AZTECS

LOCATION The Aztecs settled in Central Mexico near present day Mexico City, centuries after the fall of the Mayas. They settled on an island in Lake Texcoco. On this island a great city called Tenochtitlan arose and became the capital.. They saw a sign on this island, an eagle with a snake in its beak, and that meant the island was to be their home.

TENOCHTITLAN One of the greatest cities in the Americas Priests and nobles led the construction of the city. Soil was pulled from the bottom of the lake to make passageways and bridges from the island to the mainland. They filled parts of the lake with soil so they could grow crops. This city was the center of trade and attracted thousands of merchants to its outdoor markets.

WAR This empire eventually because a military empire. By the 1400s the Aztec army conquered nearly all of the surrounding communities. Aztec wars would confiscate everything they came upon – maize, cotton cloth, copper, weapons. They forced innocent victims to work as slaves in Aztec villages.

RELIGION Theocracy they organized their society around their religion. The Aztecs believed human sacrifice was necessary to keep their gods pleased. They believed if they kept the gods happy the gods would make sure to give the people goods harvests and many crops. Many prisoners of war and slaves were sacrificed to the gods.

REMEMBERING TENOCHTITLAN The first Europeans to see the Aztec capital were 550 Spanish soldiers led by Hernan Cortes in They were amazed at the capital city as is had more than “forty towers…workmanship in both wood and stone that could not be bettered anywhere…stone towers and temples and buildings that rose straight up out of water.” It was a city of water, where streets were waterways for canoes. Many believed Tenochtitlan was more impressive than Europeans cities such Rome.