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THE AZTEC EMPIRE (section 1)
The Aztecs ruled a large empire in __________________________, which lasted about a __________________.
THE AZTECS BUILD AN EMPIRE
When the Aztecs migrated to ____________ Mexico all of the good _______________
was taken so they settles on an island in the middle of Lake __________________.
They survived by hiring themselves out as skilled ______________________.
________ was the key factor in the rise of the Aztecs. As tribes were defeated
they were forced to pay _________________, in the form of cotton, gold, or food.
This was the basis of the Aztec __________________. The Aztecs also controlled
________________ within the region. Through war, tribute, and trade the Aztecs
became the most powerful state in _________________________ during the 1500s.
The Aztec capital was the city of _________________________________. As an
__________________ in Lake Texcoco it was difficult to access. To access it the
Aztecs built ___________________—raised roads across water—to connect the
island to the shore. Undrinkable swamp water led the Aztecs to build
_____________________ to bring fresh water to the city.
To create more land for farming the Aztecs build floating gardens called
_________________, which was a raft with soil on it. Tenochtitlan was the
greatest city in the _____________________with huge _________________, a busy
market, clean streets and a magnificent ___________________. It was one of the
world’s largest cities with 200,000 people living there.
CORTES CONQUERS THE AZTECS
The soldiers who arrived from
Spain, to explore new lands,
search for gold, and spread
the Catholic religion were
called ________________________.
_________________________ was a
conquistador who arrived in
the ___________________ to find
_____________ and conquered the
Aztec emperor, ________________,
and the city of Tenochtitlan.
There were FOUR factors (causes) that were vital (extremely important) in the Spanish victory over the Aztecs:
CAUSES
Cortes allied with tribes who disliked the Aztecs. A woman known as ______________
_______________ served as a guide and interpreter for _____________________ providing valuable
information to the Spaniards.
The Spanish used the region’s ________________ against the Aztecs. The Spanish
_______________ blocked the causeways and water routes so the Aztecs could not receive supplies.
Thousands of Aztecs died from __________________________.
_______________ The Spanish had better armor, ___________________, ______________, and _________________.
The Spanish brought diseases like __________________ to the Americas and Aztec
_______________ immune systems could not defend against the new diseases.
These four factors gave the Spanish a great advantage and when Tenochtitlan fell the Aztec Empire
came to an end.