The Aztec Empire

The Aztecs had one of the most successful and advanced empires of all time. They had a dwelling culture The Aztec civilization was located directly in the middle of two mountain ranges in the central valley of Mexico ( Platt 10). Although the Aztec empire eventually came to an end they were able to do well as an empire. Contributing factors that led to the rise of the empire was their political structure, social components, and religious traditions which they preformed earnestly.

The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican people of central Mexico in the 14th, 15th and 16th century. They were a civilization with a rich mythology and cultural heritage. Their capital was Tenochtitlan on the shore of Lake Texcoco. From their magnificent capital city, Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs emerged as the dominant force in central Mexico, developing an intricate religious.

Mesoamerica was once a place filled with expanding, ruthless empires and civilizations, although none was like the Aztecs and their empire. Although they started off with a humble beginning, they quickly grew into a great civilization that dominated present day Central Mexico. They conquered and expanded into an empire stronger than the other neighboring empires. The heart of the Aztec empire, Tenochtitlan, was a grand capital filled with many people and astounding temples. The Aztecs were also ahead of their time with fully-functional government and irrigation systems. They continue to astound many historians with their diverse way of life. They impacted the way of life for many people today with their customs and ways of life. Throughout the years, the Aztecs were able to grow and prosper with their sufficient supply of agriculture and blessed fertile lands of the Mexican Valley, and demonstrated to be an important part of Mexican heritage. The Aztec civilization was truly one of Mesoamerica’s most influential empires because of their history, vibrant culture, and unique architecture.

     According to the Aztec Legend, the ancestors of the people who founded Tenochtitlan, came to the Valley of Mexico. The Aztec wandered for many years before settling in the valley in 1200's. At first, they were subjects of people who lived in the area, but later, in the mid 1300's, the Aztec founded their own city, Tenochtitlan. By the early 1400's, Tenochtitlan had become

     According to the famous legend, the Aztecs finally settled at a spot where an eagle sat upon a cactus eating a snake. This was a sign foretold by their patron god. The sign, found by the priests, finally appeared on a small island in Lake Texcoco. By 1325, on the island, the Aztecs built a temple to Huitziposhtli and began to construct the city of Tenochtitlan, the "Place of Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit." Over the next 200 years, the city slowly became one of the largest and most powerful cities of the world, and was the giant heart of the Aztecs Empire .

Tenochtitlan became a city on an island. On that island, the Aztecs built their first temple. Tenochtitlan was given its name which means “The Place of the

Tenochtitlan: Capital of the Aztecs and the center of a rigidly stratified society composed of hereditary classes of warriors, merchants, priests, common folk, and slaves.

The Aztecs were Mesoamerican people from the early centuries in the Americas. The home of the Aztecs was in the Valley of Mexico, they named it Tenochtitlan an island in Lake Texcoco. Before they got to Tenochtitlan, the Aztecs were from Aztlan led by chief man Tenoch. It was believed that “they were hated and rejected by all the surrounding inhabitants of the valley because they were uncivilized” (Aztec Culture). It was also believed that the chief Tenoch got a message from their God that said to lead his people to a place surrounded by Lake Texcoco and, where they saw an eagle eating a snake on a cactus that was their place for them to grow. During the next couple of years, the Aztec empire began growing into the greatest and most powerful tribe in Mexico. The Emperor who led them after Tenoch was Moctezuma II and it has also who led them to their downfall when the Spanish got to Tenochtitlan.

The Mongols and Aztec empires rose in the post- classical period, between 600 and 1450 CE. While each empire was distinct, they had economic, political, and social similarities. For example, the Mongols and Aztecs both had a militaristic society, courage in battle meant a higher status. One difference in these empires is that, while the Aztecs had a rigid social hierarchy, the Mongols had a more fluid one. The economy of the Mongols and Aztecs were also distinct from each other, with differing trade and production.

began migrating to the Valley of Mexico. These people are what society calls Aztecs today. In A.D. 1325 the Mexica founded the great city of Tenochtitlan (modern day Mexico City) on the island of Lake Texcoco. Tenochtitlan allied with the cities of Texcoco and Tacuba to form an alliance against the Tepanec people who were the dominant people of the region. This alliance was known as the Triple Alliance which was the basis of the Aztec Empire. The Triple Alliance dominated Central Mexico up until the time of the Spanish Conquest in 1521.

It is easy to mistakenly interpret the fall of Tenochtitlan as a one-sided ravaging, a destruction handed down from the higher power that was the Spanish. The label “conquistador”, or conqueror, given to the Cortés’ forces, reflects such a belief. However, the interactions between the Aztecs and Conquistadors and between Cortés and other natives as depicted in Cortés’ Second Letter and the compilatory Florentine Codex reveal that the exchange that transpired in Tenochtitlan was more complicated than an unprovoked vanquishing on the part of the Spanish. Further analysis of these two texts reveals that Cortés is not the destructive conqueror one would assume him to be, and that the Aztecs may be partially responsible for their own demise.

Tenochtitlan is the religious center and capital for the Aztec population which was well over 200,000 people (1). One of the best known structures from Tenochtitlan is the Templo Mayor, standing in the center of the city. Here they honored their gods as well as conducted rituals such as human sacrifice. Excavations at Tenochtitlan found human remains with wounds that explained stone carvings of violent myths of human sacrifice (2).

located in the modern day city of Mexico,in the capital of Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs were logical so

Tenochtitlan was built on a lake island called Aztlan and over the lake, the Aztecs built fertile, floating farms called “Chinampas”.The people who inhabited the Aztlan Island were originally called the Mexica people. The name Aztec is derived from the name of the Island. However primitive this empire may seem, the Emperors were quite affluent. They had lavish possessions

The Aztec civilization during its peak was the strongest civilization in the western hemisphere. When the Spaniards first set foot in the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, they could not believe that a civilization so primitive in their minds could have been so culturally developed and powerful. However, before making it to Tenochtitlan, they had discovered that all was not well in the Aztec empire. From many native Indians that had tension with the Aztecs, they learned of internal and pre-existing problems that existed. This investigation examines to what extent where those internal and pre-existing factors to blame for the downfall of the Aztec Empire. The investigation was undertaken using some of the only primary