Aztec Laws

The Aztecs had a sophisticated and strict system of law and order.

The emperor and his closest advisers and nobles probably made the laws. There were laws against murder, theft, crimes against the state (treason) etc., as you would expect. There were also laws against being drunk in public, practicing witchcraft, and cheating on a husband or wife.

Aztec Government - an overview

The basis of the Aztec government began long before the Aztec Empire began. The first piece of the government was the family and extended family. From the family was the calpulli. The calpulli was basically a neighborhood based government unit that ran a school and collected taxes from the citizens under its control.

Aztec Sun God

Gods and Myths were very important to the Aztec society and culture. The myths that the Aztecs believed in shaped how their society was structured and how they went about everyday life. By studying the myths and the gods, people can learn a lot about the Aztec people.

Aztec Language

The Aztecs had many influences on modern day life, and one of these influences is language. The Aztecs spoke a language called Nahuatl. During their empire's rule, the Aztecs controlled most of Mexico, and this allowed the Nahuatl language to spread. When the Aztecs were conquered, the Latin languages and alphabet influenced Nahuatl. One of these influences was that Nahuatl became what is known as a literary language. This means that it became a written language, and many pieces of poetry, legal and administrative documents, and codices were written in Nahuatl. Because of these written documents, Nahuatl can still be studied today. In fact, it is the most studied and well documented language of the Americas.

Aztec Inventions and Achievements (A Few)

The ancient Aztecs had to be problem solvers and inventors to meet the needs of a growing empire.

One of the most amazing of the Aztec's inventions was how they dealt with the water needs of the great city of Tenochtitlan. Even though the city was built on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco, the salty lake water was not good for drinking. The Aztecs had to bring water to the city using aqueducts.

Aztec Architecture

The ancient Aztecs built beautiful, extraordinary religious structures, homes, and other buildings during their empire's reign. The Aztecs valued craftsmanship, and this can be seen in the buildings that they built.