The macehualtin were the common people of Mexica society, and they made up the great majority of the population. The macehualtin were the farmers, the artisans, the merchants, and the laborers who formed the backbone of the Mexica economy. They lived in reed-and-thatch houses in the calpulli neighborhoods of Tenochtitlan, and they wore simple clothing made of maguey fiber or rough cotton. They worked the chinampas, served in the army, and paid tribute to the state in the form of goods and labor service. Despite their formal subordination, the macehualtin had important rights and privileges, and they could rise to the nobility through distinguished service in war or trade.
The Life of the Macehualtin
The macehualtin lived a hard but varied life, and they were the backbone of the Mexica economy. The men of the household worked the chinampas or worked as artisans, merchants, and laborers. The women of the household prepared the food, cared for the children, wove the cloth, and performed the household rituals. The children of the household learned the skills of Mexica life by participating in the work of the household, and they were gradually introduced to the responsibilities of adulthood.
The macehualtin lived in calpulli neighborhoods, which were kin-based groups that combined elements of the family, the clan, and the neighborhood. The calpulli was responsible for the distribution of land, the organization of labor, the maintenance of the local temple, and the administration of justice. The calpulli was also the basic unit of military organization, and each calpulli was expected to provide a certain number of warriors for the Mexica army.
The Privileges of the Macehualtin
Despite their formal subordination to the nobility, the macehualtin had important rights and privileges. They could own land, they could hold public office in the local community, and they could rise to the nobility through distinguished service in war or trade. Many macehualtin were able to rise to positions of real wealth and influence through distinguished service, particularly in the military or in long-distance trade. The great merchants of the pochteca, though technically commoners, lived in considerable luxury and wielded significant political influence.
The macehualtin received their education in the telpochcalli, the school for the sons of the commoners, which trained them in arms, in civic duties, and in the everyday skills of Mexica life. The telpochcalli was less demanding than the calmecac, but it was still a rigorous institution, and it prepared its students for careers in the military, in the trades, and in the lower levels of the bureaucracy.
The Economic Role of the Macehualtin
The macehualtin were the principal producers in the Mexica economy, and they worked in a wide range of occupations. The most common occupation was agriculture, and the macehualtin worked the chinampas of the Valley of Mexico and the hillside farms of the surrounding region. The macehualtin also worked as artisans, producing a wide range of goods including pottery, woven cloth, baskets, tools, and weapons. The macehualtin also worked as merchants, selling their goods in the Tlatelolco market and in the markets of the surrounding cities.
The macehualtin also served in the military, and they were required to serve a period of military service as part of their obligation to the state. The military service was a major avenue of social mobility, and the successful warriors could rise to the highest levels of the Mexica state. The Eagle Warriors and the Jaguar Warriors were drawn from the macehualtin, and they could achieve great prestige and honor through their military service.
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