How to Study Aztec Society

Posted by Anonymous , 9/4/2007 Tags:AztecSociety
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How to Study Aztec Society

Introduction

The Aztec society was comprised of numerous individual tribes located from the Gulf of Mexico all the way south to what is now Guatemala. These separate tribes were loosely controlled by an emperor, but were bonded much more by their shared religion and traditions. In order to study Aztec society as a whole, you must examine the shared aspects of the varying tribes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Steps

1

Step One

Understand the writings of ancient Aztec folklore and mythology to appreciate their beliefs about the Aztec culture being created out of catastrophe. This will explain the Aztec reverence and fear of their gods, including their traditions of human sacrifice.
2

Step Two

Examine the different art forms that were discovered all across the Aztec empire, including temples, masks, drawings and poetry. This will demonstrate their shared religious beliefs which were emphasized in art, as well as their shared history of war.
3

Step Three

Study the Aztec calendar in order to see how this precise documenting of time allowed for various tribes to participate in shared festivities and religious holidays.
4

Step Four

Map out the guarded trade routes that Aztec tribes used to trade their different resources, allowing for a flourishing economy to grow.
5

Step Five

Read books documenting the rise and fall of the Aztec society.

Tips & Warnings

  • Colleges and universities offer many courses in anthropology, the study of cultures. If you are truly interested, it would be well worth your time to enroll in a class focusing on the Aztec culture and the cultures of other early Mexican societies.
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