How did the Aztec and Spanish Way of reflect their worldviews?
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HOW DID THE AZTEC AND SPANISH WAY OF LIFE REFLECT THEIR WORLDVIEWS? A look at how their societies are set up!
FOCUSING ON….
Social Systems
Economic Systems
Political Systems
Culture
AZTECS SOCIAL SYSTEM A look at how their society is set up!
NOTES ON AZTEC SOCIETY
Who does this sort of sound like…?
Highly structured
Based on agriculture and trade but guided by religion
Religion was part of everyday life
Aztec cities dominated by pyramids topped with temples where human sacrifices were done
Had three social classes (upper, middle, lower)
A person was born into their class and usually stayed there
LET’S PLAY A GAME!!!! Pick the rich person out of the pictures!!!! See who has the highest status!
WHO DO YOU THINK HAS THE HIGHEST STATUS?
AZTEC SIGNS OF STATUS
Clothing Higher the class, better quality of cloth and patterns Common people weren’t allowed to wear cotton under pain of death Warriors uniform changed as rank changed (loin cloth up to jaguar uniform)
Jewelry
Facial piercings showed rank (nose/lip mostly) Headdresses, jewelry, and shields were elaborate
Size/location of your house
Only nobleman and chieftains could build a house with a second story (killed if went against) Higher rank had best location
LOOK FOR SIGNS OF STATUS IN THIS CLIP…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d56HvpPmg8o
THREE CLASSES NAMES (YOU MIGHT WANT TO REMEMBER THESE…)
Upper class – Pipiltin **hint to remember** Upper class has two “P’s”, pipiltin starts with P and has two Ps!!! Made up of nobles, high-ranking warriors, high-ranking priests
THE OTHER TWO CLASSES ARE BOTH CONSIDERED COMMONERS… Middle Class – Macehualtin **hint to remember**
Middle class people can afford mace (macehualtin)
Peasants – Mayeques **hint to remember**
Peasants would like a cheque (mayeques)
Commoners provided labour and made up most of the military
There are subgroups in each class as well
THE NOBILITY - PIPILTIN – THE UPPER CLASS
Were the ruling class
Held the top positions in government, army, and priesthood
Emperor was the top nobelman
Were punished more harshly if committed a crime
The more powerful, the more land you owned
Given the name of huey tlatoani which means great speaker
Followed a strict code of behaviour and were expected to be role models for the commoners
Administrators, judges, clerks,warriors (Eagle and Jaguar Knights)
They lived separated in large elaborate homes with servants
Similar to those of the samurai in Japan
COMMONERS (IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE)
Macehualtin were the middle class
Warriors next in social status to the nobility
Able to improve their status by gaining military recognition, becoming priests, merchants, artisans, or pochteca (long-distance traders) Could eventually purchase their own land Shows how much they are valued in society
Artisans were important in the macehualtin class Would often live in their own calpulli (community) Similar to a core family unit
Slaves Tlacotin were the lowest class of people
No one was born into it Would be sent there if they couldn’t pay debts/committed crime Could buy back freedom Were not owned, just worked for people If they had children, they were free
PRIESTS
Top-ranking positions were reserved for the pipiltin
The priests would advise the emperor and oversee religious functions
Most important job was to offer sacrifices
This video has graphic content… Shows a Mayan sacrifice (very similar) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_99mcINufQ&fea ture=related
ROLES OF MEN AND WOMEN
Women were expected to care for the household/children
Some became fine artisans
Men did physical and military work Education was free for boys and girls
Were taught religious rituals, singing, dancing, and music Separate schools for nobles (school called calmecac) and macehualtin (school called telpochalli) Boys were taught mostly military skills, girls taught managing households Were no books (oral history and codices)
SPANISH SOCIAL SYSTEM How did the Spanish social system reflect their worldview?
SOCIAL SYSTEM
Feudal system remained in place longer than most European countries
1486, replaced with a seigneurial system
Nobles given land by monarch and became self sufficient estates
Nobles owned most amount of land but made up of the smallest portion of population
SPANISH NOBILITY
Ruled their estates like monarchs
If land not taken back by monarchy, it was passed to eldest son
Many studied to be in the clergy or gain honour as a conquistador
Spanish Grande was given to highest nobility class
Lesser nobles were known as don
Minor nobles were known as hidalgo (not the horse)
COMMONERS
Make up 90% of the population
Farmers had the lowest status
Middle class grew out of the commoners
Share same lifestyle as nobility (strove to be them)
Priests were more educated and came from wealthier families of nobility or commoners
Commoners just had to work and try and earn money
MEN AND WOMEN IN SPAIN
Women were similar to Renaissance Europe
Women take care of household
Men expected to do the hard labour
Only men could hold government positions and run businesses
EDUCATION
Jews and Muslims served Spain well by providing an active commercial and education elite
If… they hid themselves well
Respected highly educated sons of nobility
Roman Catholic Church is now tightly linked with education in Spain
POLITICAL/ECONOMIC SITUATION OF THE AZTECS How did the political and economic systems reflect the Aztec worldview?
