{"id":2287,"date":"2018-08-18T19:26:14","date_gmt":"2018-08-18T19:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crunchlearning.com\/website_ec2cbfb0\/?p=2287"},"modified":"2026-02-26T08:29:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T08:29:20","slug":"aztec-empire-overview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crunchlearning.com\/website_ec2cbfb0\/aztec-empire-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"Aztec Empire: A Detailed Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The\u00a0Aztecs\u00a0were a pre-Columbian society based in modern-day Mexico.\u00a0 Understanding their history is important to many other topics and people, including:\u00a0Age of Exploration<\/a>,\u00a0Hernan Cort\u00e9s<\/a>, and more.\u00a0 The Aztec civilization was one of the biggest in the New World, and the story of their\u00a0collapse\u00a0is an important event in the world history.\u00a0 The following article details the main aspects of the Aztec Empire, however to learn more about specific topics you will need to click on the related links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Aztecs, who referred to themselves as the Mexica, extended throughout much of central Mexico and existed from the 14th century until the 16th century when they were conquered by Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cort\u00e9s.\u00a0 However, to understand the Aztec Empire, its first important to understand their early history and how they came to be. \u00a0The capital city of the Aztec Empire was\u00a0Tenochtitlan<\/a>\u00a0and was first established in 1325 in the Valley of Mexico.\u00a0 Before establishing the city, the Aztec people are said to have come from the desert areas of northwest Mexico, such as the Sonora Desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EARLY HISTORY OF THE AZTEC<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The time period before the Aztec established the city of Tenochtitlan<\/a> is referred to as the \u2018Long Migration\u2019.\u00a0 During this time, Aztec history talks of the Aztec people leaving their homeland in the desert, called Aztlan, and migrating south over a period of two centuries.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t settle again until reaching central Mexico and Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico.\u00a0 This period of migration is an important aspect of Aztec history and highlights their religious beliefs<\/a>.\u00a0 For example, in searching for a new homeland, the Aztecs waited until they came across a specific sign that was said to have been instructed to them by the god\u00a0Huitzilopochtli<\/a>.\u00a0 The sign they searched for was an eagle on a cactus holding a rattlesnake.\u00a0 They supposedly came across this sign after two centuries of migration when they arrived on the swampy shores of Lake Texcoco in the Valley Mexico.\u00a0 Officially, the city was founded on July 20th, 1325 on the western shores of the lake and was named for their chief Tenoch.\u00a0 Tenochtitlan<\/a> means \u2018the city of Tenoch\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time the Valley of Mexico was populated by many different powerful civilizations, including: Chalco, Tepanec, Tlacopan, Culhuacan, and Chichimec. Several of these civilizations were also on the shores of Lake Texcoco, including the Culhuacan which were on the south shore.  As such, when the Aztec people arrived in the Valley of Mexico they had to contend with the other civilizations.  In fact, the Aztecs clashed with several of these groups and were briefly expelled and forced to relocate to a different location on the lake.  Regardless, Tenochtitlan prospered quickly as a city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Where
‘Founding of Tenochtitlan’ Illustration from the Tovar Codex.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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WHO INFLUENCED THE AZTEC?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Different aspects of the Aztec Empire were not necessarily unique to the Aztec people.\u00a0 For instance, several different elements were common throughout most Mesoamerican societies in the time before the arrival of Europeans in the early 16th century. Therefore, the Aztecs were inspired<\/a> by these earlier civilizations.\u00a0 More specifically, the political and\u00a0economic<\/a> systems\u00a0of the Aztec had a long tradition from earlier societies.\u00a0 For example, the role of the\u00a0huey tlatoani<\/a>\u00a0and the system of tribute were common throughout the history of the area.\u00a0 As well, religious practices such as the wide array of\u00a0Aztec gods<\/a>\u00a0and the tradition of\u00a0human sacrifice<\/a>\u00a0were both rooted in earlier Mesoamerican history.\u00a0 For example, historians have uncovered evidence of human sacrifice from much earlier time periods in Mesoamerica.\u00a0 As well, there is evidence of the celebration of\u00a0Quetzalcoatl<\/a>\u00a0(Aztec God) by the Teotihuacan<\/a> people near the 1st century AD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, historians have identified several different Mesoamerican societies that they believe influence the Aztec people in terms of their political, economic and religious practices.\u00a0 These include: Olmec<\/a>, Toltec<\/a> and Teotihuacan<\/a>.\u00a0 Click on the links of each society in order to read more about their history and influence on the Aztec Empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Toltec\"
