Social Classes
There were three main social classes, nobility:-rulers,
warriors, priests and priestesses and the rich, commoners, middle class and
slaves and servants. Ranks were extremely important to Aztec people.
Warriors made war against other clans over land and movey and were a high nobility. Anybody from any social class can be a warrior if they display extreme bravery, weapon skills and no fear of death. The reward for a warrior was payed in higher ranking, land and good money.
There were many aztec priests and priestesses who worked in the temple performing sacrifices and rituals. Life was hard-going and uncomfortable even though they were considered nobles. They had to watch the stars and planets, taking note if eclipses or any planetary movements occured visible to the naked eye to predict future positions in the sky and for various horoscopes. Another big part of their job was sacrificing people to the gods, usually war prisoners, who were painted, put on a stone slab, got their hearts ripped out of them and chopped up to feed the animals. Priests and Priestesses got payed through social rank and money.
Rulers were descended from rulers, i.e. son of the previous king etc. There were eleven aztec rulers altogether, Acamapichtli, Huitzilihuitli, Chimalpopoca, Itzcoatl, Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, Axayacatl, Tizoc, Ahuitzotl, Moctezuma Xocoyotzin, Cuitlahuac, Cuauhtemoc. The king had the highest of privileges, but had many heavy responsibilities such as high priest, military commander, supreme judge and builder of public works.
Commoners took up the majority of the people in the Aztec Empire. They were usually poor farming famillies in which the wife would do housework, childcare and cooking and the husband would do the farming work. Children would go to a commoners school and would help their parents. Commoners could gain nobility by either buying it or being acknowledged for bravery in the military.
Many nobles had slaves and servants. Slaves and servants were almost the same except slaves had to have their masters permission to marry and servants didn't. Children of slaves were considered commoners if only one parent was a slave but if both were slaves the children were doomed also to be slaves. If servants had enough money they to could buy their own slaves and servants but it was rare. They could be made commoners by buying their freedom or by their masters freeing them.
Middle class citizens had their own little community and only allowed marriages and to work within themselves. They were usually accountants,lawmakers, merchants, quarriers, feather-workers, potters, weavers, sculpters, goldsmiths, silversmiths or painters, the most prominent of these being merchants.They had a slightly different lifestyle to other Aztecs and worshipped their own god, Yacatecuhtli- the lord who guides, because they believed he would help them on the trading expeditions around the Empire.
Warriors made war against other clans over land and movey and were a high nobility. Anybody from any social class can be a warrior if they display extreme bravery, weapon skills and no fear of death. The reward for a warrior was payed in higher ranking, land and good money.
There were many aztec priests and priestesses who worked in the temple performing sacrifices and rituals. Life was hard-going and uncomfortable even though they were considered nobles. They had to watch the stars and planets, taking note if eclipses or any planetary movements occured visible to the naked eye to predict future positions in the sky and for various horoscopes. Another big part of their job was sacrificing people to the gods, usually war prisoners, who were painted, put on a stone slab, got their hearts ripped out of them and chopped up to feed the animals. Priests and Priestesses got payed through social rank and money.
Rulers were descended from rulers, i.e. son of the previous king etc. There were eleven aztec rulers altogether, Acamapichtli, Huitzilihuitli, Chimalpopoca, Itzcoatl, Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, Axayacatl, Tizoc, Ahuitzotl, Moctezuma Xocoyotzin, Cuitlahuac, Cuauhtemoc. The king had the highest of privileges, but had many heavy responsibilities such as high priest, military commander, supreme judge and builder of public works.
Commoners took up the majority of the people in the Aztec Empire. They were usually poor farming famillies in which the wife would do housework, childcare and cooking and the husband would do the farming work. Children would go to a commoners school and would help their parents. Commoners could gain nobility by either buying it or being acknowledged for bravery in the military.
Many nobles had slaves and servants. Slaves and servants were almost the same except slaves had to have their masters permission to marry and servants didn't. Children of slaves were considered commoners if only one parent was a slave but if both were slaves the children were doomed also to be slaves. If servants had enough money they to could buy their own slaves and servants but it was rare. They could be made commoners by buying their freedom or by their masters freeing them.
Middle class citizens had their own little community and only allowed marriages and to work within themselves. They were usually accountants,lawmakers, merchants, quarriers, feather-workers, potters, weavers, sculpters, goldsmiths, silversmiths or painters, the most prominent of these being merchants.They had a slightly different lifestyle to other Aztecs and worshipped their own god, Yacatecuhtli- the lord who guides, because they believed he would help them on the trading expeditions around the Empire.
