The Aztec Empire: The Last Great Native Civilization in Mesoamerica By History.com, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.20.17 Word Count 665 Level 790L An Aztec dancer poses for a photo during a ceremony celebrating the birth of Cuauhtemoc, the last Aztec emperor, in Ixcateopan, Mexico, February 23, 2009. Cuauhtemoc was tortured and executed by Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes in 1525. AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo The Aztecs probably began as a tribe that moved from place to place in northern Mexico. Around A.D. 1200 they arrived in Mesoamerica, the area between central Mexico and northern Costa Rica. The Aztecs controlled many city-states in the area. They built a powerful empire. Spanish invaders led by Hernan Cortes defeated the Aztecs in 1521. Mexico City locale was site of Aztec capital Many believe the Aztecs were a northern tribe of hunter-gatherers that came from Aztlan or "White Land." As the Aztecs moved south into Mesoamerica, the Toltec people living there lost power. The Aztecs were also known as the Tenochca or Mexica. In 1325, their first magnificent capital, Tenochtitlan, was named for them. It would become Mexico City in 1521. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1
When the Aztecs saw an eagle perched on a cactus on the marshy land near Lake Texcoco, they took it as a sign to build their city there. Draining the swampy land, they built islands. They planted gardens and built their capital city, Tenochtitlán. Their very successful irrigation and farming created crops of corn, beans, squashes, potatoes, tomatoes and avocados. They also supported themselves through fishing and hunting. A strong military force also helped the Aztecs build their empire. An empire of riches In 1428, the Aztec leader was Itzcoatl. He joined his forces with the Texcocans and the Tacubans. Together they defeated the Tepanec. When Itzcoatl died in 1440, Montezuma I (also spelled Moctezuma), the great warrior, took power. By the early 1500s, the Aztecs ruled over 500 small states with 5 to 6 million people. Tenochtitlán had more than 140,000 inhabitants. It was the largest city in Mesoamerica. Some 50,000 people visited Tenochtitlan to shop on days when markets were held. This helped the Aztecs become wealthy. Nobles were at the top of their society. Serfs, who worked on farms, and servants and slaves were at the bottom. The Aztec religion was like others in Mesoamerica. There were human sacrifices, like during the Maya empire. The Aztecs prayed to Quetzalcoatl, a feathered serpent god of the Toltecs. The Aztecs built great temples, palaces and statues to their gods. The Aztec calendar was based on the movement of the sun and had 365 days. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2
Cortes destroys Aztec empire The first European to visit the Aztec places was Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba. He arrived from Cuba with three ships and about 100 men, known as conquistadors, in 1517. Two years later, the Spanish governor in Cuba, Diego Velasquez, sent more men under the command of Hernan Cortes. Montezuma II was now the ruler of the Aztec empire. Cortes trained his Spanish fighters. It became a strong fighting force. Cortes and 400 soldiers then marched on the city. A native woman, Malinche, knew how to speak Spanish and the Aztec language. She helped Cortes speak to other native people living in that part of Mexico. He found out they did not like the Aztecs. So Cortes along with these other tribes made a plan to defeat Montezuma II. In November 1519, Cortes and his men arrived in Tenochtitlan. Montezuma and his people greeted them as honored guests. They thought Cortes looked like the light-skinned Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god that legends said would some day return to Mexico. Though the Aztecs had greater numbers, their weapons could not match the guns and cannons of the Spanish. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3
Cortes quickly defeated them and took control of Montezuma and his nobles. The Spanish then murdered thousands of Aztec nobles, and Montezuma died while he was under arrest. Cuauhtemoc, his young nephew, took over as the leader of the Aztecs and drove the Spanish from Tenochtitlan. Cortes fought back and defeated Cuauhtemoc in 1521. More than 240,000 people were killed in the battles. This ended Aztec control of Mesoamerica. After his victory, Cortes burned Tenochtitlan and built Mexico City on its ruins. It quickly became the most important European center in the Americas. This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4
Quiz 1 According to the section "Mexico City locale was site of Aztec capital," how did the Aztecs build a strong civilization? They established the city Tenochtitlan, which would become Mexico City. They built islands after draining swampy land. They had access to corn, beans, squashes, potatoes, tomatoes and avocados. They had steady sources of food and a powerful military. 2 What effect did the Spanish have on the Aztecs? The Spanish ended Aztec civilization. The Spanish formed alliances with the Aztecs. The Spanish spread European culture to the Aztecs. The Spanish spread their language to the Aztecs. 3 Read the introduction [paragraph 1] and the final section, "Cortes destroys Aztec empire." What is the connection between these two sections? The introduction emphasizes the power of the Aztecs, which is central to the final section. The introduction mentions Mesoamerica, which is key to understanding the final section. The introduction mentions the end of the Aztecs, which is detailed in the final section. The introduction duplicates most of the information in the final section. 4 What is the structure of this article? chronology compare and contrast cause and effect problem and solution This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5