You might want to use the Mexico Lore weblink in the Resources panel which contains lots of information that can help with your research.
Explain the importance of religion in Aztec and modern Mexico, and if you think that importance has changed over time. Use this space to express your ideas in a paragraph.
What continuities are there between Aztec and modern- day religion in Mexico?
What types of change have occurred in Aztec religion?
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As a class, discuss how much the Aztec culture influences modern-day Mexico.
6.3
Exercise
Learning pathways LEVEL1 1, 2, 3
LEVEL2
LEVEL3
4, 5
6, 7, 8
REMEMBER AND UNDERSTAND 1. Using SOURCE1 and your understanding from reading the text, identify which of the following statements does not accurately describe the city of Tenochtitlan. A. Tenochtitlan was a city built on five swampy islands in the middle of Lake Texcoco. B. Tenochtitlan was connected to the lake’s edges by three causeways and all parts of the city could be accessed by either roads or canals. C. People travelled on foot or by bike and goods were transported by horse-drawn carriages. D. Pyramid-style buildings dominated the skyline and chinampas were used to grow crops to feed the city. 2. Some key differences between the diet of the nobility and that of the commoners were that the nobility had a drink made from chocolate and an alcoholic drink called octli made from the sap of the maguey plant. True or False? 3. Why might the Aztecs’ common use of the death penalty not have shocked the Spanish?
A. The Spanish didn’t believe that it occurred. B. The penalty was hidden from the Spanish. C. Spanish law was also harsh.
D. The penalty was never actually carried out. 4. Recall three key aspects of Aztec religion. ANALYSE AND APPLY 5. Analyse SOURCE3 . Identify features of the illustrations that could help you identify the different gods if there were no labels. 6. Explain how SOURCE4 supports the argument that religion was important to the Aztecs. 7. Explain why the battles between the Tlaxcalans and the Aztecs left fewer casualties than European battles. 8. Compare and contrast SOURCES4 and 5 with reference to the image they portray of Aztec culture. a. If you referred to only one image, how accurate and reliable do you think your impression of the Aztecs wouldbe? b. Using your responses to part a , explain why it is important for students of history to refer to a number of different sources. Answers and sample responses for this topic are available online.
TOPIC6 The Spanish and the Americas 131
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