, the god who would lead them to the land of their destiny. They wouldn’t stop until the god gave them a sign
How did the Aztecs finally know where to settle?
They knew this was the land of their destiny, for they saw an eagle perched on a nopal cactus, holding a rattlesnake — the sign that had been foretold to their leader, Tenoch, by the god Huitzilopochtli. At that location, he and his people were to build their city and honour Huitzilopochtli.
What Aztec characteristics were the most honorable and helped them become great leaders
Patience, toughness, strong ferocious warriors, the ability to build alliances with other groups.
In the early 1100s, what was the dominant faith in Spain
The people were predominantly Roman Catholic
How did the Aztec emperors become so powerful?
- Through alliances, conquering other meso-American nations, by becoming noble descendants of the highly respected Toltec
What did the Aztecs do initially when they came into contact with other Meso-American nations?
They had conflict with them and started wars with them/ warred with them
What changed over time with the way the Aztecs interact with other Meso-American nations
They began to form alliances and work with many of the groups.
What were the names of the other meso-american nations? List some key points about each of these nations.
- The Olmec
They are considered to be the greatest sculptors of the early Meso-American societies. Their most striking sculptures were the colossal heads. The Olmec had several gods, including a fire god, a rain god, a corn god, and the Feathered Serpent.
The Teotihuacan
The Aztec, who were impressed by the enormous ruins left behind by the Teotihuacan, believed it was a holy place where the sun, moon, and universe were created. The name meant “City of Gods.” In building their city of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec copied the way Teotihuacan was laid out into four quarters with two large avenues crossing at right angles and the temples in the city centre. Within the centre of Teotihuacan was a temple to the god Quetzalcoatl.
The Toltec
The Toltec society had the greatest impact on Aztec culture. The Aztec believed the Toltec were masters at creating a refined civilization. The Aztec wrote many poems and told many stories about the Toltec.
What factors helped King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella develop the power of the Spanish monarchy?
Centralized government under there control
Created a more efficient government bureaucracy
Imposed taxes
Took control of the roman catholic church in spain
Began spanish inquisition
Forbid any faith but Roman Catholicism
