Such as burning of blood soaked paper, animal rituals such as deer, butterflies and snakes were given to sacrifice.Foods were also given to the gods even preouse objects were willing given to the gods, such as rare metals, Jades, and shells to be ritually buried. The Ritual ball game also contributed to the adding to the amount of people being sacrificed. Since the losing team would have to be sacrificed to the gods. It was a game of life or death. It was played on returalure flat region court.
The Aztecs were a great society that formed during the years of 1350-1519; in its present day site, of what we know as Mexico City. They believed in the sun god, Huitzilopochtli, who they tried to please by religious sacrifices. With them sacrificing humans, the Aztecs seemed barbaric and uncivilized; however history should say that the Aztecs had a very creative and organized empire. The Aztecs had high demands for its people, were highly religious, and were very organized and creative. History should say that the Aztecs are truly an extravagant and advanced civilization.
Their purpose was to learn, live, and worship. At the time, they had little interest in expansion, due to their thriving central capital of Tenochtitlan where Moctezuma II, supreme leader or known to the Aztecs as the tlatoani, resided and ruled over the Aztec people. At the time of Moctezuma II’s reign, Spain was making arrangements to set out overseas in search of territory for empirical expansion and resources, especially gold and silver, because the spanish could use those materials to trade with the Chinese dynasties who were far more advanced. On February 10, 1519, Spain’s emporor, Diego Velazquez, sent spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes` and an army of 508 men to Mexico. A few months later, they arrived in Mexico and began to march inland.
After being installed in the palace, the Spaniards demanded the gold from the natives, which brought it for them. By using their advanced weapons like swords and metal shields, they would kill the natives by stabbing and cutting off their heads. Soon after a war with the Spaniards began in which
The Aztec and Mayan Civilizations in the Americas Ashley M. Carpenter Western Civilization II National University June 2, 2012 Abstract From 250 A.D. to the late 1500’s A.D. the Mayans and the Aztecs controlled Central and South America. Each was unique, but still shared a few of the same traits. Both had their own calendar system, counting system, and Polytheistic religious beliefs along with similar temples built to worship their deities. While the Aztecs were the most prominent users of human sacrifice, the Mayans also participated in such rituals. A few differences between these civilizations were the social structure, natural resources, and differing cultural strengths.
They were a dominating society of Mesoamerica, rich in culture and community. The Mayans evolved from surviving in the jungles to building a magnificent empire. The features of the Mayan civilization made it better than any other of that time in the Americas. Mayan Astronomy is known for its advanced and extremely accurate calculations. By observing the sky the Maya created calculations on astronomical events.
The Aztecs had city-states ruled by a head leader. They had a governing council. There economy was a barter economy. They used a system of irrigated agriculture to provide food for the empire. The Gods worshipped and respected were the Gods of rain, fire, water, corn, sky, and sun.
The Maya and Nahua believed the tongue to be a sacrificial blade. It thirsted for blood and flesh. Most people were under the impression that sacrifice was almost always carried out on humans. Little did they know, the sacrifice was often on animals (quails, jaguars, crocodiles, ducks, fish, snakes, salamanders) and even cakes that were shaped as gods. The animal, food, or human sacrificed was determined
These games held deep religious significance and often settled political and religious affairs, maintaining peace and resolving conflicts. Despite their cultural similarities, the Mayans and Aztecs were different technologically. The Aztecs invented chinampas, yet the Mayans developed hillside terraces. Chinampas were rectangle-shaped areas of fertile arable land built from dredged silt to cultivate crops, such as maize, beans, and squash. These artificial islands were very efficient, providing society with an abundant and rich source of agriculture.
According to the Aztec religion it took the gods: Tezcatlipoca (jaguar), Nanauatl (sun), Ehecatl (wind), Quetzalcoatl, (feathered serpent) five tries to create the world because of fights that they were having. The earth was destroyed once by a jaguar (Tezcatlipoca), once by the wind (Ehecatl) and twice by a flood. The ancient Aztec religion was highly focused on keeping nature in balance. One false step could lead to natural disaster. In the sky was a constant battle between light and darkness, the weak sun could stop moving.