Aztecs (Peoples of America) [Paperback]

Michael Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0631209581 | ISBN-13: 978-0631209584

This is a history of one of the best known peoples of pre-Columbian America. The Aztecs were the upstarts of Meso-America. Until the thirteenth century they were a little-known people practising subsistence agriculture in the north of what is now Mexico. At that time they migrated to the Valley of Mexico, and having first learnt military arts by hiring themselves as mercenaries to the Oaxacans and other established societies, promptly used these skills to subjugate their former masters, and to swallow up a succession of Meso-American kingdoms. By the time Cortes arrived they were the undisputed rulers of a large empire, which they kept subdued by regular human sacrifice and whose people they taxed to the bone (factors used by Cortes to foment rebellion).

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Of the many overviews of the Aztecs, such as those by Brian Fagan (The Aztecs, 1984) and Robert Townsend (The Aztecs, LJ 5/15/92), this is the first to break from the traditional focus on the nobility and on urban life in Tenochtitlan. Within the framework provided by the chronicles and by monument archaeology, Smith (Architectural Research of Aztec-Period Rural Sites in Morelos, Mexico, Vol. 1, Univ. of Pittsburgh, 1992) summarizes the results of archaeological research conducted largely in the past 30 years into the everyday lives of ordinary people in the villages, hamlets, and farmsteads from many regions of central Mexico. His method permits a fresh view of such topics as agricultural methods, population size, market system, relations between city-states and the empire, and even human sacrifice. Smith carries his social account of these people through transformation under Spanish rule and their legacy in modern Mexico. This most comprehensive survey to date on the Aztecs belongs in libraries interested in Pre-Columbian America.?William S. Dancey, Ohio State Univ., Columbus
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Smith provides a compelling reinterpretation of the standard history of the Aztec empire. Based upon archaeological research conducted during the past 15 years, rather than on subjective chronicles recorded by conquering Spaniards, this revisionist analysis offers a fresh perspective on the political, cultural, and social institutions and mores of the Aztecs. Detailed accounts of the Aztec approach to government, design, urban planning, economics, science, religion, the arts, and literature are also included. In addition, the author offers both an examination of the inevitable destruction and demise of the Aztec empire and a dynamic overview of the modern impact of the Aztec legacy. A significant contribution to the history of an impressive society of Native Americans. Margaret Flanagan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell (June 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0631209581
• ISBN-13: 978-0631209584
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,239,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview, October 30, 2003

By 

R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Aztecs (Peoples of America) (Paperback)

This is an excellent summary book on Aztec civilization. Well organized and written clearly, this book is distinguished from prior overviews by its integration of archaelogical information that has permitted some understanding of the life of the majority of Aztec commoners. Smith covers Aztec history, the physical and ecological basis of their society, agriculture and economy, art and religion, and the organization of Aztec polities. The book is illustrated well. This is definitely the best single book I have read on this topic and has an excellent bibliography for those wishing to pursue the literature in depth. This book is part of the Peoples of America series published by Blackwell. I've read another book in this series, The Incas by D'Altroy, which is first rate. The publishers deserve a pat on the back for producing this highly informative series.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very readable introduction to the Aztecs, October 20, 2000

By 

Dudley B. Smith (East Lansing, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Aztecs (Peoples of America) (Paperback)

I'm an engineer, not a historian or archeologist, yet I very much enjoyed this book. It didn't get boring, and made learning about the life of the Aztecs interesting. It was scholarly yet accessible.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is keen!!!, April 13, 2006

By 

Joseph K. Dittmer (Broken Arrow, Oklahoma United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Aztecs (Peoples of America) (Paperback)

I've read a few books on Aztecs and this one is somewhat unique in that in addition to using textual sources, it gives a good deal of focus to the archaeolgical record as well. This perspective gives a fuller view of Aztec society as a whole, and illuminates the lives of commoners as well as those of nobles. This perspective, along with Smith's expertly and well written explanation of the Archaeology behind this perspective is fascinating. That is why this book is so keen. Also the pics are pretty nifty as well.