STUDENTS: Isabella Flores Ana Pacheco CLASS: World History GRADE: 9th grade

They built their new capital tenochtitlan, in the middle of a lake in about 1325. They first settled in the valley of Mexico in the 1100s. The large empire stretched from the Gulf of Mexico in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. All the people that the emperor conquered were forced to pay him tribute, or heavy taxes, in the form of food, gold, or slaves.

WATERWAYS AND GARDENS Tenochtitlan became a magnificent capital city. At its center were an open plaza and one or more towering pyramid-temples. There were schools for the Sons of the nobles and large stone palaces. Raised streets of hard earth, called causeways, connected the city to the sorrounding land.

They build many island gardens in the shallow lakes around the capital They build many island gardens in the shallow lakes around the capital. These raised fields, called chinampas, were made from rich soil dredge up from the lake bottom.

To supply the city with enough fresh water, the aztecs also built aqueducts. These special channels carried spring water from distant sources to storage areas in the city.

RELIGION AND LEARNING To bring harvest, Aztecs priests held ceremonies that would win the favor of their gods.

Their most important god was the sun god.

To schedule their religious festival in farming cycles, Aztec priests created a calendar based on The Mayan calendar and their own knowledge of astronomy.

RELIGION AND LEARNING The calendar had 13 periods, like months, of 20 days each. The aztecs also kept record using hieroglyphs similar to those used by The Mayas.

Tenochtitlan had schools and a university Tenochtitlan had schools and a university. Boys from noble families attended these schools. They studied to be government officials, teachers, or scribes.

AZTEC SOCIETY Aztec society had a strict class structure and it was: The Emperor Royal family Nobles Priests Military leaders Soldiers Artisans Merchants Farmers slaves

The artisans were skilled creators of jewerly, pottery, sculpture, and other goods. Most young men over the age of 15 served as soldiers for a period of time. They were well trained and well equipped.

For protection, they had special armor made from heavy quilted cotton. Priests and government officials did not serve in the military.

Aztecs women were not allowed to work as soldiers or military leaders, though they could train to be priestesses. Most woman had to be skilled at weaving.

Some of the cloth they wove was used for trade Some of the cloth they wove was used for trade. Some was used to decorate temples. The finest cloth was used to make clothing for The Aztec royal family and nobles.

Before teenage girls learn to weave, they were spected to grind flour to make tortillas and cook meals.

THE END OF THE EMPIRE In 1519, spanish conquistadors invaded The Aztec Empire. Some of the peoples whose lands the Aztecs had conquered joined forces with the Spanish. They fought the Aztecs and tried to overthrow the Aztec Emperor, Moctezuma.

The two sides waged battles The two sides waged battles. Diseases carried by the Spanish spread to the Aztecs and killed many of them. In 1521, the Aztecs surrendered to the Spanish. The once-powerful Aztec Empire was at an end.