Slavery in the Aztec Empire and surrounding Mexica societies was widespread, with slaves known by the Nahuatl word, tlacotli. Slaves did not inherit their status; people were enslaved as a form of punishment, after being captured in war, or voluntarily to pay off debts.
The people whom we typically refer to as Aztecs called themselves Mexica or Culhua-Mexica. They were also known as the Tenochca, a name derived from the ancestor Tenoch. It is also the source of the name of the great Aztec capital city, Tenochtitlán, on the site of current-day Mexico City.
Cortes and his men were more technologically advanced and better suited for battle and took over the empire rather easily. When Cortes completed his task, he was rather cruel and used many of the Aztec people as slaves for his own benefit.
The Mayan and Aztec civilizations both practiced slavery. Warfare was important to Maya society, because raids on surrounding areas provided the victims required for human sacrifice, as well as slaves for the construction of temples. Among the Maya, slavery was inherited, unless a ransom was paid.
Slaves could marry, have children (who were free) and even own property. Anyone could own a slave, but most slave-owners were nobles. The owner was responsible for feeding and housing the slave and had control over the slave's labor.
1500 – c. 1529), more popularly known as La Malinche ([la maˈlintʃe]), was a Nahua woman from the Mexican Gulf Coast, who became known for contributing to the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire (1519–1521), by acting as an interpreter, advisor, and intermediary for the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés.
The Inca mita was a system of compulsory labor for the benefit of the state. Unlike slavery, citizens were not owned by anyone, but they did have to offer part of their time (in rotating shifts) to build roads, agricultural terraces, temples and fortresses.
In the British colonies the slaves were treated as non-human: they were 'chattels', to be worked to death as it was cheaper to purchase another slave than to keep one alive. Though seen as non-human, as many of the enslaved women were raped, clearly at one level they were recognised as at least rapeable human beings.
Slavery was institutionalized by the time the first civilizations emerged (such as Sumer in Mesopotamia, which dates back as far as 3500 BC). Slavery features in the Mesopotamian Code of Hammurabi (c. 1750 BC), which refers to it as an established institution.
A freedman or freedwoman is a person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their owners), emancipation (granted freedom as part of a larger group), or self-purchase. A fugitive slave is a person who escaped enslavement by fleeing.
The Aztecs were the dominant culture until Spanish explorers arrived in Mexico in 1519. Maya were scientific people who studied stars and time. They created a calendar similar to the one we use today. Intelligence and reputation were important qualities for a Maya ruler.
The Aztecs were the Native American people who dominated northern Mexico at the time of the Spanish conquest in the early 16th century. A nomadic culture, the Aztecs eventually settled on several small islands in Lake Texcoco where, in 1325, they founded the town of Tenochtitlan, modern-day Mexico City.
Mexicano (Mexican) is derived from the word Mexico itself. In the principal model to create demonyms in Spanish, the suffix -ano is added to the name of the place of origin. However, in Nahuatl language, the original demonym becomes Mexica.
“It was traditional in the back and forth between the Aztecs [and contemporaries] to sacrifice people who were captured, specifically warriors.” Women and children were also chosen, said Joyce, who was not involved in the excavations. “Children in particular were selected for rain deities.”
The prevalent use of slaves emerged during the Post-classic era of the Maya. Slaves included prisoners of war, orphans, the children of those already enslaved, and those caught stealing.
tliltic. Headword: tliltic. black, the color; or, a black person, a person of African heritage; to specify a black woman, this word could be combined with cihuatl.
The word Tlalli means "land" or "earth" in Nahuatl. Reyes was inspired by the Olmec colossal heads, and according to him, he had difficulties transforming Tlalli into a woman since the original heads were based on men.
Most Aztec slaves did indeed provide labor for a household or an institution. Some (called “bathed slaves”), however, were destined to be sacrificed at important ceremonies and performed little economic work (female “bathed slaves” would spin fibers until their sacrifice).
Sharecropping is a system where the landlord/planter allows a tenant to use the land in exchange for a share of the crop. This encouraged tenants to work to produce the biggest harvest that they could, and ensured they would remain tied to the land and unlikely to leave for other opportunities.
The term 'Freeman' was originally a definition of status in feudal society but in England it later became to mean a man possessing the full privileges and immunities of a city, borough or trade gild to which admission was usually by birth, apprenticeship, gift or purchase.
A Libertus (feminine Liberta, and plural Liberti), meaning "freed person" was a freed Roman slave. They were also known as cives Romani liberti ("freedmen who are Roman citizens").
