Aztecs for Kids
Chocolate, sacrifice, temples, & more!
An interesting civilisation was Aztecs for kids.
The Aztecs were an advanced and wealthy civilisation that was most powerful from 1325 until 1521. They are famous for believing that sacrificing humans would keep their gods happy, but there are many more reasons to learn about them. They were excellent farmers, built enormous pyramids, were fierce warriors and impressive artists.
Aztec Temples
The Aztecs were impressed by the enormous pyramid-shaped temples that the Mayans had built hundreds of years before, so they built similar stone temples to worship their own gods.
Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead started as an old Aztec religious festival. Although it sounds scary, it is actually the opposite: it is a celebration of life.
Aztec Masks
The Aztecs made intricate masks, often from wood, which were then decorated using a mosaic pattern of small turquoise stones.
Aztec Sun God Huitzilopochtli
The Aztec society revolved around keeping the gods happy. They worshipped several gods and goddesses, believing that different gods were in charge of different parts of nature, as well as events like sacrifice and war.
The Aztecs lived in the highlands of what is now central Mexico, surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. The capital city of the Aztec world was called Tenochtitlan, which was built on a lake that was later drained by the Spanish. Modern-day Mexico City is built on top of the old city.
The Aztec civilization came to an end when Hernan Cortes, who was mistakenly believed to be an Aztec god, led his Spanish army into Tenochtitlan and conquered it in 1521.