Aztec Life

Aztecs ate a variety of food. They had a complex farming system that

allowed them to be well fed for most of the year.

They farmed small plots of floating land that were very fertile called Chinampas.

Which one of the following DIDN’T they eat….

Food

Corn Avacado Sweet potato Peanuts Beans Dog Goat Worms Insects

Chocolate Alge Fruit

http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=33aCE3T8jEQ

Come dine with me Aztec

http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5-GLDwfb-o

Aztec masterchef

Ancient Aztecs used chocolate as a form of

currency Coco beans and well as processed chocolate

were traded for other goods. They would mix cocoa beans with spices to

make a special drink called chocolatl. Page 200 text book http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oarNOjHHMjc&list=PLDE923618C2FB7758 catus

Chocolate money

Clothes

Aztecs were a rich and structured culture but

they were ALWAYS at war. They fought with other tribes and within

themselves frequently As part of their religious devotion they would

sacrifice the prisoners (as their own people) because they believed that their gods demanded blood as tribute.

Where are they now?

http

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7MvBf3mFLI&list=PLDE923618C2FB7758

Dark side to the Aztecs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQKJRnPpIx

w

That’s just Gross!!

1521 Cortes landed in Mexico https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEVi3o2pz

qc&list=PL9D34AD42777B0261

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7MvBf3mFLI&list=PLDE923618C2FB7758

Your task is to pretend you are either a conquistador or an aztec writing your journal entry about the fall of the Aztec empire.

Enter the Spanish…..

1. What were some of the main reasons Cortez

wantedto conquer the Aztec? 2. What were some of the biggest advantages the

Spanishhad over the Aztecs? 3. What role did the religious beliefs of the Spanish

play in the way they treated the Aztec people? 4. How did the country of Spain benefit from the

work ofthe conquistadors?

Review lesson

Aztec culture was full of colour and

ceremonies Most mask were made not to be worn. They

were mainly for ceremonies and decoration That is why many Aztec masks don’t have

holes for the eyes. They were often offered up as tribute to the

gods or to represent something such as death.

Aztec Masks

Stone Wood Sometimes ceramic.

They were decorated using a technique called Mosaics.

Turquoise was the most precious stone of the Aztecs and was used often for mask decoration.

What were they made of?

Montazuma

Tezcatlipoca

Your task today is to decorate your own aztec mask so we can put it up around the classroom.

You are to use the tiny pieces of paper to cover the whole mask .

Try and use the paper to create patterns on the mask

Religion was extremely important in Aztec life. They worshipped hundreds of gods and

goddesses, each of whom ruled one or more human activities or as aspects of nature e.g. sun, rain.

They believe that everything in life is controlled by the gods, they bring good things, such as rain to make the crops grow, but also bad things like disease, drought and bad luck.

Aztec GODS…

The Aztecs thought that the power of

the gods should be acknowledged and thanks given to them, so as to avoid the catastrophes that their rage could cause.

For this reason monuments temples and statues were built, and sacrifices performed as gifts to the gods

See hand out. Match the gods to the pictures

Aztec Gods

Video about the city. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nS6MpVbB

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City of Tenochitlan

Do sequencing activity.

Aztec sacrifice

Writing and counting