The Aztecs

            The Aztec Indians, who are known for their .
             domination of southern and central Mexico, ruled between the .
             14th and 16th centuries. Their name is derived from .
             Azatlan, the homeland of the north. The Aztecs also call .
             themselves Mexica and there language came from the Nahuatlan .
             branch of the Uto-Aztecan family.
             The Aztecs were formed after the Toltec civilization .
             occurred when hundreds of civilians came towards Lake .
             texcoco. Late families were unfortunate and were forced to .
             go to the swamp lands. In the swamp lands there was only .
             one piece of land to farm on and it was totally surrounded .
             by more marshes . The Aztec families some how converted .
             these disadvantages to a might empire known as they Aztec .
             Empire. People say the empire was partially formed by a .
             deeply believed legend. As the the legend went it said that .
             Aztec people would create a empire on in a swampy place .
             where they would see an eagle eating a snake while perched .
             on a cactus which is growing out of a rock in the .
             swamplands. This is what priests claimed they saw while .
             entering the new land.
             By the year 1325 Their capital city was finished. .
             They called it Tenochtitlan. In the the capital city .
             aqueducts (piping) were constructed, bridges were built, and .
             chinapas were made. Chinapas were little islands formed by .
             pilled up mud. On these chinapas Aztecs grew corn, beans, .
             chili peppers, squash, tomatoes, and tobacco. Tenochtitlan .
             (the capital city) was covered in giant religious statues in .
             order to pay their respects to the gods. In the Aztec .
             religion numerous gods controlled an Aztec's daily life. .
             Some of these gods include: Uitzilpochtli (the sun god), .
             Coyolxauhqui (the moon goddess), Tlaloc (the rain god), and .
             Quetzalcoatl (the inventor of the calendar and writing). .
             Another part of the Aztec religion was human sacrifices. .
             For their sacrifices the priest would lay the man or woman .
             over a convex (rounded) stone, then he would take a sharp .