The Aztecs lived in Central Mexico as early as the 1100s. They learned to grow maize and developed an advanced civilization. The Aztecs were skilled warriors and conquered a vast empire.

Like the Mayas before them, the Aztecs built beautiful pyramids. The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan had temples, pyramids, gardens, and markets.

The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan was built on an island in 1325. As many as 300,000 Aztecs lived in the capital. the island capital was connected to the main land by causeways.

The Aztecs invented a calendar.

The Aztecs worshipped many gods. They were polytheists.

The sun god was an important Aztec god. The Aztecs believed that the sun god required human sacrifice. The sun would not rise without human blood.

To supply the sun god with human blood, the Aztecs practiced human sacrifice on a massive scale.

the Aztecs made war with neighboring From the 1300s to the early 1500s, the Aztecs made war with neighboring tribes. Sometimes the Aztecs engaged in warfare just to capture people to sacrifice.

In 1519, a European conquistador arrived in the Aztec capital.

Cortes arrived with his soldiers in search of gold and silver.

Cortes allied himself with the enemies of the Aztecs.

Cortes defeated the Aztecs by Guns, horses, and European diseases led to the demise of a great and powerful Mesoamerican civilization.

The native population of the Americas was enslaved and abused.

The Aztecs Tenochtitlan Decline Accomplishments Religion