Tenochtitlan - A Floating City

Amazing Place

• Tenochtitlan was a special city on two small islands in Lake Texcoco.
• The Aztecs built man-made islands called chinampas to grow food and make the city bigger.

Floating Farms

• Chinampas were made from mud and supported by branches and grass.
• Trees grew on these islands, and they became floating farms for corn, fruit, vegetables, and flowers!

Connections to the World

• Tenochtitlan was connected to the mainland by big, high roads called causeways, which were wide enough for three horsemen to ride side by side.
• Special bridges helped canoes cross from the lake to the city.

A City of Wonders

• When the first Europeans came, they were amazed by Tenochtitlan. The city had:
  • Four main areas with wide roads and public buildings
  • Toilets in homes and public places
  • Garbage collectors using flat-bottom boats
  • Fresh drinking water delivered through an aqueduct from nearby mountains
  • A postal system that delivered mail on canals and bridges
  • Clean streets and buildings
  • Large walls to keep salty water away from the freshwater supply

Busy Markets

• The Aztec empire had small towns and busy markets where everyone traded food like corn, beans, and tomatoes.
• The Tlateloco marketplace in Tenochtitlan was huge, with up to 60,000 people trading goods every day!

Crafty Artisans

• Talented craftsmen came to the market for materials like wood, jade, gold, and feathers.
• They made beautiful sculptures and jewellery, decorating buildings with paintings and gold finishes.

Rulers of the Empire

• Tenochtitlan was the place where the powerful Aztec kings ruled.
• The Aztecs took over other lands and collected taxes from them to pay for their government.
• The king made laws and settled arguments in courts with representatives from different social groups.
• Smart scribes wrote down lots of important knowledge, and each temple had a library!