 Originspage 1  Migrationpage 2  The Valley of Mexicopage 3  Aztecs Move Southpage 4  A Crowded Valleypage 5  The Place of the Prickly Pear Cactuspage 6  Challengespage 7  Aztecs Modify the Environmentpage 8  Tenochtitlan- Aztec Capitalpage 9  Glossarypage 10

The ancient Aztecs, also known as Mexica, did not always live in the area that became the great city of Tenochtitlan. They, along with many other groups, originally lived in what is now Northern Mexico and the Southwest region of the United States.

Over one thousand years ago, however, there was a great drought in this area. A great migration began. Many of the groups living in this area began to move south in search of land where they could grow their crops and live comfortably. They found fertile land in the Valley of Mexico.

The Valley of Mexico is a plateau which rises 7,000 feet above sea level. It is surrounded by high mountains and volcanoes. Volcanic ash made the soil very rich. Water from the snow-capped mountains created several shallow, marshy lakes. These lakes made a great location for fishing, hunting, and collecting plants. They also provided salt and water for cultivation. A plateau with mountains nearby

The Aztecs were the last group to leave the drought- ridden north. Legends tell that they left their northern home of Aztlan – Land of the Heron – and followed the words of their god of sun and war, Huitzilopochtli, to find a new home. This group of people wandered through the land for more than 200 years before finding the fertile lands of the Valley of Mexico. Leaving Aztlan

When the Aztecs arrived in the Valley of Mexico, about 40 city-states already existed. All of the best land was inhabited by other groups. The Aztecs took refuge on islands near the western shore of Lake Texcoco. They still waited for the sign from Huitzilopochtli. Painting of the Valley of Mexico

According to legend, the Aztecs finally received a sign. One of the priests saw an eagle on top of a cactus on a small island in the middle of Lake Texcoco. They had found the sign for which they were searching. This was the place on which they were to build their city, Tenochtitlan – Place of the Fruit of the Prickly Pear Cactus.

This location would prove to be a survival challenge for the Aztecs. Much of the water surrounding the island was salt water. The island was far from the mainland where the best land for farming could be found. The land on the island was muddy and swampy.

However, the Aztecs had great knowledge and ingenuity. They built aqueducts to bring fresh water to the city. They constructed canals for people to travel throughout the city by canoe. They built three great causeways to connect the city to the mainland. Finally, they created small, rectangular islands from the mud at the bottom of the lake. These floating islands, called chinampas, provided rich soil on which fruits, vegetables, and flowers were grown.

This small island in the middle of Lake Texcoco turned out to be the perfect place to build the city, Tenochtitlan. Natural resources were in abundance. The location in the middle of the lake made it easy to defend from enemies. Technologies such as aqueducts, canals, causeways, and chinampas helped to provide all the resources they needed. In the center of the great, wide plaza, a magnificent temple was built giving thanks to the god of rain, Tlolac, and the god of sun and war, Huitzilopochtli.

 cultivation: changing the land to grow crops  drought: a long period of extremely dry weather when there is not enough rain for growing crops and supplying water  inhabited: occupied or lived in  migration: movement of a large group from one region to another  plateau: an area of high ground with a flat surface