2. Gods
and
Everyday
Life
• To
the
Aztecs,
religion
was
an
extremely
important
part
of
their
culture.
• The
gods
played
an
integral
part
in
everyday
life
from
household
tasks
to
farming.
• They
controlled
all
of
the
elements
and
preserved
the
balance
of
the
natural
world.
• Because
of
this
order
they
valued
the
most
precious
thing,
life.
3. Worship
• The
Aztecs,
like
many
other
cultures,
celebrate
their
gods
through
feasts,
ceremonies,
and
tradiDonal
worship
at
a
temple.
• They
gave
away
what
was
most
precious,
their
life.
• Though
they
mostly
sacrificed
prisoners
of
war
and
children,
they
believed
that
the
gods
grew
stronger
of
the
blood
and
hearts
of
those
sacrificed.
• Because
of
their
religion,
the
Aztec
priests
were
skilled
astronomers
and
mathemaDcians
4. The
Gods
• In
Aztec
Mythology,
there
are
over
99
deiDes
and
many
with
more
than
one
name.
• The
Aztecs
believed
that
all
of
the
gods
should
be
respected
for
fear
of
their
wrath
or
other
problems
that
could
ensue.
• While
some
were
benevolent,
others
had
ability
to
cause
grave
misfortune.
• Numerous
amounts
of
temples
and
places
of
worship
were
raised
in
order
to
please
all
of
these
gods
5. QUETZALCOATL
• Known
as
the
Feather
Serpent,
Quetzalcoatl
was
the
god
of
civilizaDon
and
learning.
• One
of
the
oldest
gods,
known
even
to
the
Mayan,
he
brought
science,
agriculture,
and
all
that
is
good
in
civilizaDon.
• He
is
said
to
have
created
man
by
dripping
blood
on
bones,
and
therefore
we
are
are
seen
as
his
children.
6. Huitzlopochtli
• The
most
important
Aztec
God
• He
was
the
sun
god
and
the
deified
ancestral
warrior-‐
hero.
• He
was
also
seen
as
the
par
for
excellence
in
Aztec
Society.
• His
is
considered
the
reincarnaDon
of
the
sun
and
night
and
therefore
has
the
constant
struggle
of
keeping
the
night
at
bay
and
keeping
human
civilizaDon
alive
• He
must
have
blood
sacrifice
in
order
to
maintain
his
daily
baSle
of
keeping
humans
alive.
7. Other
Gods
• There
are
gods
for
virtually
every
facet
of
life
and
culture
of
the
Aztecs
• Each
god
has
a
specific
duty
either
as
acDng
as
an
object
(
Metztli
–
the
moon
good)
or
a
certain
overseeing
certain
acDons
(Chalchiuhtlicue
-‐
The
goddess
of
running
water)
• Religion
played
a
key
part
in
the
culture
of
the
Aztecs
as
well
as
their
everyday
duDes
