Aztec Empire Practice Questions

Correct answer: Lake Texcoco

According to legend, the Mexica saw an eagle perched on a cactus eating a snake on an island in Lake Texcoco. This site became Tenochtitlan, one of the largest and most sophisticated cities in the world at the time.

Correct answer: Chinampas

Chinampas were artificial islands created by layering mud and vegetation within the shallow lake waters. This system allowed for multiple harvests per year and provided the food surplus necessary to support a massive urban population.

Correct answer: Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan

Formed in 1428, the Triple Alliance allowed these three cities to defeat the Tepanecs. Over time, Tenochtitlan emerged as the dominant partner, leading the military expansion of the Aztec state.

Correct answer: Huitzilopochtli

Huitzilopochtli was believed to guide the Mexica during their migrations. The Aztecs believed that constant warfare and human sacrifice were necessary to nourish him and ensure the sun continued to rise.

Correct answer: A clan-based unit that managed land and taxes

The calpulli was the basic building block of Aztec society, consisting of groups of families who shared a common ancestor. They were responsible for distributing land to members, providing labor for public works, and maintaining local schools.

Correct answer: To capture live prisoners for ritual sacrifice

Unlike wars of conquest, Flower Wars were ritualized battles agreed upon between the Aztecs and their rivals, such as Tlaxcala. The goal was not to kill the enemy on the field, but to capture them for religious ceremonies.

Correct answer: Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatl was a prominent deity across many Mesoamerican cultures. In Aztec myth, he was a creator god who provided humanity with maize and was often contrasted with the more warlike deities.

Correct answer: Obsidian

Obsidian is a volcanic glass that can be sharpened to an edge finer than steel. While incredibly sharp and capable of decapitating a horse, it was also brittle and could shatter against metal armor.

Correct answer: The Great Speaker, or supreme ruler of the Aztecs

The Huey Tlatoani was the ultimate political, military, and religious authority in the empire. Although his power was immense, he was chosen by a council of nobles rather than strictly through hereditary succession.

Correct answer: Long-distance professional merchants

The Pochteca traveled far outside the empire to trade luxury goods like cacao and quetzal feathers. Because of their travels, they provided the Emperor with vital intelligence about the military strength of neighboring regions.

Correct answer: The Five Suns, or eras, of Aztec mythology

The stone shows the central face of the sun god and symbols for the four previous world eras that ended in catastrophe. It represents the Aztec belief that they were living in the fifth and final era.

Correct answer: Slaves or unfree laborers

Unlike chattel slavery in other cultures, Aztec slavery was often a temporary condition used to pay off debts or as punishment for crimes. Children of the Tlacotin were born free, and slaves could eventually buy their way out of service.

Correct answer: Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc

The two shrines symbolized the dualities of Aztec life: war/sun (Huitzilopochtli) and agriculture/rain (Tlaloc). This central temple was the focal point of religious life and the site of major sacrificial rituals.

Correct answer: The school for nobles to learn leadership, law, and religion

The Calmecac was a rigorous boarding school where the sons of nobles and some talented commoners were trained to be priests, judges, and government officials. The Telpochcalli was the alternative school for most commoner children.

Correct answer: Cacao beans

Cacao beans were highly valued and used for small transactions. Because they could be consumed as a luxury drink by the elite, they maintained a consistent value throughout the empire's markets.

Correct answer: Moctezuma II

Moctezuma II was the ninth ruler of the Aztecs. His initial hesitation in dealing with the Spanish, potentially due to religious omens or diplomatic strategy, eventually led to his capture and the fall of the empire.

Correct answer: The night the Spanish fled Tenochtitlan with heavy losses

Following a massacre at a religious festival, the Aztecs rose up against the Spanish. On the 'Noche Triste,' Cortés and his men tried to escape the city under cover of darkness but were discovered and suffered hundreds of casualties.

Correct answer: Smallpox and other European diseases

Indigenous Americans had no natural immunity to Old World diseases. Smallpox decimated the Aztec leadership and military during the siege of Tenochtitlan, killing millions and making further resistance nearly impossible.

Correct answer: Codices

Aztec codices were made of deerskin or bark paper and used a system of pictograms and symbols. While many were destroyed by the Spanish, the surviving codices provide essential insights into Aztec life and beliefs.

Correct answer: A hegemonic tribute empire

The Aztecs allowed conquered city-states to keep their own rulers and customs as long as they paid regular tribute. This system provided the Aztecs with wealth but also created resentment that the Spanish exploited to gain native allies.