Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Aztec Hierarchy
Aztec Merchants
The merchants made up the richest
calpolli in Tenochtitlan.
They went on trading expeditions to
the far corners of the empire and
brought back prized goods.
Merchants sold their goods in
Tenochtitlans markets. The taxes
they paid on their profits enriched the
Aztec state.
They also acted as spies and had
detailed knowledge of geography and
layouts of foreign cities. This made
them valuable advisors to generals in
wartime.
Aztec Farmers
Aztec Artisans
Aztec artisans or skilled workers, provided
citizens with the finer things in life
such as fashionable clothes and works of
art.
Mask makers, goldsmiths. And feather
workers were among the most respected
artisans.
Tropical birds with brightly colored
feathers were often hunted and raised in
captivity by the Aztecs. The feathers were
worked into fans, headdresses, tunics,
and used to decorate shields.
Only members of nobility were allowed to
wear garments of feathers.
Moving on Up!
The main way to move up in Aztec
society was by achieving success on
the battlefield.
For Aztecs, killing the enemy was
not the point of battle; they
wanted prisoners who they could
sacrifice to the gods.
A warrior who captured four enemy
prisoners immediately became
eligible for membership in a higher
social status.
If a warrior was a commoner, he
could also rise up to nobility.