Aztec History

Question 1

Tenochtitlan was founded in_____by the______

Answer 1

Tenochtitlan was founded in 1325 by the Aztecs

Question 2

What important event happened in 1250?

Answer 2

Aztecs settled near Lake Texcoco

Question 3

(T/F) Columbus discovered the coast of America in 1943. Justify your answer.

Answer 3

This is FALSE. Columbus discovered the coast of America in 1493.

Question 4

Maize is_____

Answer 4

Corn

Question 5

Describe how Tenochtitlan was founded.

Answer 5

The Mexica people were looking for a new place to settle. An ancient prophesy told them they would build their new city where they saw an eagle would land on a prickly pear/cactus. They saw this occur on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco, and this is where they built Tenochtitlan.

Question 6

(T/F) A Chinampa is a floating garden. Justify your answer:

Answer 6

This is FALSE. A Chinampa is a human-made island where crops are grown. It is not floating.

Question 7

If something is based on or influenced by personal feelings or opinions it is said to be______

Answer 7

SUBJECTIVE

Question 8

What is the definition of ‘polytheistic’

Answer 8

A belief in multiple gods.

Question 9

What is the name of the god of the dead?

Answer 9

Mictlantecuhtli

Question 10

What occurred in human sacrifice?

Answer 10

Priests would lie the sacrifice victim on an altar, remove their beating heart, place the heart in a vessel for the gods.

Question 11

11. (T/F) The Aztecs conducted human sacrifice because they were interested only in killing their enemies. Justify your answer.

Answer 11

FALSE. Aztecs conducted sacrifices to please their gods.

Question 12

Who was the God of spring?

Answer 12

Xipe Totec

Question 13

13. The Aztecs were________

Answer 13

Polytheistic

Question 14

What privileges did the nobles have?

Answer 14

The nobles were allowed to wear cotton, eat chocolate and drink alcoholic beverages.

Question 15

What were the two main classes of Aztecs?

Answer 15

Commoners and Nobles

Question 16

16. Who was most important?
    a. Eagle Warriors
    b. Jaguar Warriors
    c. Priests
    d. Gods

Answer 16

Gods

Question 17

Who were the main enemies of the Aztecs?

Answer 17

Tlaxcalans

Question 18

Where were sacrifices performed?

Answer 18

Temple

Question 19

What were the main differences in education for Aztec boys and girls?

Answer 19

Girls were taught to be a house wife from the mothers. Boys were taught how to fight and harvest from their fathers. Boys also went to school where they learned to be warriors.

Question 20

What was the Aztec’s main economic activity?

Answer 20

Farming

Question 21

How did the Aztecs farm?

Answer 21

They grew crops on chinampas.

Question 22

With whom did the Aztecs trade?

Answer 22

Each other

Question 23

When was the Age of Exploration?

Answer 23

The mid 15th century to the early 17th century.

Question 24

What was the Age of Exploration?

Answer 24

It was a time when Europeans were motivated to discover new lands.

Question 25

Which of the following is not one of the reasons why explorers wanted to discover new lands:

a. God
b. Gold
c. Glory
d. Gardening

Answer 25

Gardening

Question 26

Why didn’t Columbus explore for the Italian government?

Answer 26

The Italian government would not provide funding, so he worked for the Spanish instead.

Question 27

How can you find accurate primary sources from the time of the Aztecs?

Answer 27

You would need to locate Aztec codices made before the Spanish arrived. You could also use firsthand accounts of Spanish people who encountered the Aztecs, but these might be biased.

Question 28

Why is it difficult to find good written sources by the Aztecs?

Answer 28

Firstly, Aztecs didn’t have ‘writing’ as such; they made records in picture form using the codex.
Secondly, Spanish conquistadors destroyed a lot of the Aztec codices when they arrived.
Thirdly, although Aztecs were permitted to keep making codices after the Spanish arrived, the Spanish were supervising them (so they may not be accurate).

Question 29

Why is it important to consider different perspectives when studying history? Use an example from this term to illustrate your point.

Answer 29

Perspective means point of view. In any historical event, there will be multiple points of view that need to be considered before making a judgement about what really happened. For example, the Spanish believed the Aztec practice of human sacrifice was barbaric, evil and disgusting because, from their point of view, it went against their own religious beliefs and sense of decency. However, the Aztecs believed this practice was necessary, natural and correct because from their point of view it was an important part of their religious belief system.

Question 30

Which two European countries were the major sea powers of Columbus’s time?

Answer 30

Portugal and Spain

Question 31

What were the names of Columbus’s three ships on his first voyage? How did his flagship differ from the other two vessels?

Answer 31

-Pinta
-Nina
-Santa Maria
His flag ship was a Nao, which was a much larger and heavier ship.

Question 32

Which explorers had previously sailed around the southern tip of Africa?

Answer 32

The Portuguese explorers-Bartholomew Dias and Vasco da Gama

Question 33

Why did Columbus call the inhabitants of the lands he discovered ‘Indians’?

Answer 33

He believed that his voyages had been along the eastern coasts of Asia. Columbus sailed west from Portugal, this convinced his that this would lead him to the ‘Far East” or the Indies.

Question 34

How many days did it take Columbus’s fleet to sail from Spain to the New World?

Answer 34

70 days

Question 35

How did Columbus’s route to the Indies differ from that of Dias and da Gama’s?

Answer 35

Dias and da Gama sailed south around the tip of Africa and Columbus sailed west from Portugal.

Question 36

How many times did Columbus actually set foot on the mainland of the American continent?

Answer 36

Twice