Aztecs Ch. 8 Flashcards
(26 cards)
What was the order of the Aztec Hierarchy?
Top: Emperor, Second: Nobles, Priests, Third: Merchants, Soldiers, Artisans, Fourth: Farmers, Fishers, Women, Last: Slaves.
What three roles did the Emperor have?
- Head of State; leader.
- Commander-in-Chief; army
- Chief Priest; highest ranked priest.
what percent of the people does the nobility class hold?
10 - 15%
What were the jobs of a merchant?
To trade things and act as spies.
What quality did Artisans have?
They were Skilled Craftsmen.
What did farmers do?
They were skilled hunters/fishers. They would work on chinampas.
What was the job of an Aztec woman?
cook, clean, educate, care for children, and potentially go to war as a doctor/healer. They got married at the age of 16.
How were slaves seen?
It wasn’t shameful to be a slave, just bad luck. They had laws to protect them. It wasn’t a permanent position.
How could a slave be free?
If the slave escaped their owner and got to the Emperor’s palace without being caught, they were immediately free. Children who were birthed by a slave mother were automatically free.
What was a calpoli?
These were similar to guilds (groups of people either family or similar work). There were a leader and council selected.
What was the job of the council of a calpoli?
Assigned houses, kept the area clean, had responsibilities, had political power, and collected taxes.
What were the 5 qualities of a model citizen?
- Modesty
- Self-sacrifice
- Obedience
- Courage
- Clean Living
Who was punishment most harshly? Why?
The nobles because they were supposed to set an example.
What were judgements based off?
Evidence.
Why were there laws?
To keep order
What items showed your status?
Clothes, jewelry, houses
Could you move up in society?
Yes. If you captured 4 or more prisoners in war
What were the different names for schools, and for who?
Calmecac - Nobles Telpochcalli - Commoners
What were the differences between schools?
Oral and music learning, memorize everything, physical labour, go to school at ages 10-15, didn’t know how to read or write = Telpochcalli.
Could read and write, used glyphs, only memorized things related to their future jobs, became a soldier at age 15 (followed and watched a soldier until then) = Calmecac.
What about women?
They went to school until 15, married at age 16, cared for and educated children, could be sent to war as healers/doctors due to their knowledge of medicinal herbs.
What kind of headdresses did warriors wear?
Eagle and jaguar
What was the point of war?
To capture prisoners for sacrifice.
Why was sacrifice significant?
It was needed to please their gods. Since their gods were greatly worshipped, sacrifice was VERY important.
What were punishments for a crime?
Fines, enslaved, death (executed)
