... the conquistadors marched in with stamping horses and roaring canons, the dusty, snake-eating Aztecs were living in earthen dens on an unpromising island in Lake Tetzcoco. Among the many Indian groups that contended for domination of the area in the 13th century, the Aztecs stood out ... were misinformed about them. By 1519, designated as the year 1 Reed on the Aztec calendar, buildings erected over many generations covered a once-uninhabited island in the southwest corner of broad, marshy Lake Tetzcoco with a dazzling array of temples, palaces, homes for the upper classes, and public f...

• Word Count: 4480
• Approx Pages: 18
• Grade Level: High School