To Inform About the History and Meaning of the Aztec Calendar

OUTLINE FORMAT

Topic: The Aztec Calendar

By: Alisa Vasquez

Purpose: To inform about the history and meaning of the Aztec Calendar.

Thesis: The Aztec calendar is the calendar system that was used by the Aztecs as well as other Pre-Columbian peoples of central Mexico.

Organizational Pattern: Topical pattern

1. Introduction

1. How many of you would like to celebrate your birthday more often?
2. You could if you were a Mixtec man from a thousand years ago.
3. According to the Britannica Academic article of April 7, 2007, the Aztec calendar dating system was based on the Mayan calendar and used in the valley of Mexico before the destruction of the Aztec empire.
4. The Aztec calendar is the calendar system that was used by the Aztecs as well as other Pre-Columbian peoples of central Mexico.
5. I would like to discuss the sun stone dating back to when the renovations first began. Then discuss why the calendar is so important to the Aztec people. Lastly, show you how to read/use the Aztec calendar.

Transition: First let’s carve into the history of the Aztec calendar.

1. Body

1. History of the Aztec calendar.

1. A team of artists created the Aztec Calendar Stone in 1511 for Motecuhzoma II, the last Aztec ruler before the Spanish Conquest.
2. The face of the stone contains various mythological and astrological figures and signs. The most important figure in the stone is the Tonatiuh, the sun of god, located in the center. Aztec priests used this calendar to keep track of important festival dates.
3. The Aztec solar year contained 18 months of 20 days each, with 5 extra days. Time was divided into centuries of 52 years.

Transition: Now that we have a little background knowledge on the Sun Stone, let’s see why this symbolism is so important.

1. Importance/beliefs of the Aztec calendar

1. The calendar represents the Aztec belief that the universe had already passed through our world creations, which had all been destroyed. We are now in the fifth creation, which is doomed to destruction by earthquakes.  

1. It was originally located in front of the great temple of the Aztec capital city, which would lay in a horizontal position on a low pyramid with four stairways.

1. The Aztecs have sacrificed prisoners of war by puncturing their body parts of their bodies with sharpened bones; The center of the stone is the face of the Sun of God. He is pictured emerging from the underworld at the beginning of the present time.

Transition: After learning why the calendar was so important, it wouldn’t be so important to you if don’t know how to read it right?