The Aztecs - Society Flashcards
How did the structure of Aztec society tell us what was important to the Aztec people?
The social structure of the Aztecs tells us that religion was very important. The emperor was thought to be ̈a god” and that with that should always be obeyed. Again we can see religion as important as the priests had very high status and even the emperor would listen to their every direction in hopes to keep their culture alive. Warriors having a high status and being able to move up in status as a great warrior tells us that warfare was important to the Aztecs and it was linked very close to religion which again demonstrates the importance to religion. Long-distance traders having high status due to the information that they brought back with them about enemies also shows that warfare was important.
Draw the Aztec social hierarchy. How was it different from the feudal hierarchy of Europe?
Emperor (Huey Tlatoani): The leader came from the nobles but once he assumed office, he was in a class by himself. His role was not hereditary; a council of nobles decided who would be the next leader by a vote.
Nobility (Pipiltin): People in political power and wealth. Priests came from the ranks of the nobles so priests were noblemen. Other nobles worked as scribes, government officials, and teachers.
Middle class: Merchants, artisans, and warriors.
Lower class: Farmers, fishers, laborers.
Slaves
Similarities: Smaller groups were on top and the lower pyramid had the greater population. Same order but with different names. careers of each group are the same. Priests still have a major influence on the emperor/king.
Differences: Individuals could move up and down the pyramid. Children in slavery were not born into it. The emperor was elected.
How did the emperor become the emperor?
The emperor became the emperor when he was elected by a Council of Wise Men that was made up of the greatest warriors and the wisest priests. Only men could be elected to this position and were elected depending on their military strength, their wise decision making, and their recognition in the society. If he did not manage their empire wisely, the council could dismiss him.
Describe the responsibilities of the emperor.
The emperor also had to become the commander in chief of the Aztec army. He had to be a skilled warrior himself, and needed to know the military strategy and how to lead others in war. He also had a big responsibility for decision making. He would call in his council of priests and nobles when a decision was to be made and they were allowed to advise him, but the final decision rested on his shoulders.
How did a person move up in status?
A person could move up in status in many different ways. They could move up in status if they gained recognition in the military. By this it doesn’t mean by killing people, it means capturing as many people as they can and taking them as a prisoner. In this way they could use these prisoners to sacrifice them, which was very religiously important to them. Once they had captured four prisoners, they could move up in status. They could also move up in status by becoming priests, merchants, artisans, strong/useful warriors, or pochteca.
What were the three signs of status?
The three signs of status were:
Clothing: The quality of the cloth your clothes were made of and the patterns/designs printed on them determine your status in society. If you had very expensive cloth and a very fancy pattern, people would easily be able to tell, you have a high status.
Jewelry: The value and type of jewelry you had would also determine your rank in society.
The location and size of your house: If you had a big house and had in the city instead of in the country, you were very wealthy and were ranked high in status.
These three signs could help people easily determine their rank/position in society, as well as their value.
Summary paragraph
In Aztec society, each person belonged to an altepetl or city-state, each made up of a grouping of related clans. Each altepetl had its own customs and origin stories. It also had its own ruler from a noble family. The Aztec society was organized in many levels. The highest-ranking person in society was the emperor, Huey Tlatoani, meaning “great speaker” that held the greatest spiritual and political power in the empire. The emperor was elected by the Council of Wise Men that were made up of the greatest warriors and the wisest priests that were chosen by their clans. They could also dismiss him if he wasn’t doing his job properly. He represented the sun god, Huitzilopochtli, so no one could disobey him. He had two main responsibilities, he was the commander in the army, which meant he had to be a skilled warrior himself and had to know the military strategy and how to lead others. He also had to be head of state which meant before he made a decision he would call together the council of wise men to advise him, but the final decision always came down to his words. The Chief of Internal Affairs was a man that was right under the emperor in status. He was extremely important and was the closest advisor to the emperor. He was also second in command, so if something happened to the emperor the Chief of Internal Affairs would take over control. No one was able to be born into the role of the emperor, he had to be elected. Right under the emperor in status had been the nobility group. The top-level was the nobility called the pipiltin. It was made up of nobles, high-ranking priests, and high-ranking warriors. The tlatoque were people in the nobility that ruled the major city-states. The tecutin were people that ruled smaller areas than the tlatoque. They kept records of tributes and managed the marketplace, important resources, and local legal matter. They made sure all the records of the state they ruled were correct. In rural areas, the nobles owned their own land that was worked by the commoners. The amount of land and where it was located determined how wealthy one was. They had a very strict code of behavior and if they were to misbehave they would be punished more harshly than a commoner. Some noble warriors that gained lots of recognition would be allowed to join the military groups of the Eagle Knights or the Jaguar Knights. The priests were also part of the nobility. They were important advisors to the king about his dreams or omens, studied the sacred calendar to determine which days were lucky or unlucky to hold rituals, boys and girls were allowed to become them, and their most important job was to offer human sacrifices. The commoners were next in social status and were divided into two classes. The Macehualtin (middle class) and the mayeques (the lower class/peasants.) The commoners provided all the labor to keep the economy flourishing and made up most of the military. The middle class could be considered artisans, that were very skilled in hand making trade items. The mayaques were under the middle class and worked the land of the nobles. They were also required to build and maintain temples and palaces of the nobles. They were still guaranteed a plot of land that they could cultivate and pass on to their children. They were required to pay heavy taxes, but as more and more places were conquered and more people were paying the taxes, they were reduced. The lowest status in the Aztec society was the tlacotin or slaves. No person was born into this class, but could be put in it if they are unable to pay off a debt. The owner of a slave didn’t own the person, but owned their work. They were able to own land and get married, but their children would be free commoners. The easiest way to move up in society was by gaining recognition in the military, by getting four prisoners that could be used as sacrifices, or becoming artisans, long-distance traders, priests, etc. Men did the physical work and only they could hold high positions of power. Women were expected to take care of the house but some became skilled artisans opened their own business and could control their property independently. Women had high legal protection against abusive husbands, and if the parents split the women would keep the kids. Kids began to work with their parents at the age of five, and the girls got married at mid-teens while boys got married in late teens or early twenties. The three signs of status were your clothing jewelry and the location and size of your house. The quality of the cloth your clothes were made of and the patterns/designs printed on them determine your status in society.
