Book excerpt: The Aztecs founded a great empire in Mesoamerica. They ruled much of modern-day Mexico. The people of this civilization were extremely sophisticated and left a lasting influence on the world. Even today, the people of this country are credited for being the first to develop chocolate and other sweet treats. Learn more about the history of the Aztecs by educating your child. In fact, you can even use the facts about the ancient people to start a conversation about their influence on the world.The Aztecs were a very tough people. Their daily lives were difficult and their gods were not happy. The people of this civilization sacrificed their children for their own good. At the dedication of their great pyramid temple at Tenochtitlan, 20,000 prisoners were sacrificed. To maintain their gods' satisfaction, they used human sacrifices to make offerings to their gods. Most males were trained to be warriors, and the best ones were decorated with animal skins, feathers, and headdresses. While the poor and middle classes lived lavishly, the common Aztecs had to work very hard to survive.The Aztecs were a very practical people. Their daily routine included housework and farming. Only the wealthy had the money to spend on lavish living, and the rest were forced to work hard to survive. The average person was forced to work hard for a living, and they did not have a lot of money. They lived very simple lives. And they did not have much food to waste. The only way they could survive was by making sacrifices for religious rituals.