Aztecs; It is an important civilization that lived between the 13th and 16th centuries, had a significant impact on history and showed many developments in the region where it was founded. It is known that the Aztecs pioneered many issues in the geography where they were founded. The region where the Aztecs were founded is now known as Mexico City in Mexico. Mexican citizens consider the Aztecs to be their ancestors. Although a lot of information has been obtained as a result of the researches about the Aztecs, their origins are not known exactly. They are thought to have come from a mythical country called “Aztlan”.
The capital of civilization, established right in the middle of Lake Texcocco, is the city named Tenochtitlan. Today this city is a large ancient city located about 50 km above Mexico City. The lake, which is located in the area where the city was founded, does not exist now because it has dried up. The magnificent structures, pyramids and palaces in the ancient city still continue to preserve their mystery today. Among the most remarkable structures in the city are the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, the Temple of the Feathered Serpent and the Palace of Quetzalpapalotl. The pyramid of the sun is the third largest in the world after the pyramids of Cheops in Egypt and Cholula south of Mexico City.
Characteristics of Aztec Civilization
The Aztecs are thought to have originated as a nomadic tribe in Central America before Christopher Columbus. The Aztecs were the largest empire in the Americas during their lifetime. It is a tribe that lives by hunting and gathering on the Mexican plateau. One of the most well-known characteristics of the Aztecs was their sacrificial rituals, which were performed in an extremely brutal way. After killing their victims, they would skin them and believed that it was sacred. It was believed that the more people sacrificed, the more civilization would develop.
They were established in a swampy area, dried the swamp and cultivated agricultural products such as beans, zucchini, tomatoes, and corn on their lands. They made progress in their handicrafts, and they also used clothes made of cotton cloth. They grew in a short time by selling the products they produced. They believed in polytheistic religion and chose kings from soldiers as rulers. They lived as a warrior society and raised the status of those who excelled in war.
The Fall of the Aztec Civilization and the Extinction of the People
The Aztecs, who fascinated everyone because of the magnificent cities and pyramids they built, ruled between 1428 and 1521. Civilization began to collapse when the Spanish King Herman Cortes invaded the country. Although the Aztecs outnumbered the Spaniards, they were not successful due to insufficient weapons. At the same time, many viruses and epidemics emerged in the country with the occupation. Millions of Aztec citizens died due to infectious diseases such as mumps, measles, and smallpox. Cortes and his soldiers destroyed the city center of Tenochtitlan. The Aztec civilization was destroyed in 1521, after the occupation, which lasted for about 2 years. Mexico City was built on top of the Aztec civilization. After this date, America has become the new center of Europe.
According to scientists, epidemics were the cause of the complete extinction of millions of Aztecs. DNA analyzes were made on the bones found in archaeological studies, and it was revealed that an epidemic disease like typhoid fever was experienced. According to historians, these epidemics were brought from Europe by the colonists who came to Aztec lands. Europeans were able to resist these diseases because their immune system was developed. However, because the Aztecs encountered this disease for the first time, their immunity was insufficient, and they did not know how to take precautions and disappeared from the stage of history in a short time.
Surprising Facts About the Aztecs
– The Aztec name is a name given to them by the Europeans. Aztecs call themselves “Mexican”.
– The Aztecs do not have a cemetery culture, they usually bury their dead under the houses.
– They also buried dogs with their deceased owners to guide them in the next life.
– They sold themselves or their children as slaves as a source of income.
– Slavery is done on a contract basis. When the contract is over, people can be free.
– There is an advanced cleaning system in the city, and cleaning workers are assigned to clean the city.
– The Aztec city is larger than many cities in Europe when it was first discovered.
– The Aztecs did not invent the wheel and did not use iron and steel.
The Aztecs were the first civilization where education was compulsory for children.
– The language spoken in the Aztecs consists of images such as hieroglyphs,
– They used the language they used to record many things from the names of the people sacrificed to the taxes paid.
– It is thought that the rites of sacrifice are performed after a game. During the excavations, skeletons thought to belong to many players were found around the playgrounds.
Sacrifice was considered an honorable act in the Aztecs. For this reason, people accept to be sacrificed voluntarily. Therefore, it is not known exactly whether the victims after the game are the winners or the losers.
– The Aztecs have cannibalism. They presented the meat of the sacrificed people to high-ranking people.
– It is known that the Aztecs were the first civilization that introduced the Europeans to chocolate. So much so that the name chocolate comes from the Aztec word ‘chocolatl’.
It is thought that 250 thousand people died in the war with the Spaniards.
