Maya Class Structure
The Maya had a class structure pyramid to represent their class structure. There were five different steps and on each step there was a different class. The picture on the right is what the pyramid looked like. The order of the steps went like this: Ruler, Nobles and Priests, Merchants and Artisans, Peasants and Slaves.
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The Ruler
On the top step was the Ruler. He was the head of each Mayan City State. He ruled the city state with the help of his advisors. He was called Halach Uinic meaning true man in Mayan. Most Mayan rulers were men but scholars think they were influenced by woman. He was considered a god king and during religious ceremonies he wore a headdress as tall as a person. Merchants and Artisans After Nobles and Priests came Merchants and Artisans. The Maya were very accomplished traders. They traveled by sea, river and roads they made. Merchants from the lowlands traded with merchants from the highlands. They might trade obsidian; jade and Quetzals (KET-zuls), a bird with shiny green feathers that they used to make headdresses. Artisans made many different types of art, many of which were tributes to the gods. They painted books or on paper made from fig tree bark. they also painted murals of Mayan life and important battles. Artisans made sculptures for temples and designs on palace walls. Mayans were also skilled weavers and potters. |
Nobles and Priests
On the next step was Nobles and Priests. They were the only Mayans that knew how to read and write. They both inherited their position from their father. Nobles led armies into war and collected supplies for projects. During war nobles wore gold jewelry and jaguar skins. Priests maintained favor with the gods. Priests also offered sacrifices, lead rituals and predict the future. Priests were often also mathematicians, astronomers and healers. |
Peasants
The majority of the Mayan population was peasants.The peasants were the backbone of Maya society. Without them the cities would starve. They worked hard growing food for the population. Men used wooden hoes in the growing season and worked for almost the whole day.The women stayed closer to home, cooking, weaving and caring for children and animals. When they weren't working peasants built temples and pyramids. Because of their hard work peasants sometimes got to sometimes attend royal weddings and religious events. They also served as soldiers during war. |
Slaves
Slaves were the lowest class in the class structure pyramid. They did a variety of tasks for their masters. Some slaves were born into slavery, Sometimes free people became slaves a person might become a slave for the following reasons
Slaves were the lowest class in the class structure pyramid. They did a variety of tasks for their masters. Some slaves were born into slavery, Sometimes free people became slaves a person might become a slave for the following reasons
- Children were sold into slavery by their parents to feed the rest of their family
- War prisoners of lower ranks were made slaves
- some people were made into slaves because of a serious crime.
Aztec Class Structure
Like the Maya the Aztecs had 5 different social classes. At the top was the ruler and his family. Next came a noble class of government officials, priests and high ranking warriors. The third and largest class was made up of commoners. Then came peasants, they were neither citizen or slave. Lastly was the slaves.But an Aztec's status was not fixed. Commoners could become nobles by doing brave deeds or by studying to become priests, And nobles could go down in rank if he didn't live up to his responsibilities.
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The Ruler
The Aztecs called their ruler "tlatoni" or "he who speaks". He was considered semi-divine which means more than human but less than god. The Emperor decided when to wage war and maintained the empire. The position of the ruler was not hereditary which means it did not get passed on to his children. When a ruler died instead of his son getting his position a group of advisors chose the new ruler from the emperor's family. Each new emperor was expected to acquire his own possesions. this was a constant motive for warfare. |
Government Officials, Priests and Military Leaders
The Emperor was supported by the noble class of Government officials, Priests and Military leaders.Officials in Tenochtitlan counseled the emperor, worked as judges and governed the city's four districts. Other Nobles throughout the empire ruled cities, collected payments or erected public buildings and roads. Noble status was not hereditary but most noble sons earned a high status. Priests conducted all religious rites and served individual gods. Some priests ran schools that trained boys for priesthood and others predicted the future and studied the skies. Mostly nobles became priests, but sometimes an Aztec rose this high from a lower class. Girls could become priestesses. |
Commoners
The commoners were the third and largest class. Within this class there were other smaller classes. The highest ranking class was professional traders called pochteca. The pochteca had their own god and lived in their own section of Tenochtitlan. They led caravans to distant cities to trade exotic goods. Some were also spies for the emperor. The pochteca had many privileges, they could own land and send their children to noble schools. Unlike noble status their positions were hereditary. Below the pochteca came artisans, like potters, jewelers and painters. Some artisans made their work at home and traded it at the market. Others made items especially for the emperor and worked in the royal palace. Most commoners were farmers, fishers, laborers and servants. They were loaned plots of land for homes and farms by their capulli or ward, a neighborhood that is a political unit within a city. |
Slaves
Slaves were at the bottom of Aztec society were the slaves. The following people might be forced into slavery: Prisoners of war, lawbreakers or debtors. Aztec slaves had many rights. They could own property, goods and even other slaves! The children of slaves were born free, not slaves. One Emperor's mother was a slave. Many slaves gained their freedom after working off their debt, when their master died or when they completed their term of punishment. |