Geography
The Aztecs saw mountains as sacred or a holy site, through its heights it brought people closer to the gods. The template Aztecs built were pyramids in the shape of mountains. The Aztecs believed that their god Huitzilopochtli had led them to the place where they lived. In many ways it was not an ideal location. It was a small, swampy island in a lake with salty water. But religion was a powerful force in Aztec society, and the idea that their god had sent them to this site gave the Aztecs the determination to survive there. The mountains that surrounded Tenochtitlan gave the Aztecs a sense of security. Like the walls of a fort, the mountains protected the Aztecs from attack by invaders.
After a great flood swamped Tenochtitlan in 1500, Aztec engineers built an earthen dam across the lake to the east of the city. This helped control the water levels around their island. To make sure they had plenty of clean drinking water even in times of drought, the Aztecs built an aqueduct. It brought in fresh water from underground springs outside of the city. Lake Texcoco (surrounded Tenochtitlan) also provided safety from their enemies. The Aztecs built three causeways connecting the lake to the mainland. The causeways could also be destroyed to protect the city from invasion.
Squash was one of the many different types of foods the Aztecs grew. Other things they grew were:
· Beans
· Corn
· Chillies
· Peppers
· Tomatoes
Coco beans were also highly valued to the Aztecs. To them, it was much like money to us today.
· Beans
· Corn
· Chillies
· Peppers
· Tomatoes
Coco beans were also highly valued to the Aztecs. To them, it was much like money to us today.
Aztec philosophers believed that the Earth was a round, flat disc divided into four sections. In the middle, where the sections met was Tenochtitlan, the capital city of the Aztecs. The Aztecs firmly believed that the gods had assigned them a special place or location in the universe. The city itself was also divided into four sections, which symbolized the four directions. Right in the middle of the city was a large square, which contained a number of temples, including the Great Temple. To the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan was a model of the world, with the Great Temple at the very centre.