Term
| What were the bad omens that were seen or heard? |
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Definition
| Moctezuma looked in the sky for bad omens. His decisions were influenced by the heavenly bodies. Many people heard the sound of a mother wailing for her children. The lake water turned red like blood one day. There was a comet in the sky that foretold death and destruction. |
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Term
| What was the social structure? |
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Definition
Emperor - considered a god council voted on the next leader
Nobility and Priests - 15% of the population were nobles. Priests were nobles. Noblemen were scribes, government officials, and teachers. Commoners - Anyone who was not a noble -Merchants, Artisans, Soldiers - Farmers Fishers, Women - Slaves [image]
There were two main classes, nobles and commoners. You were generally born into a class but you were able to work your way up to a higher level. |
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Term
| What were the privileges of the Emperor |
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Definition
| They Aztecs Treated the Emperor as if he was a God. They would obey without a question and gave every privilege and luxury. He lived in an enormous house with gardens and a private zoo. Servants would carry him on a screened platform draped with ocelot skins through the streets. Other servants would sweep the streets ahead for him. |
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Term
| What were the responsibilities of the emperor |
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Definition
| He was commander of the army so he had to be a good warrior himself. He needed to know military strategy and how to lead people. He needed to look for bad omens and he made all the decisions. If he had an important decision he would gather a council of nobles and priest. The decision was ultimately his though. |
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Term
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Definition
| The Aztec Society was organized into units called calpollis. People in the same calpolli would live in the same neighbourhood and go to worship in the same temple. |
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Term
| How were calpollis organized |
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Definition
| This was sometimes based on their profession or work and sometimes if they were family. |
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Term
| What were the responsibilities of the councils in the calpollis |
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Definition
| They assigned land and houses to its residents and collected taxes. It also had the important responsibility of keeping the neighborhood clean, washing the streets, and painting and scrubbing the buildings. |
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Term
| What were the different calpollis explain each |
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Definition
There were three calpolli groups -
merchants - richest calpolli. went on trading expeditions brought back goods acted as spies. valuable help plan attacks for war. sold the goods in market paid taxes
artisans - decorated fans, headdresses, tunics, and shields.
Mask makers, goldsmiths, and feather workers were most respected
farmers. - grew crops but also hunters and fishers. sold stuff at the market paid tax most important part of citizenship. might be expected to donate hours of labour. They main thing that was harvested was corn. |
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Term
| What was the market why did they have so much pride in it and what did the Spanish think of it |
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Definition
| his was the largest market in the Aztec empire. It could hold up to 60 000 people and there was an estimated 25 000 that visited the market in a day. You could buy fabric, clothing, weapons, pottery, jewellry, and food. It was run using the barter system. Cacao beans were very valuable. It was also a social place to go. You could also hear the latest news, listen to some music, and buy a snack. The market had its own police force as well as 20 judges where thieves would be brought. Vendors who cheated customers were sold into slavery and all of their goods were confiscated. They took great pride in the market as this was one of the first places they showed the Spanish. A Spanish soldier said that he had never seen a market so well laid out, so large, so orderly, and so full of people. |
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Term
| What were the signs of your status |
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Definition
Clothes - quality of cloth as well as the pattern on it as well as if it had feathers
Nobles - cotton
Commoners - cactus fibre
Jewellery
House - size and location |
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Term
| What were clothing and housing laws |
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Definition
You would be killed if a common person wore cotton clothing ( only allowed cactus fibre)
Great noblemen and chieftains were only allowed a second story house or you would be killed. |
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Term
| How could a warrior move up in status what was war about for aztecs |
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Definition
| War for the Aztecs was not about killing their enemies, it was about taking them prisoner for sacrifice. If a warrior got 4 enemies he could move up in status. If he was a commoner he could move up to nobility. |
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Term
| What was education like as a child |
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Definition
| Aztec children were educated from home until the were able to go to school (10-15) They were punished after the age of three if they were not being hard-working and obedient. To punish children who misbehaved, some Aztec parents threw handfuls of hot chili peppers into a fire and forced them to inhale the fiery smoke. They were trying to turn them into citizen with a stone heart and a stone face. School was free and everyone could go |
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Term
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Definition
| Calmecac was a school for nobles These were usually attached to a temple. They studied codices and religious training was important. learned reading and writing |
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Term
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Definition
| They learned lessons orally and had to memorize Aztec history, religion and citizenship duties. They learned to play musical instruments and dance. The boys did physical labour. |
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Term
| What was the military service like |
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Definition
All boys trained as warriors. Once they learned how to fight they served a soldier. At age 15 they became warriors and took a role in the battles. Jaguar and eagle were prestigious military orders.
All boys trained as warriors. Once they learned how to fight they served a soldier. At age 15 they became warriors and took a role in the battles. Jaguar and eagle were prestigious military orders. In the Aztec society military was mandatory which is called a conscription. There are ‘draft dodgers’ who are people who flee or hide to avoid having to join the military. |
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Term
| What was the ducation and jobs availiable for aztec women |
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Definition
| Aztec Women had very little political power but it was very important for girls to have a good education. At 16 women were married and moved in with their husbands. They went into the Army as doctors and healers. They could be priestesses or matchmakers as well as midwives. They homeschooled their kids. |
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Term
| WHat was an important thing for aztec citizenship |
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Definition
| it focused on citizens who contributed to society by taxes |
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Term
| What were lessons in citizenship |
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Definition
| They had to memorize lessons on religion and good behavior. (respect your elders and treat others the way you want to be treated.) |
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Term
| What were virtues citizens had to show |
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Definition
Courage - Show courage and deal with hard stuff without complaining
Self-sacrifice - The group is more important than the individual
Modesty - no one would boast about personal accomplishments
Clean Living - They had to be healthy or would be harshly punished
Obedience - Had to obey superiors without question |
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Term
| What was the process of law was everyone judged fairly |
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Definition
Aztecs rights were protected by laws. Every citizen had to obey laws. Nobles were expected to set a good example so they were judged more harshly You could move up from lower court to higher court or even the emperor if you were not happy with the decision.
Judged on evidence
lesser crimes - fined or sentenced to slavery
serious crimes - (including theft) no prisons punishment was often death. |
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Term
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Definition
| Slaves had rights. If a noble beat a slave to death they could be executed. If a slave being sold in the marketplace could run 1.5k to the emperors palace without being caught they would become free. did not think it was shameful to be a slave, just bad luck. They could keep property and have their own slaves until their debts were paid. Children of slaves were freed |
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| a wild cat from mexico with a spiritual meaning to the aztecs |
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Definition
| a group that people that had family ties or of the same profession who lived in the same area. |
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Definition
| a skilled worker who makes art by hand. |
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| making military service mandatory |
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Definition
| a system of communication using pictures that they used instead of letters. |
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| people who do something wrong are punished |
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| people who so something wrong must make that mistake better. |
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