The Aztecs: Life in Tenochtitlan

by Matt Doeden

Book Overview

The Aztecs are known for their large stone temples, but did you also know that the Aztecs were one of the first cultures to make a chocolate drink? They also made clothing from cactus fibers, and they sacrificed humans to please their gods. Find out more about what life was like in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. In this book, you'll learn about people's daily activities, religion, buildings, inventions, and leaders. Photographs and vivid comic-style...

• Format: Library Binding
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822586843
• ISBN13: 9780822586845
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Millbrook Press
• Length: 48 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 9.3" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 6

Customer Reviews

This is a very nice, engaging introduction to the Aztec history and culture in ancient Tenochtitlan!

If you were an Aztec child living in ancient Tenochtitlan, you would be expected to be "well behaved" or you would be punished. If you take a close look at one of the pictures in this book, the consequences don't look pretty. The Aztecs, who called themselves "Mexica," were divided into two classes, the nobles and the commoners. They did have slaves that were captured during war time. Of course there were some major differences between classes and, in some cases, if the "rules" were violated it could result in death. For example only nobles could have a chocolate drink. They ate a variety of foods such as popcorn, peanuts, fruit, vegetables (maize or corn was their most important food), fish, waterbirds and the Aztecs have been suspected for raising dogs as a food source. All children went to school and the boys learned a lot about war because it was "a big part of Aztec life" and every man was expected to fight when needed. You will learn about the Aztec weaponry, their unusual way of dressing for war, their religion, their two hundred gods, Huitzilopochtli the sun god, Tlaloc, the rain god, the Great Temple, their many festivals, their human sacrifices (including children), their marketplace, the fact that cacao beans were used as currency, the tlatoani (emperor), their writing, their two calendars, their aqueducts, their chinampa or "floating farms" and much more! This is a very nice introduction to the Aztec history and culture in ancient Tenochtitlan. The writing was very engaging and it was obviously this work was quite well researched. It had a nice flow to it and I found out many interesting and unusual facts I was unaware of. The combination of colorful graphic style illustration and a few photographs gave it a very appealing, ancient look. I liked the unusual overlay of the ancient Tenochtitlan Great Temple over an illustration of modern day Mexico City. In the back of the book is an index, a glossary, a timeline (1325-1987), a pronunciation guide, and additional recommended book and website resources. Did you know that a mere commoner could be killed if he built a two-level house? There are some amazing facts in this book!