Aztec Sacrifice

The Aztecs: Should Historians Emphasize Agriculture or Human Sacrifice

Imagine living in a city called Tenochtitlan were your main power is blood from human sacrifice. The aztecs were creating a remarkable world-class society in the americas. The years were 1350 to 1519. The place was roughly the site of present-day Mexico City. Frequently, we begin our study of the aztecs in 1519 because that is the year Hernan Cortes and 500 conquistadors first entered the Aztec capital of tenochtitlan. The restatement of the question still remains as What should the historians focus on more: aztec agriculture or human sacrifice? We should emphasize human sacrifice for these three reasons: large scale, spiritual connection, and motive for war and expansion.

According to document D by Diego Duran, it shows spiritual connection by the Aztecs cutting the hearts out and raise them to the sun, and then throw them to the gods. According to document E by Friar Bernardino de Sahagun, it shows spiritual connection because the aztec warriors communicating with the gods. This evidence supports emphasizing human sacrifice because when the aztecs cut out the hearts of the prisoners, they raise the hearts to the sun, then they threw them into the shrine, before the gods.

Motive for War and Expansion

The final reason for emphasizing human sacrifice is motive for war and expansion. According to the map on document A, Aztec warriors had the reputation of being fierce fighters. Independent territories on the map were sometimes the result of a deliberate policy that unoccupied lands remain available for future “flower wars” in order to provide an ongoing supply of “flowers.” (captured sacrificed victims) This evidence supports emphasizing human sacrifice because in document A it talks about how the Aztec warriors had a reputation of being fierce fighters. Lands remain available for future “flower