a) What do Moctezuma’s laws tell us about the social and moral values of the Aztec?
According to the laws decreed by Moctezuma I, the Aztecs are brought out as those who favored their leaders in the sense that only the king, the 12 supreme lords and the minor lords are to wear the finest of mantles. Not forgetting that, only the King and his prime minister are allowed to wear sandals. In addition, the Aztecs are vividly pictured as those who value morality since the punishments regarding adultery and thievery are quite severe.
b) Based on these two excerpts, how would you describe Aztec society? What distinct social groups or classes can you identify? How are they distinguished from one another? What opportunities for social mobility were available?…show more content… With regards to the excerpts, there are three distinct classes namely lower, middle and upper classes. The lower class is made of the commoners and soldiers, and they are mainly the poor individuals in the society. The middle class comprises of the minor lords and the soldiers of higher ranks whereas the upper class is mainly the supreme lords of the land, the king and the royal family. Social mobility was possible through soldiery where one would have glorious feats in battle, priesthood where one would be a priest and preside over important ceremonies or becoming a merchant and gain wealth. One can become a slave in several ways like through theft and being sold for the amount you stole, a native can gamble all his wealth away through dice or any game, in a family with many children the father might sell that son or daughter who disregards the instructions (disobedient and incorrigible) as permitted by the law, one might borrow materials and fail to return them on the agreed-upon date, and finally, a man and woman might sell each other or their child in times of