Name:______Block:______
Directions: Aztec daily life centered around religion. Just like all cultures, the Aztec used religion to explain why they were placed on this earth, why there is suffering, and why there is joy in the world. The Aztec religion was, at times, a bloody one; with human sacrifice being necessary for survival. Below you will analyze primary source documents analyzing Aztec religion. When you are finished, you will argue that human sacrifice was a necessary aspect of the religion, or an un-necessary aspect. Defend you position in writing. You will then debate one another.
Above is an image depicting Aztec human sacrifice. The Aztecs used this practice for religious as well as political purposes. Political prisoners were the first to be sacrificed. City-states paid tribute in the form of candidates for sacrifice, usually criminals. The Aztec believed that this sacrifice appeased the sun god, allowing him to bring the sun back each day.
Above is a drawing of what the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. It was dominated by a pyramid with twin temples on top dedicated to the sun god and rain god. The magnitude of the temple shows the importance of religion to the lives of the Aztec.
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Above are poems written by Nezhualcoytol, an Aztec poet. The poems were originally passed down through an oral tradition, and were written down in the 16th century. It shows that the Aztec questioned what happened after death, and, if in-fact, there were gods out there.
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Above is a depiction of three of the 1,000 Aztec gods. Quetzalcoatl was the God of learning and the giver of life. Centeotl was the god of Maize. He was responsible for making the land fertile, and delivering a plentiful supply of food. Huitzilopochtli was the god of the sun. This god was considered a warrior, who fought evil each night in order to bring the sun back. He needed human blood in order to stay strong enough to bring the sun back.
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This is an image of an Aztec “basketball hoop.” The game had an import religious significance. The object in the end was to get the ball through the stone hoop. This was extremely difficult, and so if it actually happened the game would be over. Another important rule was that the ball was never allowed to touch the ground. Players couldn't hold or even touch the ball with their hands - only the elbows, knees, hips and head were used.
The Aztec ball game had a lot of ritual significance. It was mean to mirror the ball court of the heavens, this being the ball court of the underworld where the sun passed each night. The game represented the battle between day and night, and so was also related to the human blood sacrifices that were intended to keep the sun moving in the sky. It is said that the ball represented the head of a sacrificed victim. In Tenochtitlan, the ball court was at the foot of the blood stained stairs of the temple, and the ball game itself would often be a scene of sacrifice. It is believed that the losing coach, or even the whole team, might be sacrificed. Some historians have disputed this - because it was an honor to be sacrificed, it may have been the winning team that lost their lives.