How was the Aztec empire different from the Spanish Empire?
Both the Aztecs and the Spaniards were expansionist and imperialist peoples, but the Aztecs used a tribute system while the Spaniards used colonialism. The Aztecs conquered the city-states surrounding Tenochtitlan and their own city-states and demanded tribute and persons to use as human sacrifices.
How did the Spanish change Aztec farming?
The Spanish had a positive effect on Aztec civilization because they helped modernize the society. They introduced the Aztecs to domestic animals, sugar, grains, and European farming practices. Most significantly, the Spanish ended the Aztec’s practice of human sacrifice.
What did the Aztecs do for agriculture?
Once the floating island was secure and useable, the Aztecs used it to plant their principal crop: corn. They also grew various vegetables (such as avocados, beans, chili peppers, squash, and tomatoes), and sometimes—even flowers. Unfortunately, the Aztecs had no animals or machines to help them work the land.
What type of agricultural system did the Aztecs use?
To grow all this food, the Aztecs used two main farming methods: the chinampas and terracing. Chinampas were essentially man-made islands, raised bed gardens on the surface of Lake Texcoco’s shallow waters. To use the hilly land for farming, the Aztecs terraced the hills by cutting into them.
How did the Aztecs feel about the Spanish?
Thinking that Cortés could be Quetzalcoatl, Montezuma greeted the party with great honor. Montezuma sent out envoys to meet the conquistador as he neared. The Aztecs were fascinated by the Spaniards’ light skin and the sight of men on horseback, which they described as beasts with two heads and six legs.
What advantages did the Spanish have over the Aztecs?
The advantages that the Spanish had over the Aztec were 16 horses, guns, armor, formed alliances, and diseases, steel.
Why was the Aztec economy built on agriculture instead of trade?
The Aztec economy was based on agriculture and trade. Agriculture provided a great variety of fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, chili peppers, pumpkins, and beans, necessary to feed the high number of inhabitants in the empire.
How did the Aztecs grow their crops?
The Aztecs used stunning floating gardens — otherwise known as chinampas — to grow their crops without harming the environment. Chinampas were created by piling mud and decaying plants into small stationary islands on top of which the farmers would sow maize, beans, chilies, squash, tomatoes, and greens.
How did the agricultural innovations feed into the Aztecs larger economic systems including the tribute system and the marketplace?
The agricultural innovations feed into the Aztec’s larger economic system because the sell and trade the food with each other. It feeds into the marketplace because they trade the food amongst each other. Part B How did Tenochtitlán sustain itself? Tenochtitlan sustains itself because of the water from the lake.
When did the Aztecs start farming?
There are several advantages to this system of farming, which began c. 800 CE, most obvious of which is the economical use of space. In effect, the Aztecs made new land in the water, a necessary feat to feed an urban center like Tenochtitlan, which was built in the center of the large Lake Texcoco.
What were some typical Aztec crops?
maize
The most common crops were maize (centli, famously used to make tortillas but also tamales and gruel), amaranth (a grain), sage, beans (etl), squash, and chile peppers.
Why did Aztecs not use animals for farming?
Aztec farming and agriculture did not use any animals since they did not have plows and wheels. Thus the absence of animals used for farming made then entire process quite cumbersome since they had to use small pointed sticks for farming and this took a lot of time.
What tools did the Aztecs use for farming?
Aztec Farming and Agriculture: Farming Tools. Aztecs used relatively primitive tools for Aztec farming and agriculture. They did not have advanced tools for the time such as plows. The most important tool for Aztec farming and agriculture was the classic wooden digging stick.
What kind of food did the Aztecs eat?
The Aztecs ate foods such as corn tortillas (a flat bread made from ground corn), beans, squash, tomatoes, potatoes and a type of cheese made with algae, and they drank chocolate. Sometimes they ate fish and meat. The Spaniards ate leavened bread made from wheat, and stews made from legumes like garbanzo beans and lentils.
What was the role of the agronomists in the Aztecs?
They were given a small part of the produce as an income for their services. The other types were the experts of Aztec farming and agriculture. They managed the kind of seeds which were to be sown and supervised the working of the crop rotation.