3.2 Study Guide Review

Many feats of Aztec engineering were made necessary by Tenochtitlan's location

• in the middle of a harsh desert.

• at a high altitude in the mountains.

• on a small island in a shallow lake.

• in the middle of a dense jungle.

Read the text:

"The Aztecs settled in the Valley of Mexico - where Mexico City now is - in the 1300s. they build their capital, Tenochtitlan, on an island in the middle of a lake. With 150,000 people, the city was the largest ever build by American Indians. It was, in fact, one of the largest cities in the world at that time. It had advanced engineering and a complex economy."

Based on this passage and on what you think Spanish explorers thought when they first saw Tenochtitlan?

• They might have thought the city was rich and worth conquering.

• They might have thought the city was too large to attack successfully.

• They might have thought the city was not worth invading.

• They might have thought the city's location made it too dangerous to attack.

Why were the Aztecs able to take control of the basin known as the Valley of Mexico?

• They were the first people to settle in the area.

• They built a strong defense that protected Lake Texcoco from invasion.

• They had a powerful army that allowed them to conquer their neighbors.

• They produced trade goods that made them wealthy

Which statements describe features of Aztec society and governments? Choose the TWO correct answers.

• The Aztec king formed and alliance with other kings.

• Some people were born into slavery and had no rights.

• Priests made all decisions, especially relating to war.

• Most people were commoners.

What was one reason that the Aztec settled in the Valley of Mexico?

• No enemies lived nearby.

• Lake Texcoco had a plentiful supply of fresh water.

• It had a warmer temperature than the coast.

• The best farmland was found there.

The two main classes of Aztec society were

• soldiers and slaves.

• nobles and commoners.

• nobles and slaves.

• priests and kings.

What was the main purpose of chinampas?

• to increase the amount of farmland

• to protect the Aztec from attack

• to carry fresh water to fields

• to transport people and goods

Aztec artists used tropical feathers to

• create fans, capes, headdresses, and shields.

• keep records of crop yields and taxes.

• burn as offerings to the gods.

• make writing instruments similar to quill pens.

Why did the Aztec engage in human sacrifice?

• They sought to prevent commoners from growing too strong.

• They believed their chief god needed blood to be strong.

• They had to reduce the population in times of hunger.

• They wanted to punish their enemies.