Turquoise was considered very valuable by the Aztec. Turquoise was often used to create artwork—like this snake.

Looking at Tenochtitlán, you’d never guess that the Aztec were once a small, weak group. Their ancestors lived in what is now the southwestern United States. They hunted animals and gathered wild plants. To find food, the group moved from place to place.

Over the years, the Aztec migrated, or moved, south and eventually wound up near Lake Texcoco in what is now central Mexico. It seemed like a good place to live, but there was just one problem. People already lived there.

The Unexpected Empire

The people living near Lake Texcoco didn’t want to give up their land. They forced the Aztec onto a few small islands. They figured that would keep the newcomers out of the way.

The plan did not quite work the way they thought it would. On the islands, the Aztec learned how to farm. Freed from the need to move around, they began building towns. They built something else, too—a strong army.

Soon the Aztec started to conquer their neighbors. By the time the Spaniards arrived in 1519, the Aztec ruled a wealthy empire that covered most of central Mexico.

The Aztec were tough rulers. They forced the people they had conquered to give them food, gold, and other valuable things. Not surprisingly, many of these people hated the Aztec.