MOCTEZUMA II (1480-1520)
Became emperor in 1502
Best known of the Aztec rulers
We will go over him in great detail… messed up very bad…
Strengthened power of nobility by choosing advisors from aristocracy
Couldn’t look at him during religious festivals or you would be put to death
Believed that the physical earth was completely dependant on the gods
Ruled with absolute power (didn’t establish relationships with leaders of other city-states)
I am going to decimate your people…
I am all powerful… The Gods will make me win! Winning!!!
ECONOMICS
System based on agriculture
Had great technology including irrigation and dike systems Did not have large domestic animals like horses to help Used a system called Chinampas
Made money from tribute as well Created steady flow of goods Could be luxury or food Continued under Spanish rule
Moved products to allies and around the town
Developed a strong cottage industry
CHINAMPAS
POCHTECA
Held high positions in society
Were spying merchants
Since there were no animals, they would transport goods for trade
Used porters to carry things
Would report back to the emperor about the other territories
Prized goods included rare feathers, pelts of jungle animals, gemstones, precious metals, and cloth
TLATELOLCO MARKET
Developed in Tenochtitlan
Became one of the largest markets in the world Could hold 60000 people 25000 people would visit per day
Fabric, clothing, weapons, pottery, jewelry, and food was found here
Ran by the barter system
Was also a social place, catch up on news of town
Cacao beans were used as currency
MARKET POLICE FORCE
The market had its own police force and judges
Thieves and unfair vendors would be taken to the judges
Would be sold into slavery if they committed crimes
What could you buy at the Tlatelolco market? Item
Price
Cotton cloak
100 cacao beans
Dugout canoe
1 cotton cloak or 100 cacao beans
A load of red dye
Two cotton cloaks
A slave
30 cotton cloaks
A slave who could sing and dance
40 cotton cloaks
SPAIN Political and Economic Systems
POLITICS
King and Queen were highest political power
Spanish parliament was the cortes
Power of cortes was reduced so that the King and Queen could pass any legislation
Power of Church/Pope was reduced so that the Church couldn’t interfere with decisions
ECONOMICS
Barcelona and Valencia were major sea ports for importing/exporting goods
Many industries remained as cottage industries
Imported more than exported
Manual labour looked down upon so nobility would never do it
Left farmland uncultivated
Nobility eventually became involved with overseas trading
Brought in lots of gold/silver which made Spain very rich
Created massive inflation in Spain
AZTEC CULTURE How did the culture of the Aztecs affect their worldview?
AZTEC CULTURE
Evolved without prior knowledge of other societies living in the world
Humans played a small role in the world
Served their gods
Would represent their gods in festivals, art, music… basically everywhere/thing
Human sacrifice was practiced and this is what collided the most with the Spanish
CULTURE CONTINUED
Medicine consisted of religion, magic, and actual medicine
They made codices (records) but had no written language… everything was drawn
Only elite were taught how to read codices
Temples were largest buildings
Feathers more important than gold because they were more rare and colourful
AZTEC TIME
Had two calendars
Had a 365 solar year calendar called xiuhtlapohualli 18 monts of 20 days with 5 useless days at the end of the year Each month named for a god and had a religious festival for that god
Had a ritual calendar called tonalpohualli based on a 260 day cycle
Had 13 numbers and 20 signs that represented an anmial,element, or abstract idea Made 260 named days which would name a person/give them their fate The day you were born affected your destiny Ex. 3 rabbit Determined when religious rituals/sacrifices would take place
CALENDAR CONTINUED
Xiuhtlapohualli and the tonalpohualli combined to form the xiuhnolpilli, the third calendar Had a 52 year cycle (that’s how long it took both calendars to go through their complete cycles and for them to reset) Was considered and end of an era The gods could destroy their world at this time Had to perform certain sacrifices/rituals to make sure this did not happen
Fires put out, statues made of stone/wood thrown in water, houses cleaned, people would then stand on their rooftops Priests would light a new flame on a freshly sacrificed heart, would take this flame and light fires in everyone's’ house
SPANISH CULTURE A look at how Spanish culture affected their worldview
SPANISH CULTURE
Influenced by the Moors
Became one of the most cultures/educated cultures in Europe
Many were Roman Catholic
Latin was used by scholars and the clergy
Each kingdom had its own vernacular
Troubadours (travelling singer/musician) became important
Also had influence of the Renaissance
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