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Maggie Cheek

1st Block

3 March 2017

The Aztec Empire

The Aztecs were a group of people who lived in south and central Mexico from the

beginning of the 13 century to 1521 AD. The Aztec empire was prosperous due to the efficient

government style and their economy. They were ruled by an emperor who was chosen by God

and had a divine right to rule. The civilization had smaller city-states that ruled over themselves.

They paid a tribute to the emperor, who in return allowed them to remain independent. The

Aztecs had a hierarchical setup of society, being the lower class were slaves and servants to the

upper working class. Slaves and servants had poor living standards and had a very low income, if

any at all. The merchant and working class are the higher income families that run the economy

of the empire. Farming, hunting, and crafts, such as boat building or architecture, were popular

jobs for working class Aztecs, as they relied on agriculture for food and architecture played a

large role in their culture. Trade was also very important to the Aztecs because many foods

cannot be grown locally due to the environment. For example, cocoa beans were imported to the

Empire, along with the valuable white cotton plant from other areas of South America.

Aztec religion was a series of sacred ritual to honor the Aztec gods, a god for every

aspect of nature. The most prominent and sacred ritual was human sacrifice. The Aztecs believed

that they needed to repay the gods who created the earth and themselves, so a blood sacrifice was

the best way to honor them. Human sacrifice included both killings and cutting oneself and

offering your blood to the gods. The sacrifices in which one was killed often happened with

prisoners of war, instead of innocent civilians.

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The Aztec empire had great intellectual and cultural advancements, such as their own

language, an effective calendar, and impressive architecture. The Aztec lingua franca was called

Nahuatl, and it was a vital aspect of the running of the empire. The Aztec calendar also played a

vital role in the civilians because it was used as the basis for all important religious activities.

The actual calendar was carved from a large stone that was read using the sun. Architecture is the

aspect of the empire that is most well-known. Temples were vital to the Aztec religion, and they

were built with excellence. Located on top of pyramids, temples featured steep staircases to the

top with grand openings and doorways that were carved by hand. Advanced aqueducts, roads,

canals, and buildings were other significant features to the empire's prosperity.

Overall, the Aztec empire was a grand civilization that was centered around agriculture,

architecture, and religion. It was a hierarchical society in which the emperor ruled over smaller

tribes and the upper class ruled the lower class. With the fall of the empire in 1521, the Aztecs

are an empire that will not be forgotten and will be remembered through the advancement that

the made for South American culture and cultures around the world.

Works Cited
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History.com Staff. "Aztecs." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

http://www.history.com/topics/aztecs

"Aztec Empire." Ducksters Educational Site. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

http://www.ducksters.com/history/aztec_empire/government_and_empire.

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DK find out! | fun facts for kids on animals, earth, history and more! DK Find Out!, Web. 6

Mar. 2017. http://www.dkfindout.com/us/history/aztecs/aztec-calendar/

The Editors of Encyclopdia Britannica. Nahuatl language, Encyclopdia Britannica, inc., May

31, 2013. Accessed March 6 2017. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nahuatl-language