Aztec Architecture:City of Tenochtitlan

As a class, study this map of the Aztec city called Tenochtitlan.

INFER & DISCUSS: What can you infer about Tenochtitlan or the Aztecs based on this map?

Tenochtitlan

Causeways (Video Clip #1)Causeway Image: What is a causeway?

Its similar to a bridge. It was straight and very long. In the middle of the similar like bridge they built a lift bridge.

Aqueducts (Video Clip #2)What does an aqueduct look like?

What is an aqueduct?

2 pipes where the water was flowing to the other side. They had two aqueducts so the water could flow. They were most hygienic than the Europeans, they bathed in the clean sanitized water while the Europeans were dying mostly because of hygienic reasons

Dykes (Video Clip #3)

What does an Aztec dyke look like?

What is an Aztec dyke?

Its kind of a big wall to protect their water supply. They had a Sooq gate to separate the salt water from the frequently used water.

Chinampas (Video Clip #4)

What does a chinampa look like?

What is a chinampa?

An artificial island built in the lake for their crops. They would be able to grow 7 crops a year while the average farmer on land would grow about 3 or 4 crops a year.

More descriptions of the city: An island city, five miles square, Tenochtitlan

was surrounded by Lake Texcoco, one of the five lakes in the Valley of Mexico. Three great earth bridges, or causeways, led into the city. Canals were used as streets and people traveled everywhere by canoe. With palaces, gardens, fountains, the royal zoo, a market with 25,000 people busy buying and selling fantastic new objects and foods, aqueducts bringing fresh water into the city, sewage collection on large barges for use as fertilizers, and sacred ball courts, Tenochtitlan was more advanced than any city in Europe. And looming over it all, a great pyramid with blood-stained temples on the top called Templo Mayor. (http://www.pbs.org/opb/conquistadors/mexico/adventure1/pop-tenochtitlan.htm)

Task: Create a map of Tenochtitlan. (In

groups of 3) You must label:

causeways aqueducts dykes Chinampas Templo Mayor palaces gardens temples canals sacred ball game courts markets