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[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]][[Image:Aztec_Sun_Stone_Replica_cropped.jpg|right]]

[[Image:lighterstill.jpg]][[Image:Aztec_Sun_Stone_Replica_cropped.jpg|right|frame|<center>Aztec sun stone replica</center>]]

'''Aztec''' is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahuatl_language Nahuatl language] and who achieved political and military dominance over large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the Late post-Classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.  

'''Aztec''' is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahuatl_language Nahuatl language] and who achieved political and military dominance over large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the Late post-Classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.  

Often the term "Aztec" refers exclusively to the people of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenochtitlan Tenochtitlan], situated on an island in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Texcoco Lake Texcoco], who called themselves ''Mexica Tenochca'' or Colhua-Mexica

Often the term "Aztec" refers exclusively to the people of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenochtitlan Tenochtitlan], situated on an island in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Texcoco Lake Texcoco], who called themselves ''Mexica Tenochca'' or Colhua-Mexica

Sometimes it also includes the inhabitants of Tenochtitlan's two principal allied city-states, the Acolhuas of Texcoco and the Tepanecs of Tlacopan, who together with the Mexica formed the Aztec Triple Alliance which has also become known as the "'''Aztec Empire'''". In other contexts it may refer to all the various city states and their peoples, who shared large parts of their ethnic [[history]] as well as many important cultural traits with the Mexica, Acolhua and Tepanecs, and who like them, also spoke the Nahuatl language. In this meaning it is possible to talk about an '''Aztec civilization''' including all the particular cultural patterns common for the Nahuatl speaking peoples of the late postclassic period in Mesoamerica.

Sometimes it also includes the inhabitants of Tenochtitlan's two principal allied city-states, the Acolhuas of Texcoco and the Tepanecs of Tlacopan, who together with the Mexica formed the Aztec Triple Alliance which has also become known as the "'''Aztec Empire'''". In other contexts it may refer to all the various city states and their peoples, who shared large parts of their ethnic [[history]] as well as many important cultural traits with the Mexica, Acolhua and Tepanecs, and who like them, also spoke the Nahuatl language. In this meaning it is possible to talk about an '''Aztec civilization''' including all the particular cultural patterns common for the Nahuatl speaking peoples of the late postclassic period in Mesoamerica.

The word "Aztec" was not originally an endonym for any ethnic group, but achieved wide use as an exonym first in the [[English]] language and later in Spanish from the 19th century on. Some modern day scholars use the word "Aztec" to refer to the Nahuatl speaking peoples of Mexico before the Spanish conquest in 1519 and the word "Nahua" to refer to the same peoples after the conquest. Because no people ever referred to itself as "Aztecs", and because the peoples to whom the word is popularly used to refer never saw themselves as a unified ethnic group, many scholars now prefer to refer to particular ethnic groups individually e.g. the "Mexica", "Acolhua" or "Tepaneca" rather than subsuming them under a single term such as "Aztec".  

The word "Aztec" was not originally an endonym for any ethnic group, but achieved wide use as an exonym first in the [[English]] language and later in Spanish from the 19th century on. Some modern day scholars use the word "Aztec" to refer to the Nahuatl speaking peoples of Mexico before the Spanish conquest in 1519 and the word "Nahua" to refer to the same peoples after the conquest. Because no people ever referred to itself as "Aztecs", and because the peoples to whom the word is popularly used to refer never saw themselves as a unified ethnic group, many scholars now prefer to refer to particular ethnic groups individually e.g. the "Mexica", "Acolhua" or "Tepaneca" rather than subsuming them under a single term such as "Aztec".  

The Spanish [[conquistador]]es referred to them as "Mexicas" or "Culua-Mexicas". In Mexico, archaeologists and museums use the term Mexicas. The wider population in and outside Mexico generally speaks of Aztecs. In this article, the term "Mexica" is used to refer to the Mexica people up until the time of the formation of the Aztec Triple Alliance. After this, the term "Aztecs" is used to refer to the three peoples who made up the Triple Alliance, or in the wider context to all the Nahuatl speaking peoples as bearers of "Aztec culture".[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec]

The Spanish [[conquistador]]es referred to them as "Mexicas" or "Culua-Mexicas". In Mexico, archaeologists and museums use the term Mexicas. The wider population in and outside Mexico generally speaks of Aztecs. In this article, the term "Mexica" is used to refer to the Mexica people up until the time of the formation of the Aztec Triple Alliance. After this, the term "Aztecs" is used to refer to the three peoples who made up the Triple Alliance, or in the wider context to all the Nahuatl speaking peoples as bearers of "Aztec culture".[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec]

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: General Reference]]

[[Category: History]]

[[Category: History]]

[[Category: Religion]]

[[Category: Religion]]