Even though Aztec society became very urban, their economy was based mainly on agriculture and trade, which was provided by the citizens in outlying lands. The Aztecs utilized all arable land, and practiced advanced agronomy techniques, such as crop rotation. Another example is the chinampa farming system; beds of reeds were placed in a lake, covered with soil, and then cultivated. This way, not only did they farm the land, but also reclaimed the water, which provided constant nourishment for the crops.
The market was where farmers and craftsmen presented their goods to about 60,000 village and city residents a day. Goods were bartered, as there was no known currency. There is also evidence of trade with other Mesoamerican cultures; merchants traveled via rivers and the Pacific to the lands of other tribes. The productivity and ingenuity of the Aztecs in these areas saw their wealth and population grow rapidly.
Aztec society was based on a hierarchy of four classes. On the top rested the nobles, then the commoners, then serfs, and finally the slaves. Commoners, mainly farmers, were the majority of the population. The serfs lived and farmed off the land of the nobles. The slaves were treated as property, but unlike in European society, slavery was not racially based. Aztec slaves were generally prisoners of war or criminals. Unlike other cultures, one was not stuck in one class for one's whole life; one had the possibility, mainly through bravery in battle, to rise through the ranks, even if one was a slave.
This page © 2001 by Dustin I.
