The Aztec Capital of Tenochtitlán

Location and Historical Context
- Mexico City, the modern capital of Mexico, was built on top of the ancient city of Tenochtitlán.
- Tenochtitlán served as the capital of the Aztec Empire during the 1300s and 1400s.
- The Aztec Empire arose over 500 years after the Maya civilization abandoned their great inland city-states.
- The ancestors of the Aztec people migrated from the north and settled in the Valley of Mexico by 1325 CE.
- The region was previously inhabited by various groups, resulting in competition for space.
- The Aztec faced displacement from several temporary residences until they claimed land comprising two swampy islands in Lake Texcoco.

Chinampas Gardens: Innovation in Agriculture
- The Aztec developed a unique agricultural technique known as chinampas for building gardens in Lake Texcoco.
- Construction process included:
- Scooping mud from the lake bottom.
- Layering mud and aquatic plants to create raised garden beds.
- Using reed posts to anchor these rectangular gardens to the lake floor.
- Planting willow trees along borders for stabilization of the lakeshore.
- Creating a network of canals to ensure water supply for crops.
- Biodiversity and Food Sources
- Canals supported fish and other aquatic life, contributing to the diet.
- Aztec people hunted various animals such as deer, rabbits, coyotes, armadillos, and snakes.
- They also domesticated bees, turkeys, and ducks, and gathered edible insects.
- Adaptation to Environment
- The swampy environment led to the creation of habitable land from the lake bottom.
- They cultivated crops including corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, amaranth, and chilies.
- Ruling class members often maintained small personal fruit gardens.
- Climate Benefits
- The tropical climate allowed for year-round crop production, supporting population growth in Tenochtitlán.

City Layout
- Tenochtitlán featured a grid layout with streets and canals arranged in a square pattern.
- The city's religious and ceremonial center, known as the Sacred Precinct, was the focal point.
- Sacred Precinct and Great Temple
- It was significantly larger than Maya ceremonial centers.
- Surrounded by stone walls adorned with serpent carvings.
- The Great Temple, or Templo Mayor, served as a monumental structure housing shrines to major gods.
  - One shrine was dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, the sun god.
  - Another honored Tlaloc, the rain god.
- Social Hierarchy and Living Conditions
- Social class influenced residence, dress, and occupation.
- Aztec priests resided in palatial structures within the Sacred Precinct, while emperors and nobles had ornate stone palaces nearby.

Divisions within the City
- Tenochtitlán was divided into four quadrants, each subdivided into 20 calpullin (districts).
- Each calpulli functioned with its own agricultural land, market, and school.
- Commoners, including merchants, artisans, and farmers, shared living spaces, typically in adobe houses.
- Houses were one-story with peaked thatched roofs or flat roofs designated for gardening.
- Hygiene and Infrastructure
- Domed mud huts served as sweat baths, where heat was produced by external fires.
- Neighborhoods featured public toilets and employed individuals for street cleaning and waste management.

Water Management
- Lake Texcoco's saline water necessitated innovative fresh water solutions for Tenochtitlán’s inhabitants.
- The construction of three causeways, each approximately 2.5 miles long, was essential.
- These causeways connected the city to natural freshwater springs on the mainland.
- Each causeway supported an aqueduct designed to transport water to the city.
  - Each aqueduct comprised two clay pipes: one for fresh water and an auxiliary for maintenance.
Marketplaces and Trade Dynamics
- The marketplaces in Tenochtitlán, particularly in Tlatelolco, were vibrant centers of commerce where thousands traded daily for various goods.
- Merchants traveled from across central Mexico and beyond to exchange items such as clothing, food, and pottery.

Polytheism
- Aztecs worshipped multiple deities representing various aspects of life, including nature, health, and war.
- Among their pantheon, the sun god Huitzilopochtli was crucial; they believed he required nourishment to rise daily.
- Failure to appease the gods could lead to cosmic consequences, such as natural disasters or the cessation of natural cycles.
Sacrificial Practices
- Human sacrifices were an integral part of Aztec religion, particularly at Templo Mayor within the Sacred Precinct.
- A ball court was located at the temple base for the game ullamaliztli, where participants sometimes faced sacrificial outcomes.
- Archaeological evidence near the court supports the historical occurrence of these sacrificial practices, linking them to their religious rituals and cultural traditions.