Download Aztec PPT - Effingham County Schools

The Aztec
The Aztec lived in central Mexico
from about the1200s to the 1500s.
Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan
• Capital of the Aztec empire
• Built on a swampy island in the middle of a
large lake to help protect it from enemy
attacks
• Site of present-day Mexico City
Aztec Pyramid
• Living space for the
Emperor
• Became his burial
place when he died
• Buried with jewels,
jewelry, food and
many other things
that were supposed to
travel with him into
the after life
Aztec Empire
• About 5 million people
• Society who used
advanced concepts like a
calendar to help with
planting and harvesting
crops
• Used mathematical
systems to keep up with
their empire
• Used irrigation systems to
water their crops
• Good with metal-working
and pottery making
Aztec Empire
• Worshipped many
gods
• Sacrificed humans
and animals to gain
favor with their gods
• Conquered
neighboring tribes
and made them pay
taxes and provide
humans for sacrifices
Montezuma II
• Aztec ruler from about
1500 to 1520
• Popular with his own
people but highly
feared by his enemies
Hernan Cortes
• Spanish conquistador
• Sailed into Mexico in
1519 in search of gold,
silver, and other valuable
resources
• His expedition had about
600 men, horses, guns,
and canons
• Created an alliance with
enemies of the Aztec and
had about 1,000 natives
join him in his fight
against the Aztec
Fall of the Aztec Empire
• Montezuma and the Aztec mistakenly thought Cortes
was a god at first
• Cortes captured Montezuma and held him prisoner
• Cortes and his men defeated the Aztec and Montezuma
was killed
• In time the Spanish sent more troops to Mexico and
destroyed Tenochtitlan
• Thousands of natives died in a massive smallpox
epidemic because they had never been exposed to the
disease and had no immunity built up like the Spanish
did
• The Spanish built Mexico City where Tenochtitlan had
been
Quiz
1.
2.
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4.
5.
6.
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8.
Why did the Aztec build their capital on an island in the middle of
a lake?
What modern day city is built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan?
What did the Aztec require from neighboring tribes they
conquered?
Who conquered the Aztec empire for Spain?
Who was the Aztec ruler when the Spanish arrived?
Who did the Spanish form an alliance with to fight the Aztec?
What disease killed thousands of people in Mexico in 1520?
What capital city did the Spanish build after destroying
Tenochtitlan?