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 Back - Valley of mexico was a small freshwater basin, and T enochtitlan was on a small island on the western side of Lake Texcoco, connected to the land by man made earth bridges (Hodge 20). - High temperatures in the area made irrigation and water preservation difficult (Endfield 33). - For agriculture, aztecs placed reeds over the lake, then covered it with earth, to grow crops, so that water would not need to be stored for irrigation (Hooker). - Using this technique, The Aztecs were able to still grow crops during the long droughts that commonly hit southern Mexico (Hooker). - After colonisation, the spanish found many difficulties in growing crops due to the very dry climate (Endfield 32-33). - Enclosed by two mountain ranges, the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental (Hodge 13). - The basin is enclosed by mountains of up to 5,500 meters above sea level (Unknown). - Openings in the basin’s mountains allowed for expansion to the north and south. ||  ||  -  T enochtitlan was ruled by and payed tribute to Azcapotzalaco from its creation (unknown date) untill 1428. - Earliest recorded ruler of T enochtitlan was Acamapichtli, known as the “Reed Fist” who ruled between 1372 and 1391 (Hassig 128-132). - Next was Huitzilihhuitl, known as the “hummingbird feather” who ruled between 1391-1417. Tribute to Azcapotzalaco was reduced, but military assistance greatly increased (Hassig 132-136). - Then was Chimalpopoca “he-smokes-like-a-shield” who inhearited the throne at the age of ten and ruled between 1417-1428. Tensions between T enochtitlan and Azcapotzalaco after the fall of Tetzcoco grew, because T enochtitlan now seemed more like an enemy than a valuable ally. Chimalpopoca was assinated by either an enemy, of by his successor, Itzcoatl. (Hassig 136-140) - Itzcoatl “obsidian serpent” ruled 1427-1440. He Waged war against Azcapotzalaco, allying itself with Tlacopan (very close to Azcapotzalaco) and took down the city in 114 days. Battle ended in 1428. He launched 3 major campains futher south and set up the triple alliance in 1430(Hassig 141-156) (Hodge 28). - Meteuczomah Ilhuicamina ruled next, between 1440-1468. Conquered further south, then to the northeast (Hassig 157-175). - Axayacatl, “water-mask” ruled from 1468 to 1481, expanded to the south and the east, then west ( Hassig 176-188). - Tizoc then ruled between 1481-1486, expanding north and southeast. Possible assination by next heir because of his lack of conquest (189-199). - Ahuitzotl “otter” ruled 1486-1502. He expanded the empire to the north east to The Gulf of Mexico, expanding all way south to the Pacific Ocean and expanded along it, almost reaching modern day guatemala (Hassig 200-218). - Final king was Moteuczomah Xocoyotl ruling from 1502, to the spanish conquest of 1520. expanded well into modern day guatemala (Hassig 219-235 ). ||  ||
 * 1. Climate and Geographical Factors || Topography of Valley of Mexico ||
 *  - T enochtitlan was settled on a small island in the valley of mexico (Gilmore-Lehne).
 * 2. Events and Leaders ||  ||

- Expanded by conquering and instituting other city-states into their empire (Hodge 1). - At its peak of power, the aztecs had a political system like that of a state-level system, but resembled also that of an empire. Partially similar to Canadian political system. - The largley important political figures in aztec society were the altepetl (meaning water) and tepetl (hill) which controlled each city-state (Hodge 17). - These city-states have its own government and political ruler from royal linage (Hodge 17). - Each "city-state" contained its own town and rural areas, and it was the center of each town where the center of government was (Hodge 17). - Each town controlled itself and its set rural areas, forming a city-state with its own government (Hodge 17). - Each city-state was governed by a hereditary ruler (known as tlatoani) who lived in the urban center of each town and governed markets (Hodge 17). - In all city states, there were two social classes, the pipiltin (elites), as the royal, elite class, usually decendants of the tlatoani, and the macehualtin (commoners) who payed tributes to the pipiltin to support them (Hodge 21). - The larger part of the political structure was the league, or confederation of city-states. A league was created when large city states banded together for protection and political control (Hodge 18). - Leagues were large sections of land with many city states within them with common interests, sharing resources and manpower. Each league was run by its largest city state (capitals) (Hodge 18). - Each capital had a much larger span of regional control and a much large population and available resources (Hodge 18). ||  || - Armies contained porters who carried supplies for 2 other soldiers and themselves (Hassig 64). - As armies traveled, messengers were sent up ahead to inform towns on the army’s route to stockpile supplies to give to army as it passed through the town. If a town refused to pay tribute, or abandoned before the army arrived, the army could ransack the town (Hassig 64-65). -  Planning for water was more difficult, and plans to follow water routes took quite some time (Hassig 65). - In mesoamerican warfare, the blocking of roads with trees and vines was used quite frequently, delaying armies, and making them take less practical routes (Hassig 71). - Something i mportant to understand about mesoamerican warfare is that a soldier, when in combat, would not want to kill the enemy, but injure and capture them, and, later, sacrifice them to the gods. - Aztecs used a variety of weapons in battle, which were designed to greatly injure the enemy, but not kill them. - A very unique weapon used by the aztecs is the atatlm which were aproximatley 60 centimeters in length which threw darts up to 70 meters, and were quite damaging and could penetrate better than the average aztec arrow. The darts had pronged tips, which made them more difficult to remove from the body (Hassig 75-79). - Bows (averaging 1.5 meters in length) were also used, and uniform arrows were made so archers could better learn to place their shots (Hassig 79-80). - Arrowheads were made of obsidian stone, and proved more effective than steel arrowheads in hunting, and much heavier, which the spanish found quite damaging(Hassig 80). - Slings were also used and were quite damaging to the spansih army, with a range of over 200 meters (Hassig 80). - Spears were quite common, and the heads were known to be even sharper than the steel heads of the spanish (Hassig 81). - Swords made by the aztecs had no points, only very sharp edges, so that the warriors could slash at their enemies, wounding them, rather than stabbing them with a point (Hassig 83). ||  ||
 * 3. Socio-Political Structure || <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> ||
 * - Aztec empire stretched out, conquering and exacting tribute in much of meso-america during 1430-1520ad.
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">5. Transportation and Weaponry || <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Illustration of Common Aztec Weapons ||
 * - All troops traveled by foot to their destinations (Hassig 63).

- Aztec food staple was corn, which was grown using Chinampa architecture, in which you grew plants on earth placed over water using reeds, which were built surrounding the city of T enochtitlan (<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Cóttrill). <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-ansi-language: EN; msoansilanguage: ENmsoAnsiLanguage;"> - Also grown by the aztecs were beans (another important staple) and squash. (<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Cóttrill) <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msoansilanguage: ENmsoAnsiLanguage;"> - c hillies, tomatoes, limes, cashews, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peanuts, were also harvested, and chocolate, having religious significance, was harvested frequently, and eaten for special occasions (<span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Cóttrill). - Turkeys  <span style="font-size: 110%; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msoansilanguage: ENmsoAnsiLanguage;">, dogs, ducks, and bees (for honey) were domesticated by the Aztecs, but these were not included in the average diet (Cóttrill). <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; msoansilanguage: ENmsoAnsiLanguage;"> - T enochtitlan had various marketplaces, which were overseen by the pochteca, or traders. - Pochteca oversaw the pricing and exchanging of goods throughout the marketplace, as well as theft and escaped slaves (Hodge 24). || <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> ||
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">6. Agriculture and the Economy || <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Modern day chinampa architechture ||
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">- The Aztec empire ran off a very precise tribute system, with the city gaining the heaviest tribute being T enochtitlan (Hodge 1).

- It recorded the y ears between 1298 and 1596 (Diel 1). - The Tira was seperated top from bottom, the top for historical recording of Tepechpan, and the bottom for the city state of Tenochtitlan, the capital city of the Aztec Empire (Diel 1). - History was used as a political tool manipulated and used to gain power and respect in their communities (Diel 2). - The Tira was painted on Amate paper (made of bark) these sheets were glued together and folded together like an accordion (Diel 13). - Because paper was too fine to write on, it was first coated with a gresso (plaster) coating, and then painted on (Diel 13). - Once europeans arrived, ink was used instead, the difference between that and the older, watercolour like, paint is obvious (Diel 13). - Text on the Tira suggests that main way to communicate the tira was imagery, while text was added later, for the indigenous tribes, not for the spanish. (Diel 13) - Total, the tira is 625cm long, and 21cm high (Diel 13). - Attachements to the tira suggest that it was updated over time, and different parts added and removed for political use (Diel 13). - Before conquest, tira was drawn by using symbols to represent an idea. Using different methods, such as, a rabbit meaning a rabbit, but a burning temple being a conquest or victory (Diel 14). -when a more precise image was needed, symbolic representation of letters were used, similar to those of the egyptians (Diel 14). || <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> ||
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">9.Art and Literature || <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Photograph of a peice of the Tira de Tepechpan ||
 * - History was recorded through art, year by year on the Tira de Tepechpan. (Diel 1)

<span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Works Cited: Caso, Alfonso. //The Aztecs: People of the Sun.// Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1978

Cóttrill, Jamie. “Aztec food.” //Aztec-History.com//. 2006-2009. May 10th 2009 [] <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Diel, Lori Boornazian. //The Tira de Tepechpan//. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2008.

Endfield, Georgina H.. //Climate and Society in Colonial Mexico.// Malden: Blackwell Publishing, 2008. <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Gilmore-Lehne, William J.**.** “The Civilization of the Aztecs.” //The Cyberspace Research Institute For Central and South America at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey//. Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. May 10th 2009 [] <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hassig, Ross. //Aztec Warfare//. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1988.

Hodge, Mary G. “Aztec City States.” //Studies in Latin American Ethnohistory and Archaeology// volume 3 1984.

Hooker, Richard. “The Mexica/Aztecs” //Civilisations in America.// 1996. May 10th 2009 <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">[] <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Unknown “GIS Gallery” //The Valley of Mexico//. March 2008. May 10th 2009 <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">[]

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