Transcript File

The Aztecs:
The Physical Landscape
It's 1325. Following the advice of one of their gods, the Aztecs found a
new home in the Valley of Mexico.
According to legend, the people we call the Aztecs originally lived in the
desert lands of northern Mexico. In 1168, Huitzilopochtli (wheets-eel-ohPOCH-tlee), the god of the Aztecs, commanded the people to migrate
south and told them to look for an eagle perching on a cactus. There they
should settle and build a great city.
For more than 150 years the Aztecs travelled over mountain ranges and
through river valleys. Eventually, in 1325, the Aztecs arrived in the Valley
of Mexico, a wide plain with fertile land, plentiful water, and a mild
climate. Many thousands of people already lived there in large cities built
of stone.
The only unoccupied land the Aztecs could find was a swampy island at
one end of a broad lake. There they saw an eagle sitting on a cactus.
Screaming, it opened its wings. The Aztecs had finally found their home.
They called it Tenochtitlan (Teh-noch-TEE-tlahn), and over the next 200
years they transformed the island into one of the greatest cities the world
has ever seen.
Introduction
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The term Aztec was created by 19th C
historian William H. Prescott
It labelled the civilization created by the
nomadic Mexica tribe
It is believed to come from the term Aztlan
To the Aztecs, mountains were seen as
holy sites
–
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Temples were pyramids in the
shape of mountains
The world consisted of two landscapes for
the Aztecs
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Physical
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Sacred
Although the Aztecs built their home in a
swampy island in a lake filled with salt
water, they believed their god led them
there
The Power of Mountains
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Mountains surrounded the Aztec
city of Tenochtitlan
These mountains, although
useful for protection, also
caused flash floods to occur in
the valley
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In 1500 engineers built an
earthen dam across the lake
to the east of the city
It helped to control water
levels around the island
The mountains also at times
stopped water from arriving, at
times causing drought
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An aqueduct was built to
bring in fresh water to the
city from underground
springs
Aztec and Poetry
Poetry was highly valued as an art form in Aztec society
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They felt they were imitating one of their gods, Ometeotl
(oh-meh-THE-ohtl), the creator of the universe
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If a warrior was not fighting in a war, it was thought they
should be writing poetry
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Proud of itself is the city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan.
Here no one fears to die in war . . . Have in mind, oh princes.
Do not forget it. Who could conquer Tenochtitlan?
Who could shake the foundation of heaven?
What does this poem tell you about what the Aztecs thought
about their city?
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An Island Home
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Lake Texcoco surrounded
Tenochtitlan
It provided safety from any enemies,
but they still needed to reach the
mainland
They built three causeways linking the
lake to the mainland
These causeways were then linked to
the island city by bridges
The Aztec population boomed during
their 200 year reign in Tenochtitlan
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They started off with around a few
thousand to a thriving civilization
of several hundred thousand
The Aztecs were also the most
productive farmers of the time
Changing the
Geography
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The Aztecs were determined
to live in Tenochtitlan
To do so, they had to make
changes to it
Lake Texcoco was part of a
series of five lakes that were
interconnected
There were no rivers for the
water to flow out of, leaving
most of the lake salty and
undrinkable
They also created
chinampas, basically small
floating islands, for more
land to farm
Homework Assignment
/10
Due Next Class
1) Explain the reason behind the Aztec's decision to
move to Tenochtitlan. Why did they stay even though it
was not a very good location to start a city? What does
this say about their worldview?
/4
2) Explain in a chart how the Aztecs responded to the
different geographical challenges life in Tenochtitlan
provided. Two points per challenge.
/6
Geographic Challenge
Mountains
Swamp (lack of farm land and fresh
water)
Island
Aztec Response