SOCIETY of the aztecs
In the 200 years they occupied Tenochtitlan the population grew from a few thousand to several hundred thousand. They became the most productive plant captivators of their time, producing more then enough food to support the growing population and a powerful army.
Aztec society was organized into units called Calpolli (Call-pole-lee). The members of a Calpolli all lived in the same neighbourhood and worshipped the same temple. Each rank of society had its own responsibilities and they all contributed to the good of the Aztec Empire.
Essentially there was only two different sections of the Aztec society. The nobles and the commoners. The commoners were called macehualtin. Besides these two classes there were a number of different positions that worked like sub-like classes.
Many of the macehualtin worked the land. They might work a portion of land for life, though technically it was communally owned, and they would work under authority. Some were only hired hands or tenants, and some were even slaves. Slavery was not hereditary, and there were ways for a slave to gain freedom. If someone was in economic difficulty, they could sell themselves as slaves. Slaves were strictly protected by the law.
As time went by and farming became more efficient, less people were needed to farm, and other parts of society became stronger. Craftsmen and merchants, for example, had a higher social status in society. Merchants were a privilege class. With the ability to travel and deal in valuable objects, they had a certain amount of freedom many Aztecs didn't have.
An Aztec society was ruled in many ways by religion, tradition, and structure. Life was ruled by fate - from beginning to end your family life, occupation, and success depended on the important dates in your life and the structure of the universe and the nature of the gods. At the same time, life was full of celebration, hard work, joy, sorrow, and love, much as it has been in societies around the world for all of history.
Essentially there was only two different sections of the Aztec society. The nobles and the commoners. The commoners were called macehualtin. Besides these two classes there were a number of different positions that worked like sub-like classes.
Many of the macehualtin worked the land. They might work a portion of land for life, though technically it was communally owned, and they would work under authority. Some were only hired hands or tenants, and some were even slaves. Slavery was not hereditary, and there were ways for a slave to gain freedom. If someone was in economic difficulty, they could sell themselves as slaves. Slaves were strictly protected by the law.
As time went by and farming became more efficient, less people were needed to farm, and other parts of society became stronger. Craftsmen and merchants, for example, had a higher social status in society. Merchants were a privilege class. With the ability to travel and deal in valuable objects, they had a certain amount of freedom many Aztecs didn't have.
An Aztec society was ruled in many ways by religion, tradition, and structure. Life was ruled by fate - from beginning to end your family life, occupation, and success depended on the important dates in your life and the structure of the universe and the nature of the gods. At the same time, life was full of celebration, hard work, joy, sorrow, and love, much as it has been in societies around the world for all of history.