Aztec Social Hierarchy and Views of Human Nature
The Aztec social structure consisted of a king, nobles, commoners, and slaves. The nobles (pipiltin) consisted of government or military leaders, high level priests, and lords (landowners, judges and military commanders). Other than the ruler they were the wealthiest class, nobles showed their wealth by wearing decorated capes.
Commoners (macehualtin) consists of farmers, artisans, merchants, and low level priests. Artisans and traveling merchants had the most wealth in the class. Commoners lived in capulli (neighborhood wards) that were ran by a single nobleman and a council of commander elders.
Slavery was a big part of Aztec society and an individual became a slave by a punishment for committing a crime, prisoners of war who were not used as sacrifices, or an individual could sell themselves or their children into slavery to pay off debt. Slave owners were responsible for feeding their slaves, housing the slaves, slaves had the right to marry, have children, to substitute another in their place, and they were not born into slavery. They could be freed by buying it, marrying their owners,or when their owners died.
The basic rights of Aztec citizens were protection by the system of written laws that everybody, including nobles, had to follow judicial systems that made decisions based on evidence and had a higher and lower court, slaves rights were protected, and if a man and a women got divorced the woman got half of their assets and could still remarry. The Aztecs had a system of laws that covered every aspect of life and protected the rights of the citizens.
Commoners (macehualtin) consists of farmers, artisans, merchants, and low level priests. Artisans and traveling merchants had the most wealth in the class. Commoners lived in capulli (neighborhood wards) that were ran by a single nobleman and a council of commander elders.
Slavery was a big part of Aztec society and an individual became a slave by a punishment for committing a crime, prisoners of war who were not used as sacrifices, or an individual could sell themselves or their children into slavery to pay off debt. Slave owners were responsible for feeding their slaves, housing the slaves, slaves had the right to marry, have children, to substitute another in their place, and they were not born into slavery. They could be freed by buying it, marrying their owners,or when their owners died.
The basic rights of Aztec citizens were protection by the system of written laws that everybody, including nobles, had to follow judicial systems that made decisions based on evidence and had a higher and lower court, slaves rights were protected, and if a man and a women got divorced the woman got half of their assets and could still remarry. The Aztecs had a system of laws that covered every aspect of life and protected the rights of the citizens.