Introduction
The early Aztec people were a tribe of wandering hunters, known as the Mexica, who lived in the northern region of present-day Mexico. In the 12th century, these warlike people moved south to the Valley of Mexico. According to legend, their chief god, Huitzilopochtli, told them to look for a special sign-an eagle perched on a cactus- and settle in that location when they found it. Around 1325, the tribe found the sign on a marshy island in Lake Texcoco. They settled and made a new village called Tenochtitlan, that grew into a large, important city.
The Aztecs created a large and powerful empire that lasted until 1519...nearly two centuries! Although the Aztecs took many of their ideas about religion, agriculture and the calendar from earlier people in Mesoamerica, they developed their own unique culture. In 1519 the Aztecs first encountered Hernan Cortez and his small army of Spaniards, who eventually defeated them in 1521. After his first encounters with the Aztecs, Hernan Cortez had much to learn before deciding how he was going to interact with them. First contact between these two cultures is the focus of this WebQuest.
Task
Imagine you are an"advance scout" for Hernan Cortez and his army of Spaniards. The year is 1519. Your mission, is to find out as much as you can about specific aspects of the Aztecs to take back to Commander Cortez. This is important because Cortez needs to decide if he wants to peacefully coexist with the Aztecs and trade with them, or if he wants to conquer them for "the spoils of war."
For this Webquest, you will keep a diary of your findings. Each entry in your diary will focus on one specific topic at a time and explain what you've learned about a particular aspect of the Aztec civilization.
Process
At the end of this webquest, you will be handing in 5 diary entries. Each entry will report on your findings about an aspect of Aztec society; firstly their social structure, then their agriculture, education/writing, religion and art. As you work through each section, write down the answers to each question in your History book. Once you have answered them all, summarise that information by writing it as a diary entry. There should be one diary entry for each topic, so 5 entries total. Skip 2-3 lines in between each diary entry and begin each with "Dear Diary,".
Diary entry 1: Social Structure
- What were the 2 major classes of Aztec Society?
- Explain how the clothing was different between the 2 classes.
- Which class had the largest number of people? The smallest?
- Describe the life of an Aztec citizen. (for example: homes, marriage and the matchmaker, poetry.)
Diary entry 2: Agriculture
- What were the major crops?
- How were fields prepared for growing crops?
- Briefly describe a "floating" garden.
Diary entry 3: Education and Writing
- What were the three kinds of Aztec schools?
- What was studied in each type of school?
- Describe the Aztec system of writing.
- Name 3 Aztec achievements/inventions.
Diary entry 4: Religious Beliefs
- What religious rituals did the Aztecs perform and why?
- Pick 4 gods and/or goddesses and describe what type of god they were.
Diary entry 5: Art
- Name the four materials that the Aztecs used when creating sculptures and other artwork.
- Briefly describe the ball game the Aztecs play.ed
- What does it remind you of?
Other helpful websites:
Conclusion
Your scouting expedition has come to an end. Make sure your report has all the required information Commander Cortez will need to plan his attack and conquer the Aztec people. I hope you have gained some valuable and interesting information about the Aztec civilization!
**BEFORE HANDING IN YOUR REPORT**
Be sure your name is on the cover page.
The diary entries are in the correct order.
The report is stapled together.