Contrast between Aztecs and Modern New Zealand
REligion
Gods and Goddesses -
The Aztecs celebrated thousands of gods, with almost one for every aspect of their lives. They also had only one religion. However with New Zealand, there is a variety of religion with Christianity being the major one. In Christianity, there is only one god who symbolises faith. There is one god in the Aztec religion called Quetzalcoatl. He is described a white, bearded god who came from the sky and Quetzalcoatl was the one that saved the Aztecs. Some scholars even believe that Quetzalcoatl was Jesus due to these similarities as Jesus was our saviour and he had a beard as well.
Sacrifice -
The Aztecs sacrificed humans as they believe that they were in debt to the gods as in the beginning, the gods sacrificed themselves so that the Aztec civilisation could begin again. It is kind of similar in the Christain religion as we Jesus sacrified himself to wash away our sins and save us. However, what is different is that the Aztecs constantly sacrificed humans and animals for the Gods whilst we only sacrificed Jesus once. The Aztecs also believe that the sacrificed warriors were reborn and went to heaven to fight evil. Jesus was also reborn and went up to heaven as well.
Priests -
Aztec priests as well as working in the temple were also astronomers, teachers, scribes and more. Aztec priests were also the people that made sure that the gods were pleased so disaster does not fall upon the civilisation. They heard confessions as well. The priests nowadays look after the church, hears confessions and prays. I think one similarity between these two different kinds of priests was that they both heard confessions and both for similar reasons. The Aztec priest heard confessions so that a person could be forgiven for his crimes. The modern priests hears confessions so that a person could be forgiven for their sins. However these two kinds of priests are very different. The Aztec priests did much more than pray and give thanks to god, they looked into horoscopes, were astronomers and much more. They were an essential part of society. Modern priests, are important but not as important. They are here for a place of refuge and comfort and someone to listen to you.
Major Celebrations -
Major Aztec celebrations all revolved around religion. For marriage, you had to pick out a lucky day and there was also a very complicated process of proposing before marriage with asking for your teacher's blessing as well as getting your grandma to propose for you. Modern marriage is much more simple. You pick a nice day and to propose to your future partner, you do it yourself. Aztec birth is also very different. You don't even get to name your baby and you were always constantly taken care of by a midwife. Modern birth is much more simple again. You get to pick out the name of your baby before hand and you could always look after yourself or get a midwife. Afterlife is also complicated for the Aztecs. They believed that there was a certain journey you had to go through before you reached heaven. Modern afterlife for Christians are, if you were good during your life then you went to heaven and if you were bad, then hell. There are not much similarities between these things however, one similarity for Aztec and modern marriage is that you all asked for the blessing/permission from someone to marry. For birth, all Aztec women were extremely valued and well taken care of during pregnancy and this is true for modern women as well. For afterlife, the Aztecs and Christians all believed that there was a heaven and a hell.
The Aztecs celebrated thousands of gods, with almost one for every aspect of their lives. They also had only one religion. However with New Zealand, there is a variety of religion with Christianity being the major one. In Christianity, there is only one god who symbolises faith. There is one god in the Aztec religion called Quetzalcoatl. He is described a white, bearded god who came from the sky and Quetzalcoatl was the one that saved the Aztecs. Some scholars even believe that Quetzalcoatl was Jesus due to these similarities as Jesus was our saviour and he had a beard as well.
Sacrifice -
The Aztecs sacrificed humans as they believe that they were in debt to the gods as in the beginning, the gods sacrificed themselves so that the Aztec civilisation could begin again. It is kind of similar in the Christain religion as we Jesus sacrified himself to wash away our sins and save us. However, what is different is that the Aztecs constantly sacrificed humans and animals for the Gods whilst we only sacrificed Jesus once. The Aztecs also believe that the sacrificed warriors were reborn and went to heaven to fight evil. Jesus was also reborn and went up to heaven as well.
Priests -
Aztec priests as well as working in the temple were also astronomers, teachers, scribes and more. Aztec priests were also the people that made sure that the gods were pleased so disaster does not fall upon the civilisation. They heard confessions as well. The priests nowadays look after the church, hears confessions and prays. I think one similarity between these two different kinds of priests was that they both heard confessions and both for similar reasons. The Aztec priest heard confessions so that a person could be forgiven for his crimes. The modern priests hears confessions so that a person could be forgiven for their sins. However these two kinds of priests are very different. The Aztec priests did much more than pray and give thanks to god, they looked into horoscopes, were astronomers and much more. They were an essential part of society. Modern priests, are important but not as important. They are here for a place of refuge and comfort and someone to listen to you.
