Instructions Anything written in yellow (SLOW down and pay attention) is useful information. You should write it in your notes IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Anything in red (STOP and pay close attention) is critical information and should be copied exactly. Anything in green (GO on to the next point) you do not have to write.

The Aztec

Geography

Aztecs

The Legend While they were living in the swamps, the Aztec priests received a vision. In this vision, the Aztec god, Huitzilopochtli, told them to look for a place to settle where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus, eating a snake. The Aztecs found this sign on a small reed-covered island in the middle of a shallow lake. There they started building their capital city, Tenochtitlan, in 1325.

Now called Mexico City Built on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. Because of this, there was very little room to grow. The land was very fertile (good for farming) though. Tenochtitlan

Technology

Chinampas Since the Aztecs didn’t have much land, they made their own! They would take dirt from the bottom of the lake and add it to their islands. They ended up with a “floating garden”.

Great Temple Main religious building in Tenochtitlan. Two towers, one for the sun god, one for the rain god. Built and rebuilt many times. Site of many, many sacrifices.

Economy

The Market The Aztecs gained gold and cotton through taking over their neighbors. They had many type of peppers and vegetables. When the Spanish came they paid greatly for these foods because they had never seen them before.

Food and Farming Maize (corn) was the most important crop. Crops were grown on the chinampas. Meat, eggs and fish were all available. They ate turkeys and small, hairless dogs. Yum!