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Aztec Civilization and Legends Quiz

Total questions: 49

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What sign did the god of the sun tell the Aztec people to look for when searching for a place to build their city?

a)

A rainbow over a mountain

b)

An eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus

c)

A jaguar sleeping under a tree

d)

A river flowing through a valley

2.

What does the word "nomadic" mean as used in the passage?

a)

Building large cities

b)

Moving around often in search of food; not settled in one place

c)

Living near lakes and rivers

d)

Growing crops in one area

3.

According to the legend, where did the Aztec people finally settle and build their city?

a)

On a mountain top

b)

In a desert

c)

On a swampy island in Lake Texcoco

d)

In a forest

4.

What is the name of the city the Aztec people built, and what does its name mean?

a)

Tenochtitlán, which means "the place of the prickly pear"

b)

Chichen Itza, which means "the city of water"

c)

Machu Picchu, which means "old mountain"

d)

Teotihuacan, which means "city of the gods"

5.

Why do you think the eagle and serpent are still shown on the flag of Mexico today? Use evidence from the passage to support your answer.

a)

Because they are common animals in Mexico

b)

Because they represent the Aztec legend of how their city was founded

c)

Because they are symbols of peace

d)

Because they were the favorite animals of the Aztec king

6.

What sign did the god of the sun tell the Aztec people to look for when searching for a place to build their city?

a)

An eagle with a snake in its beak perched on a cactus

b)

A rainbow over a mountain

c)

A river flowing through a forest

d)

A jaguar sleeping under a tree

7.

What does the word "nomadic" mean as used in the passage?

a)

Building large cities

b)

Moving around often in search of food; not settled in one place

c)

Living near lakes and rivers

d)

Worshipping the sun

8.

According to the passage, where did the Aztec people finally settle and build their city?

a)

On a mountain top

b)

On a swampy island in Lake Texcoco

c)

In a desert

d)

In a dense forest

9.

Why did the Aztec people stop wandering and settle down to build a city?

a)

They found gold in the area

b)

They received a sign from their god as described in a legend

c)

They were tired of traveling

d)

They wanted to be close to the Maya

10.

How is the legend of the eagle and the serpent remembered in Mexico today?

a)

Through traditional songs

b)

By building statues in every city

c)

By showing the eagle and serpent on the flag of Mexico

d)

By naming cities after the eagle

11.

What does the name Tenochtitlán mean?

a)

The land of the sun

b)

The place of the prickly pear

c)

The city of gold

d)

The home of the eagle

12.

What was unusual about the city of Tenochtitlán to the first Europeans who visited it?

a)

It was built on an island in the middle of a lake.

b)

It was located in a desert.

c)

It was made entirely of wood.

d)

It had no roads or canals.

13.

What is a causeway?

a)

A raised road built over water to connect islands to a mainland

b)

A type of boat used for fishing

c)

A tall building used for ceremonies

d)

A bridge made of wood and rope

14.

How did the Aztec people travel around their capital city?

a)

By canoes

b)

By horses

c)

By walking only

d)

By bicycles

15.

Why might the Europeans have been surprised when they saw Tenochtitlán?

a)

It was a large, advanced city with pyramids and a big population.

b)

It was a small village with no buildings.

c)

It was empty and abandoned.

d)

It was made entirely of gold.

16.

Which of the following best describes the network of canals in Tenochtitlán?

a)

They linked different parts of the city.

b)

They were used only for fishing.

c)

They were built for decoration.

d)

They separated the city from the mainland.

17.

What does the image most likely show about life in Tenochtitlán?

a)

People used canoes to travel around the city.

b)

People only walked everywhere.

c)

People used cars to travel.

d)

People did not travel at all.

18.

What was unusual about the city of Tenochtitlán to the first Europeans who visited it?

a)

It was built in the middle of a lake and people traveled around the city in canoes.

b)

It was located in a desert and had no water nearby.

c)

It was a very small village with only a few people.

d)

It was made entirely out of wood.

19.

What is a causeway?

a)

A raised road built over water to connect islands to a mainland

b)

A type of boat used for fishing

c)

A tall building used for ceremonies

d)

A bridge made of ropes and wood

20.

How did the Aztecs travel around their capital city of Tenochtitlán?

a)

By canoes

b)

By horses

c)

By walking only

d)

By bicycles

21.

Why might the first Europeans have been surprised when they saw Tenochtitlán?

a)

Because it was a large, advanced city built on an island in a lake

b)

Because it was empty and abandoned

c)

Because it was made of gold

d)

Because it was underground

22.

Which of the following best describes how Tenochtitlán was connected to the mainland?

a)

By three wide causeways

b)

By underground tunnels

c)

By bridges made of vines

d)

By floating rafts

23.

What does the passage suggest about the civilization of Tenochtitlán?

a)

It was more advanced than the Europeans expected to find.

b)

It was a small, simple village.

c)

It was only used for farming.

d)

It was a temporary settlement.

24.

What role did canals play in Tenochtitlán?

a)

They linked different parts of the city.

b)

They were used only for fishing.

c)

They separated the city from the mainland.

d)

They were used to store water for drinking.