Toltec Warrior Statues at Tula.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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HOW DID THE AZTEC EMPIRE EXPAND?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the ways in which the Aztec expanded<\/a> in strength and wealth at the time was by acting as mercenaries and warriors<\/a> for other societies in the region.\u00a0 For example, in the decades after the founding of Tenochtitlan they worked as warriors for the Tepanec people.\u00a0 The Tepanec used the Aztec to help with their battles and campaigns in the region against other rival societies.\u00a0 For their help the Aztec received portions of the wealth that the Tepanec gathered from the societies that they defeated.\u00a0 As a result, the city of Tenochtitlan grew in importance and wealth throughout the 14th and 15th centuries.\u00a0 In general though, the Aztec were subjects of the more powerful Tepanec and Aztec leaders were only allowed to remain in power by paying tribute to the Tepanec.\u00a0 Also, during this time period, Aztec rulers increased the power of their society by forming strong alliances with other societies around Lake Texcoco.\u00a0 However, the relationship between the Aztecs and the Tepanec soon became strained and a conflict emerged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Itzcoatl<\/a>\u00a0became the leader of the Aztec in 1427 and became the fourth tlatoani of the Aztec people.\u00a0 He reigned over the Aztec Empire from 1427 until 1440, and is best remembered as the leader who saw the Aztecs become the most powerful Mesoamerican society in the Valley of Mexico.\u00a0 For example, as leader he famously formed an alliance with two other societies in the area in order to overthrow their mutual rivals.\u00a0 The Aztecs, Texcoco and Tlacopan joined forces in 1428 to create the\u00a0Triple Alliance<\/a>.\u00a0 Together they fought against the Tepanec and challenged them for superiority in the Valley of Mexico.\u00a0 Over time the three were able to overpower all other societies in the Valley of Mexico.\u00a0 As well, the Aztec became the strongest of the Triple Alliance and Tenochtitlan<\/a> became the center of power in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan (Templo Mayor can be seen in the center)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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All of the Aztec rulers at this time pushed forward with expanding the Aztec Empire across Mexico and strengthening the power of Tenochtitlan.\u00a0 In fact, the city grew in size and importance during this time as the Aztec culture came to dominate the region.\u00a0 For example, by the early 16th century, Tenochtitlan is estimated to have been three to five square miles (eight to thirteen square kilometers), and have a population of between 200,000 and 300,000 people.\u00a0 This means that it was one of the largest cities in the world at the time and larger than any in Europe.\u00a0 As well, the Aztec Empire had spread far from the Valley of Mexico during this time and, at its height, the empire consisted of land across most of central Mexico including the coastlines in both the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific Ocean.\u00a0 This vast expansion meant that the Aztec had conquered and suppressed many different groups of Mesoamerican peoples.\u00a0 The Aztec controlled these different societies by forcing them to provide tributes for payment and\u00a0ritual sacrifice<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Map
Map of the Aztec Empire and Aztec Triple Alliance by History Crunch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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AZTEC GOVERNMENT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Aztec government<\/a>\u00a0had several different elements at its core.\u00a0 For instance, Mesoamerican city-states or \u2018altepetl\u2019 (as they were referred to as in the\u00a0Az\u200btec language<\/a> of Nahuatl) were the basic structure of the Aztec Empire.\u00a0 The altepetl of the Aztec Empire was Tenochtitlan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spread of Aztec authority throughout the region meant that the Aztec Empire expanded and came to control, many of these different societies and their altepetl.  As stated above, altepetls were the larger city-states that existed throughout Mesoamerica during the time of the Aztec.  However, altepetls were made up of several different calpulli.  The word \u2018calpulli\u2019 translates to \u2018large house\u2019 and refers to a small group or clan of people who lived within the altepetl.  Calpulli can best be related to a family, since they were groups of people who were responsible for the day-to-day living of the group.  In fact, calpulli were usually made up of a few different families, although in some areas a calpulli could be based entirely on a single family unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each altepetl was ruled by a leader referred to as a \u2018tlatoani\u2019, which translates to as \u2018Speaker\u2019. The tlatoani was an important figure in Mesoamerica city-states because they essentially controlled and organized the government, military and economy of the altepetl.\u00a0 In general, each tlatoani were from the higher classes and had links to the royal families present in the society at that time. \u00a0As such, authority over an altepetl usually stayed within a single powerful family and passed down through hereditary lines.