Unit 1 review Flashcards
Aztec geography
The Aztecs migrated for a long time, and finally settled in Tenochtitlan. They considered this place to be the center of the universe. Tenochtitlan was located in the center of what is now Mexico. Their city, Tenochtitlan, was built with a temple in the middle and roads on all four sides leading to the mainland.
Origins of the Aztec
The Aztecs were a society that originated from many different meso-american groups and their ideas. They adapted many of their ideas. The Aztecs were a traveling society at first, until their god, Huitzilipotchtli, gave them a sign to settle. This happened to be tenochtitlan, located in the middle of a lake.
Impact of the Moors on Spain
Moors left many marks on Spain. Moorish ideas were still left, even when they were all gone. The Moors were originally the first group of people that was major in Spain, so when they all died out, some ideas of their remained.
Gender roles in Aztec society
Different genders had different roles than each other. The males had to do all of the hard and physical work, while the females had to stay at home and take care of the house. They had to raise the children, and make sure everything was taken care of for the family.
Aztec primary sources or cultural artifacts
The main source of culture of the Aztecs are three Meso-American groups. They are called the Olmec, the Toltec, and the Teotihuacan. These three groups played a big role in the Aztec way of life. They gave them the layout for the city, and they gave them religious cultures to continue. The Olmec had the greatest influence on their art, though.
Hernan Cortes
Hernan Cortes was a Spanish explorer and sailor that went to explore the Aztec societies, and try to take over. He was denied when he asked to go explore, so he went illegally. He knew he would be imprisoned if he ever returned to Spain, so he could not return to Spain without good results. The Spanish were defeated, but tried again later. Cortes was imprisoned after all, and taken away. So, Alvares took the lead, and ruled.
Aztec religious beliefs
Aztecs were extremely religious. They believed that Tenochtitlan was the center of the universe, and that Huitzilipotchtli was watching over them, just like some other gods. They also believed that they needed blood and human sacrifices to be able to survive.
Aztec and Spanish worldviews
Spanish did not value manual labor, but nobles wanted their own land. They had also been exposed to lots of different worldviews, because they were the center of the iberian peninsula, and because they were important to many people. People wer enforced to be Catholic, and non-catholics were killed or tortured to death.
Aztecs also had a fairly useless class system, because the king and queen had almost all the power.
Adopted ideas from early meso-american societies. Aztecs were open to new ideas. Aztec societies were extremely religious, and believed that tenochtitlan was the center of the universe. They believed in many gods, and thought that human sacrifices were needed for the gods to live on. Aztecs also had a class system, which was very successful.
Spanish history
Spanish history started with many different societies that all shared the Iberian Peninsula. But, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella wanted all the power they could get. They got married, and started ruling the country. They told everyone that they were appointed by God, so everyone believed them. They worked on the reconquista, and tried to have all non-Catholics killed. They were very successful, and many people died.They also had a lot of power within the church. Then, Cortes went to find New Spain.
Reconquista
The Reconquista was the recapturing of the country. It was where many people were killed because they were not Catholic. It was a huge deal, and people were getting killed without proof that they were actually not Catholic.
Aztec and Spanish relations with other peoples in their regions
The Aztecs had fairly good economic relationships with their neighbors. They were friendly to them so they could get more resources, but didn’t want others as friends so much. They also had some enemies that ended up siding with the Spanish.
The Spanish had good relationships with their neighbors. They made up the majority of the Iberian Peninsula, so people respected them. They had a lot of power over many different people, and took advantage of that sometimes.
Aztec and Spanish social classes – hierarchy?
Aztec
The emperor was a the top
Nobody could be slaves - they had to do something bad to become one
Higher class
Pipiltin
Had better jobs from the start
Dressed in fine linen
Went to better schools
Middle class
Machitlin
Could get better jobs if they worked hard
Dressed on Cactus skins
Had it slightly better than the lower class
Lower class
Came from the middle class
Were not slaves
Also dressed on cactus skins
Could be artisans
Spanish
Monarchy and gods were at the top
Nobles
Highest class
Monarchy and priests of the church
Dressed in gowns and fine clothes
Dressed to impress
Got the big castles
Lower class
Had to work on the nobles land
Didn’t get fine clothes
Could move class sometimes
90% of the population
Aztec education system
Education was free for both boys and girls, but the type of education depended on your class. To pass on traditions though, every kid gets taught about religious ceremonies, and how to act. School lasted from teens to marriage, and the boys in common and noble schools lived there. The commoners got no books or writing, but all classes got a pretty good variety of classes.
Aztec and Spanish political systems – who had power and how did they come to have power?
Aztecs
Ruled by a emperor
The council of wise men could dismiss the Emperor.
Spanish
The King and Queen held full power. They were believed to have been appointed by God.
The cortes were able to pass laws, but the King and Queen were able to decline the suggestions.
The King and Queen were able to place people into the RCC as they pleased.
Events of the Spanish Conquest – understand the sequence of events and how everything played out.
Moctezuma sent many gifts to Cortes because he believed that Cortes was a god that would come back to conquer Tenochtitlan.
Cortes got two other groups to join him in defeating the Aztecs by killing their emperors to intimidate.
Moctezuma got taken hostage, and no one wanted to save him because they all thought Moctezuma to be a lazy leader.
Alvarado took over when Cortes got taken to prison.
The Spanish lost once, but regained power and fought again on the noche triste. This time, they won and ruled over Tenochtitlan.
