The Aztecs Flashcards
What were the aims of Christopher Columbus
Glory
To make a name for himself (“The great Admiral of the Ocean”
Impacts of Chistopher Columbus’ voyages
Columbian Exchange
Found a trade route from the the Americas, Caribeans and Spain
90% of Mexican population dying from small pox,
Increase of exploration of America
How and when did humans first arrive in Mesoamerica
40,000BCE
Cr0ssed along the Bering land bridge (Alaska+Russia)
Why were civilisations able to develop in Mesoamerica
Variety of crops –> Large food surplus
What was Tenochtitlan
Warlike mexican tribe guided by their god Huitzilpochtil into valley of Mexico
How did Aztecs demonstrate they were an advanced civilisation
Religion- guided by their god into Valley of Mexico
Advanced technology- Aquadocts
Heirachy- different roles and status
social heirachy of aztecs
tlatoani(emperor)
Piptin(nobles)
Capuli(everyone else)
Slaves
Features of tenochtitlan
Floating farms
Relatively equal gender roles
War mindset
Weapons of obsidian
Battle introduced very early for boys so become accustomed and not afraid
Law and Gender roles
Very strict law- adultry, speaking lies about others, drunkeness and theft all punishable
Dif. courts for dif. problems
Gender roles =realtively equal both parents raise children, women can own land and divorce after first boy
Aztec Warfare
Went to war for human sacrifices
3 captured=butterfly papuli
4-5=jaguar/eagle
6= shorn one (highest rank)
Who was Hernan Cortes?
Ambitious conquistador
Born 1485 Medellin,Spain
Always wanted to make a name for himself
Born to a poor noble
What was Hernan Cortes like? What were some of his voyages?
Very ambitious, greedy.
Conquest of Cuba
Mexico- wanted to take over tenochtitlan
What was ‘The Night of Sorrow?”
failed escape attempt.
Stormy night Cortes tried to take advantage of weather.
Women saw his men while collecting water, alerted village.
Many soildures drowned in lake bc gold weighed them down
What was it like when Hernan Cortes and his army arrived in Tenochtitlan?
Mentezuma=scared so give +++ gifts.
Held mentezuma and nobles captive
Even w. + gold cortes= not satisfied
What happened at the religious festival?
Cortes’ men see human sacrifice before hand, get scared they’re next-> attack
At festival while everyone distracted they surround Aztecs.
Spanish = kill 3000+ people, including most nobles, only Mentezuma and few lucky nobles survive