\u00a0 The leader of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan and the one who ruled over all of the other altepetls in the Aztec Empire was called the \u2018huey tlatoani<\/a>\u2019 or \u2018Great Speaker\u2019.\u00a0 The huey tlatoani played an important role in Aztec history and the expansion of the Aztec Empire.\u00a0 They primarily ruled over the Aztec Empire as a whole.\u00a0 For instance, the huey tlatoani oversaw the tribute system present in the Aztec Empire, the military and any wars that were carried out, and the expansion of the empire to new regions.\u00a0 Since the huey tlatoani was concerned with the affairs of the overall empire, the cihuacoatl in Tenochtitlan carried out the administration of the city itself.\u00a0 Today, historians refer to the huey tlatoani as Emperors since they oversaw all aspects of the far-reaching Aztec Empire.\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Itzcoatl\"
Itzcoatl from the Tovar Codex.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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AZTEC ECONOMY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a0Aztec economy<\/a>\u00a0was based on several key factors, including: farming, tribute and markets.\u00a0 The\u00a0Aztec Empire\u00a0had a strong and thriving economy before the arrival of Spanish conquistadors<\/a> in 1519.\u00a0 Due to its island location the Aztec economy was based primarily on agriculture<\/a> in the form of chinampas.\u00a0 Also referred to as \u2018floating gardens\u2019 chinampas were mounds of dirt and other debris built up in the shallow, swampy areas of Lake Texcoco which surrounded\u00a0Tenochtitlan.\u00a0 The use of chinampas was particularly popular in southern area of Lake Texcoco near the altepetl of Xochimilco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Aztec
Aztec farmers harvesting maize (corn).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Another important aspect of the Aztec economy was the tribute system present throughout much of Mesoamerica.  Following the Aztec\u2019s founding and construction of Tenochtitlan in the Valley of Mexico in 1325, they quickly established their authority across the other societies in the valley.  At the time the Valley of Mexico was populated by many different powerful civilizations, including: Chalco, Tepanec, Tlacopan, Texcoco, Culhuacan, and Chichimec. Several of these civilizations were also on the shores of Lake Texcoco, including the Culhuacan which were on the south shore.  By conquering many of these other city-states the Aztec were able to force them to pay tribute back to Tenochtitlan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This system of tribute provided the Aztec Empire, and ultimately Tenochtitlan, with a continuous supply of goods and people from across central Mexico.  In terms of people, conquered altepetl would often supply Tenochtitlan with either warriors or slaves.  However, the supply of goods was vast and powered the Aztec economy.  Goods paid as tribute to the Aztec included: food, clothing, weapons, luxury items, metals, lumber and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another key feature of the economy was the development of large markets for the different goods from across the Aztec Empire.  These markets supplied the citizens with different foods, luxury items and crafts.  The markets sold all sorts of things, but it greatly benefitted both merchants (traders) and artists and craftspeople.  For example, it allowed the artists and craftspeople a venue to sell their finely crafted goods.  As well, the traders helped distribute goods across the Aztec Empire and ultimately central Mexico.  For instance, all goods were transported throughout the empire by human beings.  This was because the Aztec lacked any large domesticated animals such as horses.  As such, waterways were important to Aztec trade because it allowed goods to be moved quickly.  The class of people who carried out this long distance trade in the Aztec Empire were referred to as \u2018pochteca\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Aztec
Tlatelolco Marketplace from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, United States.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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AZTEC SOCIETY (SOCIAL CLASSES)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Aztec society<\/a>\u00a0was made up of several different classes of people, usually divided as an upper class, middle class and lower class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The upper class were referred to as pipiltin.\u00a0 These people were the nobility and controlled the highest positions in Aztec society.\u00a0 For example, they worked in the\u00a0Aztec government<\/a>, were high priests in the\u00a0Aztec religion<\/a>, and held the highest ranks in the Aztec military.\u00a0 As such, the pipiltin were the ruling class.\u00a0\u00a0The middle class in Aztec society were referred to as macehualtin and they made up the largest group of people in Aztec society.\u00a0 These people were considered to be among the commoner class and generally were made up of rural\u00a0farmers.\u00a0 As such, macehualtin were organized in the calpulli system.\u00a0\u00a0Below the macehualtin in Aztec society were the mayeques.\u00a0 They were similar to macehualtin in that they often performed work on farms, but the mayeques were generally responsible for much more laborious work.\u00a0 For instance, they were often tasked with the hard labor on farms, building and maintaining the temples, and the houses of the nobles.\u00a0 The lowest social class in Aztec society were the tlacotin.\u00a0 These people were the slaves that worked throughout the Aztec Empire.\u00a0 For the Aztecs, slavery was not something that you could be born into.\u00a0 Rather, people became slaves of their own choosing, as a punishment for a crime, or because they were taken captive.\u00a0 Someone might choose to enter slavery as a means of paying off a financial debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Aztec
