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It's very interesting to wonder what life would have been like in a normal Aztec society family. There are many things we do know, although the record is frustratingly sparse. Record keepers were more interested in other aspects of society, and family life was considered the sphere of women.

Still, there are many things we do know. Like other aspects of Aztec culture, life in an Aztec society family was permeated by religious beliefs, right from the start. Each decision was ruled by the laws of religion, and often tied to the sacred days in the Aztec calendar.

The life of a new family began at marriage, typically in the early 20s for a man and mid-teens for the woman. Marriages were arranged by the relatives (though the children may have had input). The parents would have to talk to the religious leaders, and discuss the signs under which both of the children had been born. The wedding day, of course, was chosen for similar religious reasons.

Men and women

All this was full of ceremony and form. In Aztec society family a husband may have had more than one wife - but it would be his primary wife that would go through all the ceremony. The man may have many secondary wives, who would also be officially recognized. The children of the principal wife would be the inheritors - or, in the case of a ruler, only a child from the principal wife would be a successor. Still, the husband was supposed to treat all wives equally in daily life.

As you may imagine, one family could grow very large. As a result, most of the husbands with numerous wives and children were the wealthy ones, with the poor more likely to have one wife.

In one sense, society was dominated by the men. The man was considered the head of the home. However, women had a great deal of power as well. They may have had more power in earlier times, with men taking more power toward the end of the Aztec era.

Women often were able to run business out of their homes, and had a lot of influence in the family and the raising of children. The older widows were much respected, and people listened to their advice.

Adultery was a crime - death was the punishment. Divorce was allowed on certain grounds, presented by the man or woman, property was divided equally and both sides were free.

( more on Aztec crime and punishment here)

Marriage and children

Marriage marked the entrance into Aztec adult and independat society. The family was given a piece of land, and they would have their own home. Depending on their situation, both the man and the woman may be involved in working the land. Of course, while a woman was involved in household tasks, a man would be more likely to become a warrior. Though there were many occupations (farmer, priest, doctor, etc), being an Aztec warrior was particularly glorified.

War was even used as a symbol of childbirth. The baby was a "captive" in the womb, struggling to be victorious. The woman, too, was in a battle. In fact, in many ways a woman who died in childbirth was glorified in the same way as a warrior who died in battle, and honoured for her courage.

A child was welcomed into the world and into the religious system. A hymn for the new child to the goddess of child birth went like this:

Down there, where Ayopechcatl lives, the jewel is born, a child has come into the world.
It is down there, in her own place, that the children are born.
Come, come here, new-born child, come here.
Come, come here, jewel-child, come here.

(from the Codex Florentino)

A soothsayer would be called to study the signs of the child. He would inquire about the exact moment of the child's birth. The birth would be cause for more ritual and great celebration.

From what we know, parents loved their children very much. We know that parents often used flowery pet names for their children (for example, a father speaking to his son - "Nopiltze, nocuzque, noquetzale" - sweet son, my jewel, my precious feather.

Then again, when it came to discipline, parents in an Aztec society family ruled with an iron hand.

More on Aztec children here.

Work and education

Fathers taking their sons to school

I've written a little more about occupations and education here. Education, at least in the early years, was the responsibility of the parents. The father would teach the sons, and the mother the daughters. Work and education then would a big part of the Aztec society family. Work could also break up the family - the father might travel, or in the case of warriors may die on the battlefield.

As I mentioned, discipline was often harsh. Up until the age of 8, the preferred method of discipline was simply verbal. But harsh punishments would be in store for the older child, as he was prepared for the harsher realities of Aztec life.

As children grew older, parents would still be in charge of education, but they would more often send the children to school. There were various branches of education that children would be involved in.

Elderly family members

If a family member escaped death on the battlefield or death from illness and so on... they would be among the ueuetque - the wise elders of society. They would offer advice, either informally or on a council. Of course, they were held in high regard in the family itself. The elderly were important in the Aztec society family, and their health care, aging and death was also a matter of ritual and religion.

Summary - Aztec society family

An Aztec society family 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.

For more on Aztec society family, I recommend Daily Life of the Aztecs by Jacques Soustelle.

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It's very interesting to wonder what life would have been like in a normal Aztec society family. There are many things we do know, although the record is frustratingly sparse. Record keepers were more interested in other aspects of society, and family life was considered the sphere of women.

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#5 pt. 1) Describe their beliefs. What makes them unique and different from European beliefs?

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#5 pt. 1) Describe their beliefs. What makes them unique and different from European beliefs?

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Aztec religion was the mesoamerican religion practiced by the Aztec empire. They were polytheistic and worshiped a very extensive list of gods. They divided the world into thirteen heavens, and nine earthrealms. What makes the Aztecs different than the Europeans was that the Aztects practiced rituals involving blood, and had many festivals according to the Aztec Calender.

