From its origins in Mexico, corn has become one of the most widely grown crops in the world. in many countries, it is called maize. this comes from the spanish word matz, which came from the Taino indian word mahiz.
Before the Spanish arrived, corn had already spread far beyond its origins in Mexico. it was grown by native peoples across the Americas.
The Aztecs valued corn so much that they referred to corn dough as "our flesh." They also worshipped the goddess Xilonen, who watched over the corn harvest. Some Mexican-Americans in California still honor Xilonen by holding a ceremony for teenage girls who are named for her. The event marks the girl's passage from childhood to adulthood. _
People also developed tools to use in their homes. One of the most ancient tools was a grinding slab called metlatl in Nahuatl. The people also began weaving baskets and mats and doing woodwork. They made traps, fishing rods, spears, and darts. They tanned the hides from the animals they hunted and crafted the hides into sandals, belts, and slings for hunting.
As farming replaced hunting and gathering as the main way to get food, people began domesticating farm animals. Early Meso-americans raised dogs and turkeys for food. They did not have large animals they could ride or use to pull carts, such as horses, oxen, or cattle. So they traveled along rivers and lakes on rafts and canoes, or walked.
The skills, culture, and beliefs of the Aztecs were shaped by the great Mesoamerican cultures that came before them—particularly the Olmecs, Toltecs, and Mixtecs. To understand the Aztecs, it is first necessary to know something about their ancestors.
World History
