Question

The Aztec Empire

Between the 12th century and the 15th century Spanish invasion, a people called the Aztec settled in what is now Central Mexico, creating an impact on culture and language that is still felt and studied today.
Before the rise of the Aztec Empire, Nahuatl-speaking peoples first appeared in Mexico in the 6th century. The Mexica, a Nahua-people, traveled from their northern homeland of Aztlan in the early 12th century to find a place to settle in what is now known as Mexico. Various attempts to settle were thwarted by other groups in the area, specifically the Tepaneca. Eventually, Tenochtitlán was settled by the Mexica in 1325. Tenochtitlán then became the capital of what would later be the Aztec Empire.
The Empire's rise underwent multiple ups and downs for the next 100 years, including wars and alliances, flooding, and famine. A religious ruler and several kings took the place of power during this time, with both short and long reigns. This period was marked by instability, as conflict with the Tepaneca once again disrupted the Empire's growth. The eventual outcome of the ongoing conflict was a Triple Alliance between the Mexica, the Acolhua in the city Texcoco, and the Tepaneca. This shaped the foundation of the Empire. The Aztec Empire was officially formed around 1428.
The height of the Aztec Empire began with the reign of Moctezuma I in 1440. The subsequent rulers helped rebuild damage done during the previous century, bringing growth and stability back to Tenochtitlán. Even another large-scale flood could not stop them. However, once explorers started to make appearances on the Aztec's land, a slow decline began developing in the background.
The Aztec did not yet feel the pressure of these explorers, though, and Moctezuma II, perhaps their most famous ruler, reigned from 1502 to 1520. It was at this time that Hernán Cortés, a more aggressive colonizer, disrupted the Aztec Empire for good. Two years of struggle between the Spanish and the Aztec ended with the fall of Tenochtitlán in 1521. Two more rulers followed Moctezuma II, Cuitahuac and Cuauhetemoc, but the former died of smallpox and the latter surrendered and was killed by the Spaniards in 1525. The Spanish rebuilt Tenochtitlán, now Mexico City, and claimed it the capital of New Spain.
Although the Aztec Empire fell long ago, the primary language spoken by the Aztec, Nahuatl, is still spoken by over 1 million people today. Some artifacts from the Empire are still being found, and many have had considerable impact on modern scholars' view of the Aztec, like the Aztec calendar stone, one of the most famous works of Aztec sculpture.


5Question 5
Drag each tile to the correct box.
Arrange the events in the passage in chronological order.
Keyboard instructions
Spaniards rebuild
the Aztec
Empire's capital.
The Tepaneca
halts settlement
by the Mexica.
Moctezuma clashes
with invading
Spaniards.
The Aztec Empire
is created between
three peoples.

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Answer 1

1. The Tepaneca halts settlement by the Mexica. (early attempts, 12th–13th century)
2. The Aztec Empire is created between three peoples. (Triple Alliance, c. 1428)
3. Moctezuma clashes with invading Spaniards. (Moctezuma II, 1519–1520)
4. Spaniards rebuild the Aztec Empire's capital. (Tenochtitlán rebuilt as Mexico City after 1521)