The Aztec Empire
Why did the Aztec go to war?
The Aztecs engaged in warfare (yaoyotl) to acquire territory, resources, quash rebellions,
and to collect sacrificial victims to honour their gods
.
What was the main purpose of war and Aztec society?
There were two main objectives in Aztec warfare. The first objective was political:
the subjugation of enemy city states (Altepetl)
in order to exact tribute and expand Aztec political hegemony. The second objective was religious and socioeconomic: the taking of captives to be sacrificed in religious ceremonies.
What was the main purpose of war in Aztec society quizlet?
Aztec:The major purpose of Aztec wars was
to expand the size and power of the Aztec empire
.
How did the Aztecs declare war?
A ritual was followed for declaring war. The Aztec Emperor would issue a declaration of
war and envoys were sent to the enemy region
. The enemy was given a gift of weapons and 20 days to respond to the declaration and submit to Aztec authority.
Did the Aztecs have female warriors?
However,
Aztec women were not allowed a role in the military
. They could not be admitted into the military training school. This meant that women were denied access to one of the largest sources of wealth and prestige within Aztec society.
Who were the most feared Aztec warriors?
Beyond the warrior societies listed above, some of the most prestigious warriors in Aztec culture were
the Eagle warriors and the Jaguar warriors
. Both the Eagle and Jaguar warriors were referred to as ‘cuāuhocēlōtl’ and were the two most elite types of warriors in the Aztec military.
What were three of the most significant achievements or facts about the Aztecs?
The Aztecs were famous for
their agriculture
, cultivating all available land, introducing irrigation, draining swamps, and creating artificial islands in the lakes. They developed a form of hieroglyphic writing, a complex calendar system, and built famous pyramids and temples.
What disease killed many of the Aztecs?
Smallpox
took its toll on the Aztecs in several ways. First, it killed many of its victims outright, particularly infants and young children.
At what age did most Aztec men get married?
Aztec family law generally followed customary law. Men got married between the ages of
20-22
, and women generally got married at 15 to 18 years of age. Parents and relatives decided when and who their children would marry, and sometimes used marriage brokers.
What was the most common form of sacrifice in Aztec society?
The most common form of human sacrifice was
heart-extraction
. The Aztec believed that the heart (tona) was both the seat of the individual and a fragment of the Sun’s heat (istli). The chacmool was a very important religious tool used during sacrifices.
Why was hunting particularly significant for many Native American societies?
Why was hunting particularly significant for many Native American societies?
It helped nurture a warrior ethic among indigenous societies that prized courage in combat
. … The Spanish grew more inclusive toward the Native Americans than would the English in their own colonies.
Why was human sacrifice important to the Aztecs quizlet?
Human sacrifice played a major role in religion because
the Aztecs believed that the gods needed blood to survive and be strong enough to fight off evil
. So they sacrificed masses of people at a time to feed their gods.
What did the Aztecs demand of cities they defeated?
What did the Aztecs demand of cities they defeated? …
Aztecs demanded that you pay tribute, honor huitzopochti, promise obedience to their ruler, but otherwise they lived the same
. This made it easy for the Aztecs to rule, but the conquered people never thought of themselves as true Aztecs and wanted freedom.
How did the Aztecs treat their slaves?
Aztec people became slaves by
selling themselves into slavery to pay for debts or as punishment for crimes
. The slaves had certain rights. They were not to be mistreated by their owners, they could buy their freedom, and they could not be sold by their masters unless they agreed.
What was the greatest weakness of the Aztec empire?
warfare. What was the greatest weakness of the Aztec Empire?
It had a lack of unity
, because conquered people wanted their freedom.
