Aztecs: Empire, Culture, Facts, Location, and Culture...

The Aztecs arrived in the Americas around the beginning of the 13th century.The Aztecs emerged as the dominant force in central Mexico, developing an intricate social, political, religious and commercial organization that brought many of the region's city-states under their control by the 15th century.The Aztec Empire was overthrew by the Spanish in 1521 and Tenochtitlan was captured.

The Aztec people are thought to have begun as a northern tribe of hunter-gatherers in the Aztec language of Nahuatl.The Mexica is the origin of the city that would replace Tenochtitlan, as well as the name for the capital city.In the early 13th century, the Aztecs appeared in the south-central region of pre-Columbian Mexico.The fall of the previously dominant Mesoamerican civilization, the Toltecs, may have been brought about by their arrival.

Did you know?Nahuatl was the dominant language in central Mexico by the mid-1350s.The Spanish borrowed a lot of Nahuatl words, including chile or chili, chocolate, coyote, peyote, guacamole, ocelot and mescal.

When the Aztecs saw an eagle perched on a cactus on the marshy land near the southwest border of Lake Texcoco, they took it as a sign to build their settlement there.In 1325 A.D., they established the foundations of their capital city, Tenochtitln, by draining the swampy land, constructing artificial islands and planting gardens.Aztec crops included maize (corn), along with beans, squashes, potatoes, tomatoes and avocados; they also supported themselves through fishing and hunting local animals such as rabbits, armadillos, snakes, coyotes and wild turkey.The Aztecs would be able to build a successful state and empire because of their system of agriculture and military tradition.

In 1428, under the leadership of Itzcoatl, the Aztecs formed a three-way alliance with the Texcocans and the Tacubans to defeat their most powerful rivals for influence in the region.The Aztec empire was founded by a great warrior who was remembered as the father of the empire.The Aztecs ruled over up to 500 small states and as many as 6 million people by the early 16th century.Tenochtitln was the most densely populated city in the world at its height.

Tenochtitlan's Tlatelolco, visited by some 50,000 people on major market days, drove the Aztec economy.The Aztec civilization was intellectually and artistically advanced.At the top of the society were nobles, while at the bottom were serfs, indentured servants and enslaved workers.

The Aztec faith shared many aspects with other religions, including the ritual of human sacrifice.In the great cities of the Aztec empire, magnificent temples, palaces, plazas and statues embodied the civilization's devotion to the many Aztec gods.The Great Temple, or Templo Mayor, in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan was dedicated to two gods.

The Aztec calendar was based on a solar cycle and a ritual cycle of 260 days and played a central role in the religion and rituals of Aztec society.

The first European to visit Mexican territory was Francisco de Cordoba, who arrived from Cuba with three ships and about 100 men.The governor of Spain sent a larger force back to Mexico after learning of his return to Cuba.In March 1519, Cortes landed at the town of Tabasco, where he learned from the natives of the great Aztec civilization.

After training his army into a disciplined fighting force, Cortes founded the city of Veracruz on the southeastern Mexican coast.A native woman known as Malinche was a translator for the 400 soldiers who marched into Mexico.The Tlascalans were able to form alliances with other native peoples because of the instability within the Aztec empire.

In November 1519, Cortes and his men arrived in Tenochtitlan, where the Aztecs welcomed them with honor due to their resemblance to the light-skinned Quetzalcoatl, who was prophesied to return in Aztec legend.The Aztecs had superior numbers, but their weapons were not up to par, which allowed Cortes to take control of Tenochtitlan.The Aztec nobles were murdered by the Spaniards during a ritual dance ceremony.

The local population lacked immunity to European diseases, which were powerful weapons against them.The Aztecs died in heaps, as it was impossible to bury the great number of dead, so that their houses were torn down.The population of Tenochtitlan was reduced by 40% in one year.

The Aztecs drove the Spaniards from the city after Cuauhtemoc took over as emperor.On August 13, 1521, Cortes defeated Cuauhtemoc with the help of the Aztecs.240,000 people are believed to have died in the city's conquest, which ended the Aztec civilization.Mexico City was built on the ruins of Tenochtitla and became the premier European center in the New World.

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Around the sixth century A.D., the Maya Empire reached its peak of power and influence in the tropical lowlands of what is now Guatemala.The Maya excelled at agriculture, pottery, hieroglyph writing, calendar-making and mathematics.

A capital city that was one of the largest in the world was controlled by the Aztec Empire.The Triple Alliance was negotiated by Itzcoatl, the leader of the Aztec/Mexica people.

The Aztec Empire was made up of three principle city-states.Tenochtitln, the island city built by the Mexica people, was the most powerful of the three.The Aztec Triple Alliance had tremendous power.

The ancient city of Teotihuacan is 30 miles northeast of Mexico City.As early as 400 B.C., the city was settled.It became the most powerful and influential city in the region by 400.