Aztec

Aztec is a term applied to Nahuatl-speaking peoples who lived in the Valley of Mexico in the centuries before Spanish conquest. Their principal center was the city of Tenochtitlan, built on an island in Lake Texcoco, at the site of present-day Mexico City. Some of these people called themselves Mexica, while "Aztec" is a modern scholarly term that became widely adopted.

The most notable political system was known as the Triple Alliance, comprising Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan. This alliance administered an extensive network of tribute and trade, without entirely replacing local rule but extracting goods and labor.

Economy and agriculture

The economy rested on cultivation of maize, beans, amaranth, and chili. The chinampа system—small plots constructed from lake vegetation and soil—increased agricultural output around the city. Markets, especially that of Tlatelolco, functioned as major commercial centers; goods such as cacao and fine cloth sometimes served as media of exchange.

Religion and belief

The religious system was polytheistic, including deities such as Huitzilopochtli, Tlaloc, and Quetzalcoatl. A dual calendar system—one of 260 days and one of 365 days—governed ceremonies. Human sacrifice was part of major festivals, understood as necessary to maintain cosmic order; reported death counts vary widely among sources.

End of the state

In 1519, Hernán Cortés and his forces reached the coast. Allied with local peoples opposed to Mexica rule—particularly Tlaxcala—and aided by newly introduced diseases such as smallpox, he took Tenochtitlan in 1521. Nahua culture did not end entirely: Nahuatl is still spoken, and many agricultural practices, foods, and place names persist.