Major Celebrations -
Major Aztec celebrations all revolved around religion. For marriage, you had to pick out a lucky day and there was also a very complicated process of proposing before marriage with asking for your teacher's blessing as well as getting your grandma to propose for you. Modern marriage is much more simple. You pick a nice day and to propose to your future partner, you do it yourself. Aztec birth is also very different. You don't even get to name your baby and you were always constantly taken care of by a midwife. Modern birth is much more simple again. You get to pick out the name of your baby before hand and you could always look after yourself or get a midwife. Afterlife is also complicated for the Aztecs. They believed that there was a certain journey you had to go through before you reached heaven. Modern afterlife for Christians are, if you were good during your life then you went to heaven and if you were bad, then hell. There are not much similarities between these things however, one similarity for Aztec and modern marriage is that you all asked for the blessing/permission from someone to marry. For birth, all Aztec women were extremely valued and well taken care of during pregnancy and this is true for modern women as well. For afterlife, the Aztecs and Christians all believed that there was a heaven and a hell.
Social Organisation
Men and Women -
Nowadays men and women are rather equal with men able to do women's jobs such as doing house work and women being able to do men's jobs such as running the government, go to war etc. In the Aztec society, men and women both had a fairly big amount of power except a women's power was things behind the scenes whilst a men's power was out in the public. Men were restricted from doing housework as they needed to provide for the family and women were restricted from running the government and other jobs. A similarity between Aztec men and women and modern men and women is that men are thought to be strong and powerful so they did all the tough jobs and women are thought as loving and caring so that they have to stay at home and take care of the children.
Positions of Power -
The Aztec has an extremely complicated system of power with numerous levels of people whilst in New Zealand, we only have a Prime minister and the Parliament. The Aztec society was a semi democratic and monarchy system as they had a emperor but also a council that advised the emperor. The council's advice was also very important to the emperor as well even though, the emperor had the last word. In New Zealand, the prime minister runs the country but the decisions are made by a party of people, representing different people from different parts of New Zealand.
Aztec Classes -
The Aztec had very specific classes and there was a lot of contrast between them. For instance, the nobility had certain privileges and could wear more extravagant jewellery and clothes whilst the poor could only wear very plain clothes and jewellery. The nobility also had a lot of privileges so life was good for them, however life wasn't so great for the poor. In New Zealand, its pretty much evened up and there are no rules that say the rich has more privileges than the poor.
Aztec Law -
The Aztec law is quite similar to our laws. There were judges that heard out the case and there were also different kinds of courts like here in New Zealand. More serious crimes were tried in the palace with the emperor as the judge whilst smaller crimes were tried locally. If judges were bribed and were found out, they would be executed. In New Zealand, more serious cases were judged by more experienced and highly ranked people and if the judges were being dishonest, they would be jailed.
Aztec Education -
Anybody could got to school in the Aztec and modern day. However, the Aztec school started later at around when they were 15. Before that, they were taught by their parents. Same with us except, school starts at 5 for us. In the Aztec civilisation, girls and boys were separated which sometimes happens nowadays, and the noble and/or talented people went to better schools than the common. This is also true as people nowadays who are talented can recieve scholarships to go to good schools. If they are rich, they can also go to better schools than the poor people.
Nowadays men and women are rather equal with men able to do women's jobs such as doing house work and women being able to do men's jobs such as running the government, go to war etc. In the Aztec society, men and women both had a fairly big amount of power except a women's power was things behind the scenes whilst a men's power was out in the public. Men were restricted from doing housework as they needed to provide for the family and women were restricted from running the government and other jobs. A similarity between Aztec men and women and modern men and women is that men are thought to be strong and powerful so they did all the tough jobs and women are thought as loving and caring so that they have to stay at home and take care of the children.
Positions of Power -
The Aztec has an extremely complicated system of power with numerous levels of people whilst in New Zealand, we only have a Prime minister and the Parliament. The Aztec society was a semi democratic and monarchy system as they had a emperor but also a council that advised the emperor. The council's advice was also very important to the emperor as well even though, the emperor had the last word. In New Zealand, the prime minister runs the country but the decisions are made by a party of people, representing different people from different parts of New Zealand.
Aztec Classes -
The Aztec had very specific classes and there was a lot of contrast between them. For instance, the nobility had certain privileges and could wear more extravagant jewellery and clothes whilst the poor could only wear very plain clothes and jewellery. The nobility also had a lot of privileges so life was good for them, however life wasn't so great for the poor. In New Zealand, its pretty much evened up and there are no rules that say the rich has more privileges than the poor.
Aztec Law -
The Aztec law is quite similar to our laws. There were judges that heard out the case and there were also different kinds of courts like here in New Zealand. More serious crimes were tried in the palace with the emperor as the judge whilst smaller crimes were tried locally. If judges were bribed and were found out, they would be executed. In New Zealand, more serious cases were judged by more experienced and highly ranked people and if the judges were being dishonest, they would be jailed.
Aztec Education -
Anybody could got to school in the Aztec and modern day. However, the Aztec school started later at around when they were 15. Before that, they were taught by their parents. Same with us except, school starts at 5 for us. In the Aztec civilisation, girls and boys were separated which sometimes happens nowadays, and the noble and/or talented people went to better schools than the common. This is also true as people nowadays who are talented can recieve scholarships to go to good schools. If they are rich, they can also go to better schools than the poor people.