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The Aztec Empire
Name:
1. By 1325, the Aztecs had begun building the city of Tenochtitlán. When the Spanish saw the city
in 1519, how many people lived in Tenochtitlán?
2. What were some Aztec achievements (scientific, mathematics, arts)?
3. Historians believe the Aztecs ruled an empire of more than 10 million people. How did they
build and maintain this vast empire?
4. When Aztecs captured others in battle, did they kill them? Why or why not?
5. By 1519, Tenochtitlan had reached height of power and Moctezuma II reigned. Ancient
prophesy told of Quetzalcoatl’s return. What was Quetzalcoatl said to look like?
6. Cortes arrived in same year (1519), and Moctezuma lavished gifts of gold and silver upon him.
Why do you think he did this?
7. To achieve conquest of Mexico, Cortes relied on Malinche (referred to as Malintzen in your
homework). Who was she? What role did she play?
8. The Aztecs resisted Cortes, but could not defeat the Spanish. Why not?
How did Cortes treat the Aztecs?
9. Cortes only had a few hundred men and a few horses – what other factors led to his military
success against the Aztecs?
10. What did the Spanish want from the Aztecs?
11. Another part of the Spanish mission was to spread religion. How did they hope to do this?
12. How did the Spanish view the Aztec religious symbols?
13. Cortes persuaded Moctezuma to appeal to the Aztecs to allow the Spanish to leave
Tenochtitlan. There are two versions of what happened to Moctezuma. What is:
the Spanish version?
the Aztec version?
14. Cortes fought his way out of the city and lost half his men. What contributed to the Spanish loss
of life?
15. What disease did Spanish leave behind? What percentage of the native population died as a
result?
16. Five months after the siege of Tenochtitlan, Cortes returned and laid siege to the city again.
How did he achieve his success?
17. Mexico City (the capital of Mexico today) is built upon Tenochtitlan. What discoveries have
been made in the last 30 years?
18. Does the Aztec civilization still exist or did it die out?