Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire
What is Tenochtitlan called today and why?
Tenochtitlán. Tenochtitlán, ancient capital of the Aztec empire. Located at the site of modern Mexico City , it was founded c. ... It formed a confederacy with Texcoco and Tlacopán and was the Aztec capital by the late 15th century.
Who led the Aztecs to 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.
Who founded Tenochtitlan and where?
According to legend, the Aztec people left their home city of Aztlan nearly 1,000 years ago. Scholars do not know where Aztlan was, but according to ancient accounts one of these Aztec groups, known as the Mexica, founded Tenochtitlán in 1325.
Why was Tenochtitlan built?
Where was it located? Tenochtitlan was located on a swampy island in Lake Texcoco in what is today south central Mexico. The Aztecs were able to settle there because no one else wanted the land. At first, it wasn’t a great place to start a city, but soon the Aztecs built up islands where they could grow crops .
What is Tenochtitlan called today?
Tenochtitlan was one of two Mexica āltepētl (city-states or polities) on the island, the other being Tlatelolco. The city is located in modern-day Mexico City .
How was Tenochtitlan destroyed?
The Spanish conquistadors, aided by an alliance of indigenous peoples, laid siege to the Aztec capital for 93 days, until the Mexica surrendered on August 13, 1521. A great deal of Tenochtitlan was destroyed in the fighting, or was looted, burned, or destroyed after the surrender.
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.
What was the original name of the Aztecs?
Early Aztec History
The Aztecs were also known as the Tenochca (from which the name for their capital city, Tenochtitlan, was derived) or the Mexica (the origin of the name of the city that would replace Tenochtitlan, as well as the name for the entire country).
What disease killed most of the Aztecs?
Smallpox took its toll on the Aztecs in several ways. First, it killed many of its victims outright, particularly infants and young children.
How is Mexico sinking?
Mexico City Is Sinking at an Alarming And Largely Unstoppable Rate, New Data Finds. ... After centuries of water drainage from underground aquifers , the lake bed on which this city sits has grown increasingly dry, causing the clay sheets to compress and crack at a largely unstoppable rate.
Was Tenochtitlan the largest city in the world?
At the time of the Spanish Conquest in 1521, the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan was among the largest cities in the world, with perhaps as many as 200,000 inhabitants .
Who founded Teotihuacan?
And its origins are a mystery. It was built by hand more than a thousand years before the swooping arrival of the Nahuatl-speaking Aztec in central Mexico. But it was the Aztec, descending on the abandoned site, no doubt falling awestruck by what they saw, who gave its current name: Teotihuacan.
How did the Aztecs get water?
The Aztecs primarily relied on using aqueducts that transported spring water from the nearby hills into the city.
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.
Is Mexico built on a lake?
During the Aztec period, Mexico City was initially built over a lake , the Lago de Texcoco. Aztecs built an artificial island by dumping soil into the lagoon. ... When the Mexicas (who would later be known as the Aztecs) saw the vision come true on an island in Lake Texcoco, they decided to build a city there.
