Human sacrifice was founded to some areas by many people in Mesoamerica and for that matter, its been around the world for many centuries. But it was the Aztec empire that really took the ritual to new and bigger things. We don't know how many were sacrificed over the years . it's possible that some accounts are exaggerated but it was probably thousands each year tens of thousands or more all together. Some claim 20,000 a year. The Aztecs had 18 months in one order, and for each of the 18 months there was ritual sacrifice. The person would be painted as a part of the ritual, they would be placed on a stone where their heart would be removed and held up to the sun. The body would be thrown down the stairs of the temple or pyramid. There were other ways that humans would be sacrificed shot with arrows, drowned, burned, or otherwise butchered. Killing in a fight like the Roman gladiators also took place. Both the empire's own people, and their enemies were sacrificed. The warriors were often involved in a special ritual war called a xochiyaoyotl . The object was not to gain territory or kill the enemy, but to capture them as food for the gods. Both sides of the battle were required to fight required to fight, and they usually were willing people. Instead required to fight, and they usually were willing people. The people would be captured instead. They would have people volunteer to give blood to the gods and most of the time they used slaves but they would give blood to speak to their god to give them stuff they need like rain or anything they take people up some stairs on a temple and cut them open to give blood to their god.
Sources:
http://users.polisci.wisc.edu/LA260/encounters/death/aztecsacrifice.jpg
http://users.polisci.wisc.edu/LA260/encounters/death/aztecsacrifice.jpg
Sources:
http://users.polisci.wisc.edu/LA260/encounters/death/aztecsacrifice.jpg
http://users.polisci.wisc.edu/LA260/encounters/death/aztecsacrifice.jpg