The Aztecs

The Aztecs were a fierce tribe of warriors in Mexico and they lived in the 13th century. They were clever people. They built canoes to fish and hunt. They filled the marshes with reeds, stones and dirt to create more farmland. Their engineers were very successful. They built a bustling city, with wide plazas and many shops, on a swamp. The Aztecs had slaves to do much of the work for them. The poor did not have slaves. The poor worked all the time.

The Rich: The rich lived in homes built of sun-dried brick and stone. The homes had a white cover to make them sparkle in the sun. Homes had a separate place for steam baths. Bathing was an important part of daily life. Steam baths were very popular. Their clothes were colourfully embroidered and decorated with features. They carried fans made of feathers. Feathers were a sign of richness.

The Poor: The poor were mostly farmers. They lived in huts. They had little furniture. They wove mats for the floor and baskets to hold their belongings. They had pots for cooking. Each home had a garden where the poor could grow food for themselves. Their clothes were simple and never decorated with feathers.