Aztecs history pdf documents

World history teacher notes for the georgia standards of excellence in social studies georgia department of education 5. The aztecs expanded and expanded until they had built an empire. Samples from exploring history through primary sources. At its height, the aztecs ruled over 80,000 square miles throughout central mexico, from the gulf. It may sound crazy but there are many strange pieces of evidence that make it a possibility. The story of the great flood according to ancient aztec. History conquest of mexico aztec culture documents. Analyze the documents and answer the shortanswer questions that follow each document in the space provided. The first aztec settlement was created in south central mexico on an island in a lake lake. An online academic database used by universities worldwide that is a superb resource for history students. Letter, hernan cortes this excerpt from cortes second letter, written to charles v in 1519 and first published in 1522, is one of only two instances in cortes letters to the king that explicitly mentions his indigenous translator.

The following question is based on the accompanying documents in part a. The officials returned with a number of these wizards, who were announced and then brought into the kings presence. The citys place glyph, an eagle on a cactus, remains modern mexicos emblem. These authentic resources will capture students curiosity about history and build critical thinking as they learn about the rise and fall of the ancient civilizations that once. Tlacaelel ordered all old history books burned so there would be no memory of who the aztecs once were. Students will ask why in many countries the national story raises some individuals up as heroes. This text is part of the internet modern history sourcebook. European perspectives and christian prejudices have profoundly influenced the perceptions and interpretations of the ancient cultures of mexico and central america since the beginning of the spanish conquest, nearly 500 years ago 1519. As these web sites are independently maintained, the pittsford central school district is not responsible for any information, facts or opinions contained on any of these web sites.

Mays, irrigation systems, ancient, water encyclopedia online adapted 1based on this document, state two problems ancient egyptians faced as a result of the uncertain. Friar diego duran, the history of the indies of new spain, 1581. History higher level and standard level paper 1 source booklet 11 pages tuesday 12 november 2019 afternoon 1 hour instructions to candidates y do not open this source booklet until instructed to do so. Pyramid site of worship writing system history, medical books, astronomy and math chinampas floating gardens for agriculture. The aztec peoples included different ethnic groups of central mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of mesoamerica from the 14th to the 16th centuries. The bestknown aztec codex is the codex mendoza, a composite document from 1541 with a history section depicting the conquests of the mexica kings, a tribute section provincebyprovince tribute of the empire, and a section showing daily life and the aztec life cycle from birth to death. The aztecs and the making of colonial mexico was a venue for examining the influence of the nahuas on spanish colonialism in mexico. Students should be able to locate mexico, central america, south america, and the major countries, rivers, and mountain chain in south america on maps and globes. Tlacaelels new history said huitzilopochtli chose the aztecs. But the aztecs also insisted on high standards in education, medicine and sanitation.

The aztec culture was known for breakthroughs in cultivating land and a wide array of temple buildings. Answers 4 name aztec dbq what should history say about. The categories could be different aspects of aztec life. Each volume includes maps, color illustrations, vocabulary sidebars, and a glossary. The aztecs could be ruthless warriors and followed a particularly cruel religion in which, to appease the gods and avert natural disasters, humans were sacrificed once a month. Depiction of tenochtitlan, capital city of the aztec empire document b. The task is designed to assess your ability to work with historical documents, take into. Houghton mifflin social studies across the centuries. Their letters, books, and documents tell us about the cultures they discovered. From archaeological and various historical documents, such as spanish chronicles and codices written by friars, indians and other historians, the extent and.

Pdf the metaphorical underpinnings of aztec history. These documents, rich in imagery of gods and sacred events, were structured around a second aztec calendar, the 260day ritual cycle. Links to other websites are provided for the users convenience. In general, the content and presentation in ckhg student readers for grades 35 are appropriate for young readers from the upper elementary grades. Overview of the aztec empire the aztec empire was the last of the great mesoamerican cultures. War was the key factor in the aztecs rise to power. Answers 4 name aztec dbq what should history say about the. Ask students why document c might differ so much from documents. In this chapter, you will learn about the aztecs, a mesoamerican people who built a vast empire in. This essay is very important to you understanding the context for your dbq. Tlacaelel pronounced tlakahlel was the halfbrother and closest advisor of aztec king moctezuma i.

