The Aztec Empire

Roxburgh, Ellis. The Aztec Empire. Part of the Great Empires series. 2016. 48p. ISBN 978-1-50260638-9. Available at 972.01 ROX on the library shelves.

One of the fiercest empire in human history, the Aztec Empire was swiftly defeated by a small group of Spanish Conquistadors with guns and horses. Its defeat, however, belied the underlying strength that allowed a small tribe of people in Mexico to grow into the largest and most powerful military force in Central America prior to the arrival of the Spanish. Remembered today both for their fall and for their use of human sacrifices, the Aztecs possessed a rich and diversified culture, as their Empire was in fact made of countless cities either allied with or paying tribute to the ruler of Tenochtitlán, each with their own mores and styles.

Effective warfare and alliance building allowed the Aztecs to expand the boundaries of their influence to eventually cover much of Central Mexico. Religious and civilian life were highly regimented. Corn was a staple, and wealthy folks could also partake of chocolate. Sacrifices were performed to appease the gods, who guided the Emperor and the priests through interpreted signs. At the height of its power, Tenochititlán was conquered by a handful of Spanish soldiers through a mixture of treachery, advanced weaponry, and religious beliefs that these men from across the Eastern Sea were sent by their gods.

Despite the Spanish colonists’ best efforts, however, descendents of the Aztecs preserved many of their traditions and their language. Even today, more than 15 million Mexicans still speak Nahuatl, the language of their Aztecs’ ancestors.