Asia Nelson
Freshman
Clark Atlanta University
The Aztec Civilization
Research Paper
Presented to
Professor Oluwajuyemi,
U.S., Africa, World History 1
November 19, 2012
Asia Nelson
A civilization is "a high level of cultural and technological development; more
specifically, the stage of cultural development at which writing and the keeping written record is
attained”1. The Aztec civilization existed from 1250 to 1485 AD in the valley of Mexico and
originated from the ancestry of the Toltec’s empire. The civilization began when the nomadic
Nahuatl-speaking immigrants migrated south to Mexico and assimilated with what was left of
the Toltec society after the downfall of the Tula Empire. The Aztecs easily adapted to the
characteristics of the Toltec’s rituals, gods, economic policies, kingship principles, and city
planning.2 The Aztecs were well-developed and advanced society who is well known for their
political structure, social pyramid, and religious beliefs. Although the Aztec empire is no longer
around, some aspects of their civilization still managed to survive over time.
Stretching over 80,000 miles in current day central and southern Mexico, the Aztec
civilization composed themselves in many city-states known as the alteptl. Each alteptl was an
organized community that had their own law, a well-defined boundary, and a tlatoani, a king.3
The Aztec empire was divided into about forty independent city-states and they all resembled the
political structures composed into three offices: the tlatoani, cihuacoatl, and the tecuhtli. When
ruling the city, these three offices of the government ruled permitting to what was acceptable
within the state according to the nature of the universe and humankind.4 The tlatoani was the
most important office of the empire.
“The good ruler is a protector; He rules, take responsibilities, assumes burdens. He
carries is subjects in his cape; he bears them in his arms. He governs; he is obeyed. To
1
Webster , Merriam. An Encyclopedia Britannica , "Merriam-Webster." Last modified 2012. Accessed October 28, 2012.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/.
2
Smith, Dr. Michael E. Arizona State University, "AZTEC CULTURE: AN OVERVIEW." Last modified 2006. Accessed
October 28, 2012. http://www.public.asu.edu/~mesmith9/1-CompleteSet/Smith-AztecCulture-WWW.pdf.
3
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 123.
4
Marco A. Almazan, "The Aztec States-Society: Roots of Civil Society and Social Capital," Annals of the American Academy of
Political and Social Science , 565 (1999): 166,
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him as shelter, a refuge, there is recourse. He serves as proxy, as substitute (for the
deity)”5.
A tlatoani’s office was combined with religious, political, and military aspects. The citizens of
the empire believed that the tlatoani was a representative of god. The tlatoani were responsible
for the protection of his citizens therefore he was the supreme military leader. His duties were to
organized military campaigns, supervised the defense lines, and also solve criminal cases the
lower courts could not resolve.6 When a ruler was overthrew or killed, he was replaced by
someone with the same dynamic credentials elected by the noble staff. During this period of
electing a new tlatoani, the cihuacoatl, the second most important office of the government, was
in charge of the empire. During the transitioning of a new tlatoani, he was entitled the same
duties as the tlatoani but outside of this period, the cihuacoatl was considered to be the prime
minister or viceroy.7 He was responsible for keeping the empire together and standing in as a
representative of the tlatoani when he is out of the city. The tecuhtli was the least important role
within the Aztec’s empire. Made up of a noble council and bureaucrats, they also participated
within the administration of the city. After the fall of the Aztec empire, this political structure
was still being practiced up until the eighteenth century under the rule of the Spaniards.
With a population about 5 million people, the citizen of the Aztec’s empire were divided
among the alteptl. Each alteptl had a social structure which was divided into two main groups:
the pipiltin and the macehualtin. The social structure within these two groups differed
depending on which city a person resided in. According to the Aztec’s capital city Tenochtitlan,
the pipiltin was the noble class and consisted of a high-ranking chief, important political
5
Nigel Davies, "The Civilization of the American Indian series," The Aztec Empire, Vol. 187, ed. Comittee on Production
Guidelines for Book Longevity of Council on Library Resources, Inc. (Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, Nowman,
Publishing division of the University, 1987).
6
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 156
7
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 123.
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positions, religious leaders, and military officials whereas the macehualtin consisted of majority
of the Aztec civilization such as traders, farmers, and merchants.8 These social classes were not
hereditary and a commoner could easily rise to power through heroism in battle or as an effective
religious leader. Within these two major social classes, other social structures existed as well. At
the top of the pipiltin’s class was the king, also known as tlatoani.9 His duties involved
governing the people and expanding the power of the empire. Under the tlatoani was a council of
nobles made up of well trusted and loyal lords in charge of the Lord’s house called the tecuhtli.10
The tecuhtli were supported greatly by the people and were also a part of the ruling process with
the tlatoani. At the bottom of the pipiltin class were the offspring of the talatoani and tecuhtil.
Tlahtohcapilli, the highest ranking offspring, are the children of tlahtoani. Following the
tlahtohcapilli was tecpilli, children of the teuctli. Tlazohpilli, sons of a legitimate wife, and
calpanpilli, sons of a concubines, were also acknowledge within the noble class.11 The pipiltin
class was only ten percent of the entire population therefore majority of the citizens from the
Aztec civilization falls within the macehualtin class. This class was so huge that it was easily
divided into three social classes such as the calpulli, tlalmaitin, and the tlacotin.12 The calpulli
class was the highest ranking among commoners. They were people who owned land and were
considered to be the ward headman that represented their neighborhood before the government.
Next in line was the tlalmaitin. The people of this class were required to pay tributes in goods
and were laborers for the calpulli class. At the bottom of the pyramid were the tlacotin, who
were slaves. The slave class consisted of criminals and people who could not pay their taxes.
8
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 123.
