TED-Ed: A day in the life of an Aztec midwife

The transcript follows Xoquauhtli, a midwife in Tenochtitlan, as she navigates her duties during a significant festival marking the seasonal shift. She balances her responsibilities to her patient and her obligations to the goddess Teteoinnan. After ensuring her patient is well, she participates in the festival's mock battle. However, she is called back to assist in a birth, which she successfully manages with the help of experienced women. After the birth, she returns to the festival's conclusion, witnessing a symbolic sacrifice that marks the new season.

What is the significance of the festival that Xoquauhtli is considering attending?

• It honors the birth of a new child.

• It signifies the shift from the rainy season to the dry season.

• It celebrates the harvest of corn.

• It marks the beginning of the rainy season.

Why does Xoquauhtli decide to check on her patient before attending the festival?

• She is worried about the patient's health.

• She wants to ensure the patient is not in labor.

• She needs to collect herbs for the festival.

• She is avoiding the festival.

What activity takes place at the festival involving Xoquauhtli?

• A prayer session.

• A mock battle between midwives and physicians.

• A dance performance.

• A cooking competition.

What ritual does Xoquauhtli perform after the birth of the baby girl?

• She lights a candle.

• She wraps the baby in a special cloth.

• She places drops of water on the baby's tongue.

• She sings a lullaby.

What does the sacrificial ceremony at the festival symbolize?

• The end of the festival.

• The cutting of corn in the fields.

• The birth of a new child.

• The victory in a battle.