• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / History / Why did the Aztec perform human sacrifices during religious ceremonies?

Why did the Aztec perform human sacrifices during religious ceremonies?

March 7, 2020 by Karen Hill

Always in fear of droughts that would dry up their food supply, the Aztec people felt their future was uncertain.

They believed that the only way to guarantee their survival was to please the gods they worshiped by offering them human sacrifices. During the dedications of temples and other ceremonies, tens of thousands of captives were probably sacrificed to ensure the empire’s well-being.

Related Facts

  • Who were the Koshare and Why did the Koshare act like clowns during Pueblo religious ceremonies?
  • How Was the World Created In Aztec Mythology and Why Was the Aztec Ritual of Human Sacrifice Important?
  • How Were the Sun and the Moon Created In Aztec Mythology and Why Did Tecuciztecatl Become the Moon?
  • What was tribute demanded by Aztec rulers and How did the Aztec people feel about the tax?
  • What is the Nootka Whale House used for and Why did Medicine men perform ceremonies inside?
  • Why Was Human Sacrifice To the Gods an Important Ritual In Aztec Religion?

Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What is the Place of the Cactus and Where did the Cactus on the Mexican flag come from?
Next Post: Who was Quezalcoatl and Why was Quezalcoatl important in Aztec mythology? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy