There is much to learn about the Aztec people. The Aztec's were very skilled artists, fierce soldiers
and defenders of their land, and they built a beautiful city surrounding an amazing architectural
landmark, the Great Temple. Their capitol, Tenochtitlan, was a very organized city and the Aztec's
established a very strict government. However, eventually, the Aztec's and their city were ruined by
Spanish explorers in search of riches and new land.
It is your job as Historian to learn more about the Aztec way of life, their culture, and their history.
Your contribution to your group project will include:
� A hand-drawn, colored picture of your choice on a 5.5 x 8.5 piece of paper that illustrates some
aspect of their lifestyle or an important feature of their culture. You might consider creating a collage
that shows the various activities that took place regularly at the Temple, how people lived
(neighborhoods, houses, communities), the roles of women, men, and children, Aztec agriculture
(the kinds of crops grown for food), or trading.
� A 4 paragraph essay (20 sentences) about one of historical topic (of those mentioned above).
Your essay must include:
- An introduction that clearly states the topic (Temple functions, lifestyle, roles of women...)
- A paragraph that describes the topic (what it is, who is involved)
- A paragraph that explains why this aspect of Aztec history is important (why people did it, what
is the purpose, how it affected the lives of Aztec people)
- A conclusion (what your group has learned from this piece of history, what others can learn from
the Aztecs)
The following websites have been gathered to help you find the information you need to do your
research. Good luck!
Internet Links
Aztec Writing
http://www.angelfire.com/ca/humanorigins/writing.html#aztec
Ancient Mesoamerica
http://www.ancientmexico.com/content/map/index.html
Who Were the Aztecas?
http://www.azteca.net/aztec/mexica.html
Mexico-Tenochtitlan: Ancient City
Information about the rise and fall of Tenochtitlan
http://www.mexicocity.com.mx/anc_city.html
Tenochtitlan
History of the city and information about the excavation
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/archaeology/sites/meso_america/tenochtitlan.html
Organization of the Aztec Empire
http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/kids/history/html/conquista/imperio.html
Tenochtitlan on Encyclopedia.com
http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/T/Tenochti.asp
PBS "Conquistadors"
http://www.pbs.org/opb/conquistadors/home.htm
The Roots of the City
http://www.mexicocity.com.mx/history1.html
The Guggenheim's The Aztec Empire
http://www.guggenheim.com/exhibitions/aztecs/
The Ancient Aztecs
http://library.thinkquest.org/27981/index.html