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Learning Focus
Describe the main beliefs of the Aztecs
Aztec Religion - Key Points
* The Aztecs had about 300 different gods.
* Priests went to special schools called calmecac.
* The Aztecs believed their future was safe if the gods were happy.
* The Aztecs believed the earth and the sun had been created by gods.
* To prevent the earth from permanent darkness they had to make sure the sun rose each morning. To do this they had to ffed the gods with 'precious water' - human blood.
* Four priests held a sacrificial victim on a stone. A fifth priest cut out the human heart and held it up to the Gods.
* The Aztecs performed human sacrifice because they believed it stopped the word from ending.
Ancient Aztec Religion
Ancient Aztec religion was a complex interaction of gods, dates, directions and colours. It seems that most of the preoccupation in the religion had to do with fear of the nature, and a fear of the end of the world.
By the time the Mexica's Empire (Mexica is the proper name for the tribe at the heart of the Aztec empire) was at its height, the political and religions systems were in close interaction. The actions of the ruling classes and common people can be best understood if we look way back to the Mexica understanding of the creation, or rather creations, of the world. Because the religion was a mixture from various peoples, there are variations.
Complete TASK A in your Student Document using the webpage.
Aztec Gods
The study of Aztec gods and Aztec religion has been the subject of a lot of speculation and misinformation. The sacrifices performed by Mexica priests at the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon are legendary. However, there's more to Aztec religion than just blood, though many of their rituals were bloody.
Complete TASK B in your Student Document using the webpage
Human Sacrifice
In spite of all the great accomplishments of the empire, it's the Aztec sacrifice that the people are often remembered for. Why were sacrifices offered? What were they like?
Though the human sacrifice is the most talked about, there were actually many types of sacrifices in the empire. The people believed that they owed a blood-debt to the gods. They wanted to avert disaster by paying the endless debt. Blood was a common theme - the sacrifice that the gods required.
So, animals would be sacrificed, as well as humans. Also, there was ritual blood-letting, where people would cut themselves to offer their blood to the gods.
Watch the following video as a class to learn more about Human Sacrifice and then complete TASK C in your Student Document.
Reflection questions:
- Why was the Sun so important to the Aztecs?
- How did the Aztecs worship their Gods?
- Why did the Aztecs practice 'human sacrificing'?
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