The Aztec Indians, who are known for their .
domination of southern and central Mexico, ruled between the .
14th and 16th centuries. Their name is derived from .
Azatlan, the homeland of the north. The Aztecs also call .
themselves Mexica and there language came from the Nahuatlan .
branch of the Uto-Aztecan family.
The Aztecs were formed after the Toltec civilization .
occurred when hundreds of civilians came towards Lake .
texcoco. Late families were unfortunate and were forced to .
go to the swamp lands. In the swamp lands there was only .
one piece of land to farm on and it was totally surrounded .
by more marshes . The Aztec families some how converted .
these disadvantages to a might empire known as they Aztec .
Empire. People say the empire was partially formed by a .
deeply believed legend. As the the legend went it said that .
Aztec people would create a empire on in a swampy place .
where they would see an eagle eating a snake while perched .
on a cactus which is growing out of a rock in the .
swamplands. This is what priests claimed they saw while .
entering the new land.
By the year 1325 Their capital city was finished. .
They called it Tenochtitlan. In the the capital city .
aqueducts (piping) were constructed, bridges were built, and .
chinapas were made. Chinapas were little islands formed by .
pilled up mud. On these chinapas Aztecs grew corn, beans, .
chili peppers, squash, tomatoes, and tobacco. Tenochtitlan .
(the capital city) was covered in giant religious statues in .
order to pay their respects to the gods. In the Aztec .
religion numerous gods controlled an Aztec's daily life. .
Some of these gods include: Uitzilpochtli (the sun god), .
Coyolxauhqui (the moon goddess), Tlaloc (the rain god), and .
Quetzalcoatl (the inventor of the calendar and writing). .
Another part of the Aztec religion was human sacrifices.