Aztec Civilization
The Aztecs were very unique in every aspect of life. Their civilization, in my opinion was one of the best, based on their social structure, advanced farming, and architecture. They were a very important contribution to our modern world.
The Aztec Indians, who are known for their domination of southern and central Mexico, are believed to have migrated from Azatlan, the homeland of the north. The group that eventually founded the Aztec Empire, the Mexica, migrated to the Valley of Mexico in the middle of the 13th century. As late arrivals, the Mexica, a hunter-gatherer people, were forced by other groups in the valley to take refuge on two islands near the western shore of Lake Texcoco, ...
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The Aztecs built great cities and developed a complex social, political, and religious structure
Aztec society was highly structured, based on agriculture, and guided by a religion that spread through every aspect of life. The Aztecs worshiped gods that represented natural forces that were vital to their agricultural economy. Aztec cities were dominated by giant stone pyramids topped by temples where human sacrifices were dedicated to the gods. Aztec art was primarily an expression of religion, and even warfare, which increased the empire’s wealth and power. It also served the religious purpose of providing captives to be sacrificed.
By the year 1325 their capital city was finished. Tenochtitlan was the center of the Aztec world. The marvels of the island city were described by the Spanish conquistadors as the “Venice of the New World” in reference to Venice, Italy because of its many canals. At its height, the city had a population of about 200,000 people, ...
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the nobility were made of plastered brick or stone and painted bright shades of red or white. The houses of the common people were smaller, made of interwoven twigs and mud, and covered with grass.
Farming provided the basis of the Aztec economy. The land around the lakes was fertile but not large enough to produce food for the population, which expanded steadily as the empire grew. To make more land suitable for farming, the Aztec developed irrigation systems, formed terraces on hillsides, and used fertilizer to enrich the ...
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Aztec Civilization. (2011, March 10). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Aztec-Civilization/95817
"Aztec Civilization." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 10 Mar. 2011. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Aztec-Civilization/95817>
"Aztec Civilization." Essayworld.com. March 10, 2011. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Aztec-Civilization/95817.
"Aztec Civilization." Essayworld.com. March 10, 2011. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Aztec-Civilization/95817.
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