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The Aztec Social Hierarchy

Aztec Hierarchy

The Role of the Emperor


At the top of the hierarchy was the emperor,
whom the Aztecs treated like a god. They
obeyed him without question and gave him
every possible privilege and luzury. He lived in
a palace and servants carried him around on a
screen, so his feet never had to touch the
ground.

Commander of the Army: For this role the


emperor had to be a skilled warrior and excel
at military strategy and leadership.

Head of State: The emperor would receive


advice from his council of priests and nobles
when making important decisions. The ultimate
decision was his alone, so the fate of the entire
empire rested on his shoulders.

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

Farmers did more than just grow


the crops that fed the Aztec
population. They were also skilled
hunters and fishers. They sold sold
much of what they caught for added
income.
Farmers gave up a share of their
produce in taxes. They didnt grow
crops just for themselves, but as a
service for Aztec survival.
They were also expected to donate
a certain number of hours of labour
to working on projects for the
state.

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.

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