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Around 1300 CE a wandering tribe of Indians
wandered into the city of Mexico. These people
were called the Aztecs. When the Aztecs
arrived in the valley of Mexico, other tribes
were already in residence.They had already
taken the best land. The Aztecs had to make
due with the swampy shores of Texacoco.
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With the help of trained engineers, builders, and traders, the
Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan became a great city. It had
huge temples, beautiful open plazas, and a huge bustling
central marketplace. By the mid-1400’s, Tenochtitlan had a
population of about 300,000 people, which made it the largest
city in the world at that time!
When Spanish soldiers first arrived in the Valley of Mexico,
they were amazed at what they found in the capital city of
Tenochtitlan. Everything was clean. There were “eating
houses” and hairdressers. You could buy medicines and herbs
and all kinds of food. You could buy meat and game. There
were streets that sold only pottery and mats. Painters could
buy the paints they needed for their art.
One soldier said, “There were soldiers among us who had been
in many parts of the world, in Constantinople and Rome and
all over Italy, who said that they had never before seen a
market place so large and so filled with people.”
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The Rich: Homes of the nobles and wealthy were
made of sun-dried brick. If you were very wealthy, you
home could be made of stone. All homes were
whitewashed to make them look clean and shiny. Each
noble home had a separate room for steam bathing.
Water was poured over heated stones. Bathing was an
important part of daily life and of religion. Bathing was
believed to clean both the body and soul.
The Poor: Homes of the farmers and other commoners
were huts with thatched roofs. Furniture was limited.
They might have mats on the floor and woven trunks
to hold belongings. They had blankets and pottery for
cooking. Everyone had a garden of their own,
including farmers.
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Expansion: Around 1400 CE, the Aztec government began
conquering neighbouring tribes. The Aztec population had grown.
They needed many things to manage their growing population.
They needed new cities to house their population. They needed
new lands to feed their population. They needed new captives to
feed their hungry gods. Schools needed to be run. Storehouses
needed to be filled. Temples needed to be built. The government
had its hands full trying to satisfy all these needs.
Tribute: War was the answer. When the Aztecs conquered a tribe,
they demanded tribute in the form of food, clothing, precious
stones, building supplies, and captives. The first four the Aztecs
kept for themselves. The last they gave to their gods. Other tribes
hated and feared the Aztecs. Sometimes, they simply ran away in
fear rather than fight.
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Girls learnt crafting skills from their mothers
Talco was the ancient god of rain and fertility. Moctezuma believed that if the
Aztecs(including himself)didn't worship the god as he wanted , the food
supplies would be wiped out almost instantly.
The weather wasn't often too hot or too cold.
Aztec farming methods were a whole lot more harder to understand than the
methods the Spaniards used.
Paper was made out of the bark of fig trees
When huge swarms of locusts descended onto the Aztec crops , havoc
corrupted . Food supplies were wiped out almost immedietly and people
starved to death.
Grinding chillies in a bowl made a fine paste.
An Aztec's home could also be a workplace for the person . Farmers who
knew how to craft things like pottery could make goods for their own use or
to sell in the enormous city markets.
Aztecs oftenly drank water but on special occasions , beer made from the sap
of cactuses might be served.
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n.
The most famous Aztec
game is a bit like
basketball but your only
aloud use you hips and
elbows and you have to
get it through a small
ring.
BY EOIN DALY