Pre-Columbian codes

Headquarters of the Odebrecht conglomerate, in Brazil.

Sebastião Moreira / Efe

Punishments inflicted on disobedient Mexica children included whipping with nettles, stabbing with maguey thorns, sniffing for burnt chili, and sitting naked on an anthill.

The behavior of the young people was supervised by their elders and the moral compendia attacked corruption, sanctioned by the Aztec empire with very harsh penalties, death among them.

The peoples subjected by the Mesoamerican dictatorship had to pay tribute, contribute men to the war, and tax collectors lost their lives and property if they were caught stealing.

The lessons die ...

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