Rite of Passage
At the age of 17, young Aztec men became warriors and entered formal military training. The recruits were expected to be brave and noble. Those who were of noble lineage also received training in religion, politics, or history by the priests. To achieve adult status, a boy had to capture his first prisoner.
Aztec warriors could move up in ranking by capturing enemies. After having done 20 or more great deeds (capturing enemies), they were eligible to become either a jaguar or eagle Aztec warrior knight.
Read more about this topic: Eagle Warrior
Famous quotes related to rite of passage:
“A woman can get marries and her life does change. And a man can get married and his life changes. But nothing changes life as dramatically as having a child. . . . In this country, it is a particular experience, a rite of passage, if you will, that is unsupported for the most part, and rather ignored. Somebody will send you a couple of presents for the baby, but people do not acknowledge the massive experience to the parents involved.”
—Dana Raphael (20th century)