25.

What type of clothing did Aztec men typically wear?

a)

Loincloths and cloaks

b)

Long skirts and blouses

c)

Suits and ties

d)

Shorts and t-shirts

26.

What activity was the girl inside the house learning from her mother?

a)

Cooking

b)

Weaving

c)

Painting

d)

Dancing

27.

What does the tying together of the bride’s blouse and the groom’s cloak symbolize in Aztec culture?

a)

Wealth and prosperity

b)

The connection between a husband and wife

c)

The start of a new year

d)

Friendship between families

28.

Why do you think mothers and daughters were preparing for a wedding feast in Aztec home life?

a)

To celebrate a birthday

b)

To honor the gods

c)

To mark a marriage ceremony

d)

To welcome a new neighbor

29.

How were Aztec houses described in the passage?

a)

Large mansions with stone walls

b)

One-room houses with thatched roofs and mud walls

c)

Apartments with glass windows

d)

Wooden cabins with tiled roofs

30.

Why do you think the Aztec tied the bride’s blouse to the groom’s cloak during the wedding ceremony?

a)

To keep the clothes from getting lost

b)

To symbolize the connection between husband and wife

c)

To make the ceremony longer

d)

To show off their weaving skills

31.

What type of clothing did Aztec men typically wear?

a)

Loincloths and cloaks

b)

Long skirts and blouses

c)

Suits and ties

d)

Jeans and t-shirts

32.

What was a common feature of Aztec houses?

a)

Thatched roofs and mud walls

b)

Glass windows and brick walls

c)

Wooden floors and metal roofs

d)

Stone towers and marble floors

33.

What activity was the girl inside the house learning from her mother?

a)

Weaving

b)

Cooking

c)

Painting

d)

Dancing

34.

What special event were mothers and daughters preparing for in the passage?

a)

A wedding feast

b)

A birthday party

c)

A harvest festival

d)

A market day

35.

During the Aztec wedding ceremony, what is tied together as a symbol of connection?

a)

The bride’s blouse and the groom’s cloak

b)

Two wedding rings

c)

The bride’s hair and the groom’s belt

d)

Two candles

36.

Why do you think the Aztec tied the bride’s blouse to the groom’s cloak during the wedding ceremony?

a)

To symbolize the connection between husband and wife

b)

To keep the clothes from getting lost

c)

To make the ceremony longer

d)

To show off their weaving skills

37.

Based on the passage, how did Aztec women contribute to their households?

a)

By weaving and preparing for feasts

b)

By building houses

c)

By hunting animals

d)

By writing books

38.

Imagine you are visiting an Aztec neighborhood. What might you see and hear? Use evidence from the passage to support your answer.

a)

People weaving, preparing for feasts, and houses with thatched roofs and mud walls

b)

People driving cars and using cell phones

c)

Skyscrapers and busy streets

d)

People swimming in pools and playing video games

39.

What does the word "reign" mean?

a)

A type of weather

b)

A period of time in which a king or queen rules

c)

A kind of food

d)

A type of building

40.

What disturbing events happened during Moctezuma II's reign?

a)

There was a festival and a parade

b)

There was a drought, a comet appeared, and lightning struck a temple

c)

The city grew larger

d)

The people celebrated a holiday

41.

Why did Moctezuma and his priests worry about the strange events?

a)

They thought it meant good luck

b)

They believed the events were warnings from the gods

c)

They wanted to have a party

d)

They thought it would rain soon

42.

What did the Aztec people fear might happen because of the strange signs?

a)

The world might end

b)

They would become rich

c)

They would find new land

d)

The weather would get better

43.

What was the real source of the "doomsday" that came to the Aztec Empire?

a)

The gods

b)

A ghostly woman

c)

Spanish soldiers from Europe

d)

A giant animal

44.

What does the word "reign" mean?

a)

A type of weather

b)

A period of time in which a king or queen rules

c)

A kind of celebration

d)

A type of building

45.

What disturbing event happened during Moctezuma II's reign?

a)

A great festival was held

b)

A comet appeared in the sky

c)

The city grew larger

d)

The Spanish left the area

46.

Why did Moctezuma and his priests worry about the strange events?

a)

They thought it meant good luck

b)

They believed the events were warnings from the gods

c)

They wanted to celebrate the events

d)

They thought it would bring more rain

47.

What did the Aztec people believe about the end of their world?

a)

It would end peacefully

b)

It would end violently and suddenly

c)

It would never end

d)

It would end with a big party

48.

What was the real source of the "doomsday" that came to the Aztec Empire?

a)

The gods

b)

A ghostly woman

c)

Spanish soldiers from Europe

d)

A giant storm

49.

Why might the disturbing signs during Moctezuma’s reign have troubled the people of Tenochtitlán?

a)

The signs were fun to watch

b)

The people thought the signs meant the gods were happy

c)

The people believed the signs meant the world might end soon and that they were not succeeding in persuading the gods to delay this end

d)

The signs meant more food would come