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#4 what cultural differences and practices made them unique?

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#4 what cultural differences and practices made them unique?

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There were many different practices that made the Aztecs unique:
-They had social classes like Nobility "Pili",Common people "Macehuali", and they had slaves.
-They had games that they played such as the Aztec ball game and a game called Ulma
-Their culture embraced music as they had sacred hymns to commemorate to deeds of great rulers and gods
*Another form of music was cantares or "Ghost songs"  that would be about great deeds of the past. (sung during battles)
-Aztec art included various themes that were based on a wide variety of insects,birds,fish, & animals. Their art would often show gods, or priests dressed as gods in a ritual or Aztec warriors

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#1 Describe or show their original territory.Did they migrate? If so, what factors lead them to migrate?

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#1 Describe or show their original territory.Did they migrate? If so, what factors lead them to migrate?

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The Aztecs' original territory was Mexico with the capital Tenochtitlan. Yes, they migrated to Mesoamerica. They migrated because there was an eagle perched on a cactus and took it as a sign to move there.

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#3 : Who headed the family unit? Who was in immediate family? Were there any taboo relationships? Who could marry whom?

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#3 : Who headed the family unit? Who was in immediate family? Were there any taboo relationships? Who could marry whom?

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* The men were considered head of the family, but women had a substantial amount of power as well. Older widows were respected, and many women, aside from doing household chores and raising children, ran their own businesses.
* Marriage was symbolic of the entrance into adulthood, and independence. Citizens could not just marry anyone they desired, and because marriages were arranged, taboo relationships were rare, or non-existent. For alliances, marriages among nobles were orchestrated. Other marriages were arranged by relatives, who discussed the signs of both of the children, and sought input from religious leaders. The Aztecs married in their late teens or early twenties, and it was expected for both the bride and the groom to be celibate. Adultery was punishable by death, and women could be divorced for not having children.
* Men may have had one primary wife, and many secondary wives, but the husbands were still supposed to treat the women as equals. (Wealthier men had more wives) The children of the main wife would be in the inheritors, or successors. Since many Aztec men had many children with more than one wife, their families were very large, but the immediate family was most likely with the primary wife and her children.

Traditional Aztec Marriage Ceremony

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#6 : What was the basis of their economy?

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#6 : What was the basis of their economy?

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The economy of the Mesoamerican Aztecs was based on several different things.
-They were big farmers
~50% of the Aztec population would get up every morning to tend to their agriculture.
-Bulk of the economy was based on extensive trade
~Traded: Necessary and/or luxury items
-Aztecs in the market place would learn specific crafts such as...
~Pot-making
~Rope-making
-There were economic classes within the civilization, that were mainly setup in ranks.

Mesoamerican Aztec FarmingMesoamerican Aztec Marketplace

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#2 : Who had power? Who did not? What was required to gain leadership? How were laws or rules determined? Were there different social Classes?

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#2 : Who had power? Who did not? What was required to gain leadership? How were laws or rules determined? Were there different social Classes?

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Ancient Aztec government was influenced by previous governmental structures of societies; societies before the Aztecs. The family Calpulli would be responsible for the life necessitates of the whole group. Any one that were not in that family, were not in power or rule. However, as cities grew, Calpullis became less family-related and more regional. (There were more diversity for ruling) As cities, or independent city-states, continued to grow, they would have city councils that held a great deal amount of the government. Although, the control did not go all over meso-america, rather, conquered lands were forced to pay taxes,tributes. Luckily, there were a great amount of freedom left. Social classes were commonly split between free commoners and nobles. Both at which had their own social status, responsibility, and power.

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#5 pt.2  What ceremonies were practiced? Who or what did they worship, revere or find sacred?

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#5 pt.2  What ceremonies were practiced? Who or what did they worship, revere or find sacred?

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The Mesoamerican Aztecs like many other Aztec tribes practiced human sacrifices and religious festivals based upon days in their calendar. Human sacrifice was practiced largely throughout the empire. In thier capital city, Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs sacrificed 10,000 to 84,000 people through the course of 4 days to show their dedication to the Great Temple.They also sacrificed their warriors to the Gods. The Mesoamerican Aztecs celebrated many festivals, one of them being Teteo Eco or "The Gods Arrive". This festival took place from September 22nd to October 11th . The rituals they practiced during this time included bloodletting, feasting, and dance performances. The Aztecs worshiped many gods, those included cultural gods, nature gods, gods of creation, gods of maize and fertility, gods of death and the underworld, trade gods, and gods of pulque and excess.