Aztec Empire Overview

These flashcards contain vocabulary related to the Aztec Empire, its formation, major figures, and key concepts.

Aztec Empire

A specific entity formed by a coalition of city states around Lake Texcoco, existing before Spanish colonization.

City State

A city that functions as an independent political entity with its own government and organization.

Triple Alliance

An alliance formed by Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan to conquer Azcapotzalco and establish the Aztec Empire.

Tenochtitlan

The capital city of the Aztec Empire, originally one of the weaker city states, located on an island in Lake Texcoco.

Hernando Cortes

Spanish conquistador responsible for the defeat of the Aztec Empire in 1521.

Tributary Empire

An empire where conquered city states pay tribute and provide services to the capital city, in this case, Tenochtitlan.

Lake Texcoco

The body of water around which the Aztec city states, including Tenochtitlan, were located.

Conquistadors

Spanish soldiers and adventurers, such as Cortes, who led the conquest of indigenous empires in the Americas.

Smallpox Epidemic

A devastating disease that significantly reduced the population of the Aztec region, contributing to the fall of the empire.

Causeways

Bridges that connected Tenochtitlan to the mainland, showcasing the engineering advancements of the Aztec civilization.