The aztecs, who probably originated as a nomadic tribe in northern mexico, arrived in mesoamerica around the beginning of the th century. The aztecs eventually were overpowered by the sheer numbers of the spanish invaders in the early sixtieth century. The aztec empire was peopled by a group that was once nomadic, the mexicas. Comprehension pretend you live during the time that catherwood drew this picture. Mexico, the aztecs rewrote history to hide their humble origins. In the great cities of the aztec empire, magnificent temples, palaces, plazas and statues embodied the civilizations unfailing devotion to the many aztec gods. Especially important were his descriptions of the valley of mexico, particularly tenochtitlan, and his. The exhibition and guide focus on the varied historical and cultural influences that have contributed to aztec art and its development as culturally rich, visually engaging, and. History it is thought that the ancestors of the aztecs came to north america via the bering strait during the last ice age. The exhibition and guide focus on the varied historical and cultural influences that have contributed to aztec art and its development as culturally rich, visually engaging, and emotionally compelling.

In chapter 23, you read about the mayan civilization of southern mexico and. Its two complementary texts, annals of cuauhtitlan and legend of the suns, record the precortesian history of the valley of mexico together with firsthand versions of that regions myths. Aztec people had one big problem and it was the day of. Moctezuma and cortes stanford history education group. Its inhabitants were supplied with fresh water by a system of pipes and aqueducts. The sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copypermitted texts for introductory level classes in modern european and world history. You can finish the discussion by asking students what other documents might be. And so the mexica peoples continued, and the aztec empire began. Identify and use processes important to reconstructing and reinterpreting the past, such as using a variety of sources, providing, validating, and weighing evidence for claims, checking credibility of sources, and searching for causality. Websites we use aztec, mayan and inca civilizations. Pdf on sep 1, 2002, emily umberger and others published notions of aztec history.

Forced to flee, in 25 they went to a small island on the west side of lake texcoco where they began to build their city tenochtitlan, eventually creating a large artificial island. From the ashes rose the new capital of the colony of new spain and the long line of mesoamerican civilizations which had stretched right back to the olmec came to. Using the document analysis boxes, record the main idea of each document. The aztec account of the conquest of mexico boston. Conquest of the aztecs qfiles the online library of.

Americas historychapter 1 the native american experience. Americas historychapter 1 the native american experience when europeans arrived, perhaps 60 million people occupied the americas, 7 million of whom lived north of mexico. Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is. Miguel leon portilla, a mexican anthropologist, gathered accounts by the aztecs, some of which were written shortly after the conquest. He reports his impressions of the aztec capital and its riches to his benefactor, king charles v. Diego duran was a spanish priest who lived in mexico. Tribute was payment in goods andor services rather than in currency. It is stated above that history has its wrinkles, its dark moments. The aztecs, like many civilizations, demanded tribute from conquered territories. After living in the southwest of what is now the united states, they started migrating further south, towards mexico, around 1168. The ability of nahua communities to adapt and refashion themselves in response to the spanish invasion, to create a space for their knowledge and ideas against the grain of colonization, to infuse a dazzling.

Nothing would have seemed more incomprehensible to the ancient mexicans, nor more atrocious, than the characteristic feature. This vision indicated that this was the location where they were to build their home. By approximately1520, many soldiers from spain arrived in the valley of mexico. The aztecs of ancient mexico are generally the most widely known of all precolumbian peoples of the americas. Origin of the aztec empire the founding of tenochtitlan in 25 is depicted on the first folio of the codex mendoza. Founded in 25, the city was built on an island in lake texcoco. In mesoamerica presentday mexico and guatemala and the andes, empires that rivaled the greatest civilizations in world history ruled over millions of people. This comprehensive kit uses original documents, maps, photographs, and other materials to engage students in understanding the lives of the mayas, incas, and aztecs. The aztecs intention was not to force the enemy to yield by ruining the country or massacring the population, but to make manifest the will of huitzilopochtli.

The second half of this new book explores the daily lives of the aztec people, focusing on their social customs, religious practices, family and community structure, and cultural. The centre of the aztec civilization was tenochtitlan, their capital. Legend has it according to aztec legend, in 23, the mexicas were shown a vision of an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus, eating a snake. History geography civics arts maya, aztec, and inca. A aztec account of the conquest of mexico in 1519 hernan cortes sailed from cuba, landed in mexico and made his way to the aztec capital. He told them to search their villages for magicians and to bring him any they found. Directions the following question is based on the accompanying documents.

