Vocabulary
What is a basin?
A. A flat, elevated plateau
B. A narrow mountain pass
C. A bowl-shaped area
D. A steep cliff face
C. A bowl-shaped area
Where was the center of the Aztec Empire?
a) Yucatán Peninsula
b) Valley of Mexico
c) Sierra Madre Mountains
d) Gulf Coast Lowlands
b) Valley of Mexico
The Aztec kingdom was part of a political agreement called the Triple what?
a) Treaty
b) Union
c) Alliance
d) Federation
c) Alliance
The Aztecs had a well-developed writing system.
a) true
b) false
b) false
How were chinampas used by the Aztec?
The Aztec used them for farmland.
What are Chinampas?
A. Natural lakes used for irrigation
B. Floating boats for transportation
C. Artificial islands
D. Underground tunnels for farming
C. Artificial islands
At the center of the Valley of Mexico, the Aztecs established their capital near a large lake called what?
a) Lake Chapala
b) Lake Pátzcuaro
c) Lake Texcoco
d) Lake Cuitzeo
c) Lake Texcoco
Who was the most important ruler in the Triple Alliance after 1428?
a) The King of Tlacopan
b) The High Priest of Tenochtitlán
c) The King of Texcoco
d) The Aztec King
d) The Aztec King
Besides spoken words, the Aztec oral tradition was also expressed through what form of artistic creation, even by kings?
a) Sculptures
b) Paintings
c) Poetry
d) Music
c) Poetry
How were dikes used by the Aztec?
The Aztec used them to separate fresh water from salt water.
What is a dike?
A. A type of irrigation canal
B. A wall to hold back water
C. A natural riverbank
D. A wooden bridge over a stream
B. A wall to hold back water
To connect their island city to the mainland, the Aztecs constructed raised pathways or linear platforms called what?
a) Aqueducts
b) Causeways
c) Terraces
d) Chinampas
b) Causeways
The Aztec society was mainly divided into which two broad social classes?
a) Emperors and commoners
b) Nobles and slaves
c) Nobles and commoners
d) Priests and warriors
c) Nobles and commoners
The text mentions that several words from the Aztec language passed into Spanish and then into English. Name one of the food items listed as an example.
a) Chocolate
b) Potato
c) Corn
d) Rice
a) Chocolate
How did the location and environment of the Aztec help them conquer an empire?
The location was easily defended and provided food for armies.
What is an Aqueduct?
A. Canals or pipes that carry fresh water
B. A tunnel for transporting goods
C. A bridge built over rivers
D. A dam used to store rainwater
A. Canals or pipes that carry fresh water
By the early 1500s, the Aztec empire extended from central Mexico to where?
a) Florida
b) California
c) Guatemala
d) Texas
c) Guatemala
What did the Aztecs believe would happen to Huitzilopochtli if they did not offer human sacrifices?
a) He would become angry and send plagues.
b) He would grow weak, and the sun would not rise.
c) He would abandon them and favor other tribes.
d) The other gods would overthrow him.
b) He would grow weak, and the sun would not rise.
what was the largest structure at the heart of the Aztec capital, surrounded by palaces and temples?
a) The Great Pyramid of Cholula
b) The Temple of Quetzalcoatl
c) The Palace of the Emperor
d) The Templo Mayor (or Great Temple)
d) The Templo Mayor (or Great Temple)
Why were Aztec storytellers important?
The Aztec relied on storytellers to pass down their history.
Which word means fixed or unchanging?
A. Flexible
B. Rigid
C. Temporary
D. Loose
B. Rigid
The Aztec empire was known for its fierce warriors and rarely suffering what?
a) Famine
b) Rebellion
c) Disease
d) Defeat
d) Defeat
What two main things were the life of most Aztec commoners centered on?
a) Trade and negotiation with neighboring cultures
b) Religious ceremonies and temple service
c) Military training and participation in warfare
d) Farming and household duties
d) Farming and household duties
Aztec artists used the brightly colored feathers of what kind of birds to make items like headdresses and capes?
a) Eagles
b) Tropical birds
c) Hawks
d) Waterfowl
b) Tropical birds
Explain how tribute could have strengthened the Aztec empire and led to more conquests.
Tribute made the empire richer and that probably convinced the Aztec to want to conquer more land. Tribute allowed the Aztec to pay more for troops, who could conquer more land.