Title: How Did the Political and Economic Systems Reflect Aztec Worldview? Source: Our Worldviews: Explore, Understand, Connect Author: Levin, Moline and Redhead Pages: 273-278 Activity 8.3 Key I can statement: I can show how the Aztec social system reflects their worldview. Instructions: Pre-Reading – Identify and define the key terms in your reading in the section provided. During Reading – Using a highlighter and a transparency identify the key information from each of your reading selections. After Reading – Summarize your key facts into the provided sections and answer the Reflect and Respond questions from page 278. Altepetl Key Terms Aztec Political System Council of Wise Men – Chosen by members of their calpullis, they were the greatest warriors and wisest priests. The Huey Tlatoani was elected by and could be dismissed by the Council of Wise Men. Being the representative of Huitzilopochtli, the Huey Tlatoani was the head of the government, the highest priest and the ultimate authority in matters of law. The title of Huey Tlatoani was often passed down to sons or nephews but only if they deserved it as ascension through heredity was not part of the Aztec way of life. Altepeme – Plural form of Altepetl. Tribute – based primarily on agriculture but could include: military service, cacao beans, natural resources like lumber and cotton, as well as, luxury items like feather work and precious metals. Cacao beans – used to make chocolate but also as a currency in the Aztec economy. Chinampas – floating Aztec gardens. Cottage industry – individuals work out of their homes with their own equipment to make goods and products. Altepeme, similar to Italian city-states, were distinct cultural groups with their own customs and beliefs including origin stories and histories. They were made up of related capulli and elected their civic leader a tlatoani that ensured his citizens’ needs were met by it surrounding countryside. Role of Priests in the Government High priests would assist the emperor in the interpretation of omens and dreams and also assist in the setting of significant dates to hold ceremonies or go to war. Lowly priests in the royal court would look after music and direct religious ceremonies. Aztec Economy Tribute Paid to the emperor by conquered societies to ensure a steady source of goods, tribute would often be redistributed throughout the empire to ensure allegiance. Cacao beans were a type of currency Aztec’s used to barter in the market places to meet their needs. Farming As the backbone to the Aztec economy, farming required technological innovations like irrigation, terraced hillsides and chinampas or floating gardens to meet the demands for tribute, taxes and trade for goods and services within the empire. Produce grown on chinampas would provide almost half of the empires need. Other Goods and Services Those farmers not working on Chinampas often would have time to make goods out of raw materials or mined products in a cottage industry setting. Goods developed could include ceramic pottery, tools made from obsidian, paper, jewelry and feather work clothing. Services would include barbers, herbalists and individuals that would prepare and serve food and drink. Chinampas Chinampas sat surrounded by canals on layers of mud dredged from lakebeds and rotting aquatic plants that were placed on interwoven vines and branches and anchored by planted willow trees’ roots to anchor these floating gardens. Market Place After tribute and taxes, goods made their way to the market place where the exchanges of goods and services were based on barter and trade. Merchandise was relegated to a particular street and selling outside the market place was forbidden. The largest market place was found in an area of Tenochtitlan known as Tlateloco. Pochteca Pochteca, known as spying merchants for their trips into enemy territories, would trade finished goods for raw materials used to make clothing and jewelry for the Aztec nobility. They would transport their wares by using porters and canoes on the Valley of Mexico waterways.