Pdf the article discusses the 1473 civil war between the two polities that formed the capital of the aztec empire, tenochtitlan and. To survive they had to hire themselves out as warriors. Miguel leonportilla, a mexican anthropologist, gathered accounts by the aztecs, some of which were written shortly after the conquest. This curriculum is designed to be used in conjunction with the exhibition machu picchu. History higher level and standard level paper 1 4 pages tuesday 12 november 2019 afternoon 1 hour instructions to candidates y do not open this examination paper until instructed to do so. Each conquered tribe had to pay tribute to the aztecs in the form of food, clothing, jewels, and of course, captives to feed the hungry gods. By looking at the map we can clearly see that the aztec people were very strong. Tribute was payment in goods and or services rather than in currency. To view full articles, you will require membership. A very basic introduction to where the aztecs were and what sort of things they did. The aztec faith shared many aspects with other mesoamerican religions, like that of the maya, notably including the rite of human sacrifice.

One of the great documents of colonial mexico, the codex chimalpopoca chronicles the rise of aztec civilization and preserves the mythology on which it was based. With a core population recently estimated at 5 to 6 million people, the aztec empire was a loosely structured and unstable conquest state that witnessed frequent rebellions by its subject peoples. The letters represent eyewitness accounts of the conquistadors deeds and. They settled on a swampy island in the middle of lake texcoco, built a capital, and started to conquer nearby towns. University of queensland, 1983 thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of arts studies in religion in the department of studies in religion, university of queensland st lucia, australia february 1994 avatars abode trust. Tenochtitlan was sacked and its monuments destroyed. The contribution of these historical documents to the. The case of the great temple dedication find, read. The burning temples, teetering atop stepped pyramids bottom, represent the conquest of two nearby citystates. Examine the five documents that follow and draw your own conclusions about the aztecs. Part iii documentbased question ability to work with. More importantly, they taught nobles and others in the civilizations they conquered to use the roman alphabet to write their own history and mythology in their own language.

As part of this process, students will also examine the method of creating a national history. It is said that the aztec god, huitzilopochtli, instructed the aztecs to found their city at the location where they saw an eagle, on a cactus, with a snake in its. Perspectives and the encounter the aztecs and spanish. This was the major source of cortes letters that i used in the construction of this web site. This lesson asks them to consider who writes history and how history is writtenwhich requires a tolerance for uncertainty that many students havent yet learned. Before the great flood which took place 4,800 years after the creation of the world, the country of anahuac was inhabited by giants, all of whom either perished in the inundation or were transformed into fishes, save seven who fled into caverns. Maya, aztec, and inca civilizations ckhg student readers offer engagingly written and richly illustrated text on the topics specified for the unit. First, the tenochca sources repeatedly report looting and sacking as normal outcomes of aztec victory duran 1964. As you analyze the documents, take into account both the source of the document and the authors point of view.

Could the ancient civilization of the maya been wiped out by aliens. His book is one of the earliest western accounts of the history and culture of the aztecs. What do the buried secrets of tenochtitlan tell us about the aztecs. The aztecs, like many other mesoamerican cultures, used a limited form of writing that consisted of pictorial representations painted on.

Lacking food and ravaged by disease, the aztecs, now led by cuauhtemoc, finally collapsed on the fateful day of august 1521 ce. The aztec empire, is designed to provide ideas, activities, and resources that explore issues raised by this exhibition. Yvonne confuses the origin of quauhnahuac near the wood with that of tenochtitlan, the aztec capital and later site of mexico city. Ritual almanacs such as the codex borgia and the codex borbonicus were consulted by priests for use in rituals and divination. At the same time, the incas were building an empire in peru.

It is the object of this essay to survey the evolution of aztec society as it has been pieced together from these various sources. They built a highly developed civilization in the 1400s. Aztec warfare 123 we should note at this point two recurrent features of aztec warfare as it is reported in the ethnohistorical sources. The dramatic and heroic story of their conquest and eventual destruction at the hands of the spanish conquistadores and the rediscovery in 1790 of the piedra del sol, the sun stone or aztec calendar, are known throughout the world. As you analyze the documents, take into account both the source of each document and the authors point. The mayas while the aztec civilization developed in the part of mexico. Aztecs, who conquered most of mexico, built a highlydeveloped civilization in the 1400s. Unveiling the mystery of the incas, to be held at the peabody museum of natural history at yale university in new haven, connecticut, from january 26 to may 4, 2003. Colonial documents refer sometimes to three lakes, at times as many as six. These worksheets explore the aztec civilization from start to finish. Empire of the aztec opens with a summary of the rise and fall of the empire, placing it within the context of its time period and geographical location. Read it carefully and answer the comprehension questions that follow it. You do not need to print these documents if you are working online.