9
Smith, Dr. Michael E. Arizona State University, "AZTEC CULTURE: AN OVERVIEW." Last modified 2006. Accessed
October 28, 2012. http://www.public.asu.edu/~mesmith9/1-CompleteSet/Smith-AztecCulture-WWW.pdf.
10
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 124.
11
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 123.
12
Smith, Dr. Michael E. Arizona State University, "AZTEC CULTURE: AN OVERVIEW." Last modified 2006. Accessed
October 28, 2012. http://www.public.asu.edu/~mesmith9/1-CompleteSet/Smith-AztecCulture-WWW.pdf.
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Although they were slaves, they were allowed to own property, buy their freedom, and even
marry a free person. Children born of the slaves are born free.
In addition to politics and the social hierarchy, religion played a huge role within the
Aztec’s citizens’ lives. The Aztec religion can be broken down into three concepts: the variety
deities, rituals performed, and the belief in an afterlife. The Aztec religion was polytheistic and
had over one hundred gods and goddesses. To simplify the deity, the gods were divided into
three groups based on similarities. The first group of gods consisted of creative and fatherly
figure gods. Ometeol, the most important god, is a part of group one. Ometeol was dual-god
meaning he had female and male principles. Creator of all the other deities, Ometeol lived in the
uppermost part of the thirteen levels of heaven.13 Gods who share principal roles like rain,
moisture, and agriculture fertility are all a part of group two. Centeotl, the maize god, played a
significant role within the Aztec civilization because maize was considered one of the staple
foods within Mesoamerica and brought in wealth for the economy.14 The last groups of gods
shared principle roles of war, sacrifice, and blood nourishment of the Sun and Earth. Tonatiuh
was the sun god. He was able to make the crops grow by providing warmth and fertility.15 The
deities of the Aztec civilization were anthropomorphic. They quarrel, fight, and get jealous
easily. Not only to keep the gods happy, the citizens of the Aztec empire performed rituals to
release them of their sins so they can become worthy in the afterlife. The most common and
important ritual as an effort to please the gods is animal and human sacrifices.
“Humans were put to death not only by excision of the heart but also by decapitation,
having the throat cut, being thrown into fire, being scratched, … flaying in the so-called
13
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 180.
14
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 180.
15
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 183.
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gladiatorial sacrifice, being shot with arrows, drowning, being buried alive, and being
hurled down from the top of a pole or a pyramid.”16
The people selected to be sacrificed for the gods were usually slaves who impersonated deities or
war captives. Another ritual performed to please the gods instead of sacrifices was offerings.
Some of these offerings consisted of crops, temples, and art. Depending on how well the Aztec’s
citizens worship the gods and lived their lives determine the status of them in their afterlife. The
Aztecs believed that the universe is divided into three levels: the heavens, the world they lived
on, and the underworld. Heaven has thirteen levels all separated by floors. The lowest are
comprised of moon, clouds, stars, sun, Venus, comets, and the colors green, blue, black, and
blue; the higher levels are contain the gods and the colors white, yellow, and red.17 Just like the
heaven, the underworld is also in layers. Instead of thirteen, the underworld is composed of nine
layers. The surface of the Earth was considered to be level one while Mictlan was considered to
be level 9.18 According to the Aztecs, when a person dies, their body and souls depart from each
other. Depending on the cause of death and how the burial procedure is performed, their souls is
could go to three places.19 Place number one, when people who died in the battlefield, sacrifices,
or in childbirth were destined to go to the house of the suns in heaven. Place number two, is
associated with the god of Tlaloc meaning the death would have to do with some form of water
considering Tlaloc is the god of rain. The final destination would be Mictlan but before the soul
reaches there, it would have to complete a series of tasks for four years.
Over a 200-year time span, the ancient Aztec civilization was able to develop from a
group of nomadic individuals into one of the greatest ancient civilizations within the world. The
16
Michael Graulich, "Aztec Human Sacrifice as Expiation," Chicago Journals, 39, no. 4 (2000): 353,
17
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 185.
18
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 185.
19
Dirk R. Van Tuerenhout, The Aztecs, (Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005), 123.
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Aztec Empire is known for other accomplishments besides the political structure, social
hierarchy, religious beliefs, and arts. Due to their lack of technological equipment such as the
wheel and guns, the Aztec civilization is very intelligent and sophisticated because of the many
accomplishments they achieved. The legacy of this ancient civilization is expressed through
intellectual accomplishments. They developed a number and writing system; advanced
mathematical system and complex calendars composed of 260 and 365 days; established
education and legal systems; was able to diagnose and cure illness. All of these accomplishments
are being practiced in many countries outside of Mexico such as the United States, Great Britain,
and Spain. The Aztec empire was a huge impact on the world.
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Asia Nelson
Bibliography
Almazán, Marco A. "The Aztec States-Society: Roots of Civil Society and Social Capital."
Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 565. (1999): 162-175.
Davies, Nigel. The Civilization of the American Indian series. The Aztec Empire. Vol. 187.
Edited by Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of Council on
Library Resources, Inc.. Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Publishing
division of the University, 1987.
Graulich, Michael. "Aztec Human Sacrifice as Expiation. “Chicago Journals. 39. no. 4 (2000):
352-371.
Smith, Dr. Michael E. Arizona State University, "AZTEC CULTURE: AN OVERVIEW." Last
modified 2006. Accessed October 28, 2012. http://www.public.asu.edu/~mesmith9/1CompleteSet/Smith-AztecCulture-WWW.pdf.
Van Tuerenhout, Dirk R. The Aztecs. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-Clio, Inc., 2005.
Webster , Merriam. An Encyclopedia Britannica , "Merriam-Webster." Last modified 2012.
Accessed October 28, 2012. http://www.merriam-webster.com/.
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