What contributions did the Aztecs give to the western industrilized cultures?

Question

What contributions did the Aztecs give to the western industrilized cultures?

Answer 1

How to utilise mountainous regions, turning them into farmland, and of course you cannot have farmland without irrigation.

Answer 2

Like Elana said, many rumors sprouted with the Aztec's having much gold (Of which they did, much more than the Inca's and any other tribe), and they were considered Exotic with all of their daily sacrifices/cruel and unusual punishment.

When they were conquered, they gave up their land, which helped with irrigation, and agriculture of the many known foods today, such as corn, potatoes, tobacco, cotton, etc. That all went back to Europe, for them to sell at a high profit.

-Kob

Answer 3

None of the suggestions are intrinsically Aztek. So what did they uniquely contribute? Other them Azteks?

Answer 4

I was going to say target practice.

Answer 5

they used animal oil as an early form of sunscreen.

they (along with the Myans and Incans) shared coca (caffiene, chocolate)

aspirin was myan (not originally aztech),

The Aztech also possessed a good understanding of global cycles, astronomy, and even understood the 365.25 days per rotational year.

They aren't credited with this, but they possessed this knowledge (Cortez and his crew were oblivious/indifferent).

Answer 6

Probably their single largest contribution was EXISTING - many of the Europeans came to the western hemisphere in search of gold, Aztek gold.

Its unfortunate that the Azteks basically died because of this rumor.

Answer 7

It looks like they invented the ballgame which today is big business making big money.  They actually invented latex rubber but Europeans didn't really catch on to and it wasn't until 1934 that it is cited as being invented.  The Spainish thought that the rubber balls used by the natives were possessed with evil.  They were also making rubber shoes and rain proof clothing.

Answer 8

the single most important commodity: chocolate and the knowledge to produce it.

Answer 9

Irrigation, I believe.  Probably wrong.

Answer 10

Little or nothing. The Aztecs were enslaved and then slaughtered by Europeans who regarded their culture as heathen and unholy. The amazing calenders and star charts left behind by the Aztecs were only recently discovered and studied (this century).