

At its pinnacle, Aztec culture had rich and complex mythological and religious traditions, and reached remarkable architectural and artistic accomplishments. They formed a tributary empire expanding its political hegemony far beyond the Valley of Mexico, conquering other city-states throughout Mesoamerica. The Triple Alliance was comprised of Tenochtitlan along with their main allies. Modern Mexico City is built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan.įrom the 13th century, the Valley of Mexico was the heart of Aztec civilization here the capital of the Aztec Triple Alliance, the city of Tenochtitlan, was built upon raised islets in Lake Texcoco.

The Republic of Mexico and its capital, Mexico City, derive their names from the word “Mexica.” The capital of the Aztec empire was Tenochtitlan, built on a raised island in Lake Texcoco. The Aztecs were a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican people of Central Mexico in the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Mesoamerican ballgame : This ritual practice involved a rubber ball that the players hit with their elbows, knees, and hips, and tried to get through a small hoop in a special court. Nahuatl : The language spoken by the Mexica people who made up the Aztec Triple Alliance, as well as many city-states throughout the region.įlower wars: The form of ritual war where warriors from the Triple Alliance fought with enemy Nahua city-states. Analyze the development of Tenochtitlan and the impact of the city on the Aztec peoples.Īltepetl: Small, mostly independent city-states that often paid tribute to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan.Compare and contrast the Aztec peoples to the other American populations.The major empire was central in the importance before the Spanish arrived. The Aztecs built a city in the middle of a lake, from areas that had no land originally.

The Aztecs were the key group in Central America that established trade routes and engagements of indigenous populations.