Artistic representation of Aztec society and the differing social classes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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AZTEC CULTURE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An important aspect of the Aztec Empire was the\u00a0culture\u00a0that the Aztec people<\/a> expressed through their art<\/a>, clothing<\/a>, food<\/a>, language<\/a>, religious traditions<\/a> and warfare<\/a>.\u200b\u00a0 Click on the link above to read more about each of the following aspects of Aztec culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aztec art\u00a0is seen in many of the objects and structures that the Aztec people used on a daily basis<\/a>.\u00a0 For example, Aztec clothing, pottery, jewelry, temples, and\u00a0weapons\u00a0contained artistic styles.\u00a0 More specifically, the Aztec were known to use bright colors and vivid imagery to convey their culture and religion on these objects.\u00a0 Common materials used to create these objects included: feathers (especially from the quetzal bird), shells, gold, silver, glass beads, and other gemstones.\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Aztec
Aztec Mosaic Skull of Tezcatlipoca.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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An important part of the Aztec culture was the clothing that the people made and wore.  The clothing of the Aztec was similar to other pre-Columbian Mesoamerican groups, since they shared relatively similar histories and cultures.  With that said, there are a few key points in relation to the clothing and dress of the Aztec.  First, Aztec society was divided between distinct classes, and the different classes wore different types of clothing.  For example, the high priests, nobility and royalty would wear very ornate clothing while the lower classes would not.  Second, the basic item in Aztec clothing for men was the \u2018maxtlatl\u2019, which was a type of loincloth.  Men would usually wear the maxtlatl with an out garment that resembled a cloak called a \u2018tilmahtli\u2019.  The timahtli were stylized differently to distinguish between the different classes in Aztec society.  Third, Aztec women were known to wear a type of blouse called a \u2018hu\u012bp\u012blli\u2019 along with a long skirt called \u2018cu\u0113itl\u2019.  For footwear, the Aztec nobility wore a sandal which they called \u2018cactli\u2019.  Commoners in Aztec society were not allowed to wear these as they were viewed as a sign of status.  As well, all Aztec people were required to be barefoot when they entered a temple or when they were in the presence of the emperor (huey tlatoani).\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Aztec
The Texcoco ruler (Nezahualpilli) wearing xiuhtilmatli (blue cape), maxtlatl (loincloth), and cactli (sandals). From the Codex Ixtlilxochitl.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Aztec had a diverse range of food items that made up their diet.  With that said, because the events of the Columbian Exchange had not yet occurred, the Aztec where limited to locally grown foods.  As such, since most domesticated animals originate from Eurasia, the Aztec diet was primarily based upon vegetables and fruits.  For instance, likely the most common food item of the Aztec Empire was maize (corn).  Maize is a cereal grain that was likely first grown by humans over 10,000 years ago in modern-day Mexico.  As such, by the time of the Aztec Empire, maize had a long history of use in farming practices in Mexico.  The Aztec would prepare the maize in several different ways, including grounding it down into a flour that could then be used to create a tortilla.  Maize remains an important crop today and has spread across the world and is used in many different types of foods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Aztec
Artistic representation of Aztec chinampas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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An important aspect of the Aztec Empire and history was their\u00a0religious beliefs and practices.\u00a0 In general, the Aztecs shared many of their main religious beliefs and practices with other societies in the region.\u00a0 For example, some gods and religious practices were common throughout different Mesoamerican societies, including: Toltec<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Teotihuacan<\/a>.\u00a0 As such, when learning about Aztec religion<\/a> it\u2019s important to understand that much of it also applies to other civilizations throughout the history of the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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