Figure 1.--Here we see Aztec children attending school. The drawing suggests that children began at a young age, perhaps about 7 years. We do not yet know the source of this drawing. It looks like cone of the Aztec codies.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the life of Aztec children was school. At a time that only a fraction of European childtren sttended school, most Aztec children attended state schools. The Aztecs believed in education. As they grew older, however, Aztec children went to schools. Details on the schools are sketchy and some of the details are disputed. All Aztec boys were educated. Sources vary widely as to just what age the childreb began school. We have seen reports varying from 7-16 years. There were schools for both boys and girls. Aztec schools were separated by both gender and social class. Common children went to schools called telpochalli--meaning "house of youth". The telpochalli wre set up next to the local temple. In villages the children were taught together, In cities there might be a telpochalli for each calpulli. Here they were taught both history and religion which to a degree were merged. Also strongly pursued was the child's civic duties as well as public speaking. The classes were not just academic. There were also taught dance, music, and singing. The curriculum was in part gender based. Older boys learned the art of war. The classes in martial skills were rigorous and demanding. Girls learned to serve in the temples. A major focus of Aztec education was to create a sence of personal responsibility so that the individual found fulfilment not in his own personal desires, but in finding fulfilment in serving the gods, the Aztec state, and the family calpplli. Slave boys were for the most part excluded from the telpuchcalli. There were special schools for the children of aristocrats called calmecac. This was for the members of the six most important calpulli. A few commoner children were chosen for the calmecac, but most of the students were from the upper classes. Upper class children also studied the subjects taught to the common children, but with many added classes, including mathematics, architecture, and astrology. Here they learned to read and write. The Aztecs made paper for wruting from the bark of fig trees. Aztec writing was not as advanced as that of the Maya. It consisted of pictograms. Upper class children also learned the religious duties of priests and secret rituals. This involved learning the sacred calendars. They also needed to learn to interpret the tonalamatl. There was aso much to learn about the various annual festivals. The graduates of the calmecac would become the leading figures in the state, military cimmabnders, judges, bureaycrats, and priests.

Created: 8:38 AM 6/23/2010
Last updated: 8:38 AM 6/23/2010