The mācēhualtin (IPA: [maːseːˈwaɬˈtin], singular mācēhualli [maːseːˈwalːi]) were the commoner social class in Aztec society.
[1] During the reign of Moctezuma II (1502–1520), they were banned from serving in the royal palaces, as this monarch widened the divide between pipiltin (nobles) and macehualtin.
Those who were brought down ranks in spite of birth status as pipiltin were called pillaquīztīltin (from pilli, noble and tlaquīzcāyōtl, the end of something).
This possibility for social mobility was relatively uncommon due to the locative view of the world held by the Aztecs.
Typically by the time the child reached three years of age, the boy would begin to take simple instruction at the hands of his father on the tasks expected of men, no matter what social class they fell into.
While this would negatively impact warriors who were mācēhualtin, it would be a worse social blow for members of the nobility, although not as materially damaging.
[7] They spent a great deal of time engaged in physical labor around the school and around the community in order to build the young men's strength.