Tenochtitlan was the capital city and center of the Aztec Empire
Why is the Tenochtitlan important?
In less than 200 years, it evolved from a small settlement on an island in the western swamps of Lake Texcoco into the powerful political, economic, and religious center of the greatest empire of Precolumbian Mexico. Tenochtitlan was a city of great wealth , obtained through the spoils of tribute from conquered regions.
How did Tenochtitlan help the Aztecs?
Tenochtitlán was an Aztec city that flourished between A.D. 1325 and 1521. Built on an island on Lake Texcoco, it had a system of canals and causeways that supplied the hundreds of thousands of people who lived there.
What was special about Tenochtitlan?
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).
What was most important to the Aztecs?
The Aztecs were famous for their agriculture , cultivating all available land, introducing irrigation, draining swamps, and creating artificial islands in the lakes. They developed a form of hieroglyphic writing, a complex calendar system, and built famous pyramids and temples.
What is Tenochtitlan known as today?
Tenochtitlan (Nahuatl languages: Tenōchtitlan pronounced [tenoːt͡ʃˈtit͡ɬan]; Spanish: Tenochtitlan), also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan (Nahuatl languages: Mēxihco Tenōchtitlan pronounced [meːˈʃiʔko tenoːt͡ʃˈtit͡ɬan]; Spanish: México-Tenochtitlan), was a large Mexica altepetl in what is now the historic center of Mexico ...
How many deities did the Aztecs worship?
The Aztecs believed in a complex and diverse pantheon of gods and goddesses. In fact, scholars have identified more than 200 deities within Aztec religion.
Why did the Aztecs build Tenochtitlan on a lake?
Where was it located? Tenochtitlan was located on a swampy island in Lake Texcoco in what is today south central Mexico. ... At first, it wasn’t a great place to start a city, but soon the Aztecs built up islands where they could grow crops . The water also worked as a natural defense against attacks from other cities.
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.
Did Aztecs build 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.
What was life like in Tenochtitlan?
They worked as farmers, merchants, artisans and warriors . They lived in more moderate homes and could not afford as elaborate clothes or art. Regardless, there are several key aspects to consider about the daily life of most Aztec people, such as: clothing, education, entertainment, food, homes, religion and work.
How was Tenochtitlan destroyed?
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, and the Spanish began to consolidate control over what became the colony of New Spain.
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.
What did the Aztecs invent that we use today?
Medicine. An herbal remedy used today to ease insomnia, epilepsy and high blood pressure dates back to the Aztec empire. The passion flower was used by the Aztecs as a medication to calms spasms and relax muscles.
What were the Aztecs beliefs?
The Aztecs had many gods but worshipped Huitzilopochtli, the god of the sun and war, above all others. The Aztecs believed that they lived in the era of the fifth sun and that any day the world could end violently. In order to postpone their destruction and appease the gods, men performed human sacrifices.
Who is the most powerful Aztec god?
Huitzilopochtli – The most fearsome and powerful of the Aztec gods, Huitzilopochtli was the god of war, the sun, and sacrifice. He was also the patron god of the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan. The Great Temple in the center of the city was built in honor of Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc.
