Lesson 3: The Aztec Empire (The Early Americas)

🌄 The Aztecs Build an Empire

A long time ago, in the 1300s, a group of people called the Aztecs came to a valley in Mexico. They were looking for a place to live. Their god told them to build their city where they saw an eagle sitting on a cactus, holding a snake. One day, they saw this sign on a small island in the middle of a lake!

The Aztecs started to build a great city called Tenochtitlán. It was full of canals, bridges, and big buildings. The city looked like it was floating on water! The Aztecs were smart builders and strong warriors. They made their empire bigger by fighting other groups and making them pay taxes.

👥 Aztec Society

Aztec society had different classes. At the top was the emperor, who ruled the empire. Then came the nobles, like priests and warriors. Next were the common people, like farmers, builders, and traders. At the bottom were slaves, but they could sometimes buy their freedom.

Aztec children went to school. Boys learned how to fight or work. Girls learned how to cook, sew, and care for children. People worked hard, and everyone had a role in society.

🛕 Aztec Religion

The Aztecs believed in many gods. Each god had a job. For example, Huitzilopochtli was the god of the sun and war. The Aztecs believed the sun needed human blood to keep moving across the sky. So they gave offerings to the gods, including human sacrifices during special ceremonies.

The Aztecs built large pyramids as temples. People would walk up the stairs to the top to pray and make offerings. Music, dancing, and colorful costumes were a big part of Aztec religion.

⚔️ Cortés Conquers the Aztecs

In 1519, a Spanish man named Hernán Cortés came to Mexico with a small group of soldiers. The Aztec emperor, Montezuma, thought Cortés might be a god. He welcomed him into the city.

But Cortés was not a god. He wanted gold and land. He made friends with some of the Aztecs' enemies. Then, fighting began. The Spanish had guns, armor, and horses, which the Aztecs had never seen before. They also brought new diseases like smallpox, which killed many Aztecs.

After many battles, Cortés and his men took over Tenochtitlán in 1521. The great Aztec Empire was destroyed, and Spain took control.