Cortés’s army besieged Tenochtitlán for 93 days, and
a combination of superior weaponry and a devastating smallpox outbreak
enabled the Spanish to conquer the city. Cortés’s victory destroyed the Aztec empire
Why was Tenochtitlan destroyed?
The Fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire
Who destroyed the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan?
After a three-month siege, Spanish forces
under Hernán Cortés
capture Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec empire. Cortés’ men leveled the city and captured Cuauhtémoc, the Aztec emperor.
What happened to the ruins of Tenochtitlan?
A great deal of
Tenochtitlan was destroyed in the fighting, or was looted, burned, or destroyed after the surrender
. The leader of the conquistadors, Hernan Cortés, began the construction of what is now known as Mexico City among the ruins.
When did the city of Tenochtitlan fall?
On
May 22, 1521
, Spanish forces and their Indigenous allies laid siege to the powerful Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán
Why was Tenochtitlan built on a lake?
Tenochtitlan, the biggest Aztec city, was built on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. The Aztecs
didn’t have any farmland
, so they devised a way to create their own farmland, called chinampas. … The plants’ roots would grow to the bottom of the lake so they would have an endless supply of water.
What was the original name of the Aztecs?
The Aztecs were also known as
the Tenochca
(from which the name for their capital city, Tenochtitlan, was derived) or the Mexica
Is Mexico City built on a swamp?
The Aztec city was on an island in
Lake Texcoco
, but the Spanish drained the surrounding lake over centuries and expanded Mexico City onto the new land. Today, much of the city stands on layers of sand and clay — up to 100 yards deep — that used to be under the lake.
Are there any Aztecs left?
Today the descendants of the Aztecs are referred to as
the Nahua
. More than one-and-a-half million Nahua live in small communities dotted across large areas of rural Mexico, earning a living as farmers and sometimes selling craft work. … The Nahua are just one of nearly 60 indigenous peoples still living in Mexico.
Was Tenochtitlan built on a lake?
The Aztec built their capital city, Tenochtitlan, on
Lake Texcoco
. Built on two islands, the area was extended using chinampas—small, artificial islands created above the waterline that were later consolidated. Tenochtitlan eventually reached an area of more than 13 square kilometers (five square miles).
How long did Tenochtitlan last?
Spanish conquistadores
How long did the Aztec Empire last?
The Aztec Empire (
c. 1345-1521
) covered at its greatest extent most of northern Mesoamerica.
Who plundered Mexico?
Between 1519 and 1521
Hernán Cortés
Why does Lake Texcoco no longer exist?
After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, efforts to control flooding by the Spanish led to most of the lake being drained
. The entire lake basin is now almost completely occupied by Mexico City, the capital of the present-day nation of Mexico.
Is Mexico City sinking?
Uneven drops of as much as 20′′
at different parts of the city present a huge issue for bridges, sewer pipes and other infrastructure. With over 21.6 million people, the infrastructure of Mexico City faces a daily strain that is both immense and unique.
What language did the Aztecs speak?
Nahuatl language, Spanish náhuatl, Nahuatl also spelled Nawatl, also called
Aztec, American Indian language of the Uto-Aztecan family, spoken in central and western Mexico. Nahuatl, the most important of the Uto-Aztecan languages, was the language of the Aztec and Toltec civilizations of Mexico.