Religion
Aztecs were all about religion, making every little decision
considering the laws of it. It consisted of many different gods, dates and
behavioural directions. The reason they obeyed their religion so strictly was
because they feared the gods would turn on them, ending the world. Every
fifty-two years the Aztec Empire would prepare for the end of the world, this
would cause a highly stressed community, more sacrifices to be made and some
would burn their houses and property. They thought that if they performed
extravagant rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices it would satisfy the god so they
would leave the world standing another fifty-two years. There were many gods and
goddesses including- Chantico:-The goddess of fire, Cihuacoatl:-The goddess of
childbirth, Coatlicue:- The goddess of all life and natural disasters,
Michlantecohtli:-The god of dead, Tezcatlipoca:-The god of magic, drought and
harvest, Tialoc:-The god of water, storms, and hail, Tlauixcalpantecuhtli:-The
god of the next morning to come, and Huitzilopochtli:-The overall god of the
Aztecs.
considering the laws of it. It consisted of many different gods, dates and
behavioural directions. The reason they obeyed their religion so strictly was
because they feared the gods would turn on them, ending the world. Every
fifty-two years the Aztec Empire would prepare for the end of the world, this
would cause a highly stressed community, more sacrifices to be made and some
would burn their houses and property. They thought that if they performed
extravagant rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices it would satisfy the god so they
would leave the world standing another fifty-two years. There were many gods and
goddesses including- Chantico:-The goddess of fire, Cihuacoatl:-The goddess of
childbirth, Coatlicue:- The goddess of all life and natural disasters,
Michlantecohtli:-The god of dead, Tezcatlipoca:-The god of magic, drought and
harvest, Tialoc:-The god of water, storms, and hail, Tlauixcalpantecuhtli:-The
god of the next morning to come, and Huitzilopochtli:-The overall god of the
Aztecs.
Aztec Births
Having children was one of the only ways Aztec women could gain
respect and higher ranking. It was the equivalent of going into war battle for
men. If a man died in battle, he would be rewarded richly in the afterlife and
respected very highly in society. This was the same for women who died in
childbirth. If she died she was though of as a goddess and would ride with
Huitzilopochtli, the sun god, when he came down from the sky every night. When a
child was born a special hymn was said to the goddess of childbirth,
Cihuacoatl.
respect and higher ranking. It was the equivalent of going into war battle for
men. If a man died in battle, he would be rewarded richly in the afterlife and
respected very highly in society. This was the same for women who died in
childbirth. If she died she was though of as a goddess and would ride with
Huitzilopochtli, the sun god, when he came down from the sky every night. When a
child was born a special hymn was said to the goddess of childbirth,
Cihuacoatl.
Aztec Deaths
When an Aztec died from old age or sickness, he/she was either
cremated or buried depending on the families wishes. If they were buried it was
either under their former house, in a field where they worked, or in special
shrines in the woods. They were dressed in their best clothes and some were also
buried with fine pottery or offering bowls. If they were cremated their ashes
were sealed in pots. 10s of thousands of Aztecs were sacrificed each year to the
god of Aztecs, Huitzilopochtli. Warriors that died in battle were honoured for
their bravery and courage they performed for their society.
cremated or buried depending on the families wishes. If they were buried it was
either under their former house, in a field where they worked, or in special
shrines in the woods. They were dressed in their best clothes and some were also
buried with fine pottery or offering bowls. If they were cremated their ashes
were sealed in pots. 10s of thousands of Aztecs were sacrificed each year to the
god of Aztecs, Huitzilopochtli. Warriors that died in battle were honoured for
their bravery and courage they performed for their society.
Houses and Households
In an Aztec household there was a husband, a wife, unmarried
children, and usually some of the husbands relatives such as his parents and
unmarried sisters and brothers or even his siblings entire family.
Commoners houses were made of mud brick with thatched rooves made from straw, reeds and grass. All houses had an open door possibly covered with a reed curtain. Most houses had at least one open window. The furniture in a Commoners house was very limited and basic as it was quite expensive. They had usually just a mat in the dining room for eating on and for the bedrooms just some blankets across the floor to sleep on. They also always had a fire pit in the dining room to cook with and a shrine room to worship their gods.
A Nobles home was like a Commoner's in in building material but they had a lot more rooms and possibly a second storey. There were many more rooms in a nobles home aswell, one of them being a bathroom.
children, and usually some of the husbands relatives such as his parents and
unmarried sisters and brothers or even his siblings entire family.
Commoners houses were made of mud brick with thatched rooves made from straw, reeds and grass. All houses had an open door possibly covered with a reed curtain. Most houses had at least one open window. The furniture in a Commoners house was very limited and basic as it was quite expensive. They had usually just a mat in the dining room for eating on and for the bedrooms just some blankets across the floor to sleep on. They also always had a fire pit in the dining room to cook with and a shrine room to worship their gods.
A Nobles home was like a Commoner's in in building material but they had a lot more rooms and possibly a second storey. There were many more rooms in a nobles home aswell, one of them being a bathroom.