The Aztecs were originally a Northern tribe of Hunter-Gatherers who eventually travelled Southwards to Mesoamerica.
Tenochtitlan
WHAT!!!!
Due to earlier explorations by Spanish explorer Francisco Hernandez, the Cuban governor wanted to invest age, so he sent a large force of men under the command of Hernan Cortes, with the mission of gaining information and scouting. When learning about the Aztecs, Cortes decided to prepare for a full scale invasion which did go against the governors orders, but he wanted to conquer them anyways.
Cortes vs Moctezuma
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The great Aztec rulers such as Iztcoatl and Montezuma would help lead the Aztecs and their allied tribes to defeat the rival empire of the Tepanec and help conquer most of Mesoamerica. By the 1500’s the Aztecs had grown from a small city to have a population of over 5 million people and over 500 city states under their control.
The Fall of the Aztec Empire
In 1325 the Aztecs would build the city of Tenochitan on top of the Lake Texcoco. They built the city on top of the lake when due to a sign from the gods, which was an eagle perched on a cactus holding the snake, which would later be inspiration for the Mexican flag.
On November 19, 1521, the Spanish army led by Hernan Cortes reached the great city of Tenochtitan, who were surprisingly welcomed to the city with open arms my Montezuma II. Why is that? Well Montezuma believed the Spanish were the god Quetzalcoatl due to many prophecies and “signs from the gods”, theses beliefs would ultimately lead to the Aztec’s downfall.
Cortes led a full on attack on the Aztecs, and while the Aztecs had the numbers, they were no match for superior European weaponry, the use of diseases and other tribes once loyal to them. Montezuma was later captured and died, causing the empire to become unstable and collapse. The Spanish would later colonize the area, and build the city of Mexico City on the once great city of Tenochtitlan ruins.