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1 Graphic novel

2 mexico city, according to legend, an eagle with a snake in its beak led an ancient people to build a great city on that marshy land. today, mexico city, with over 8 million people, is one of the largest cities in the world. hundreds of years ago, however, the area was a marshy lake. it is believed that the aztec arrived in the central valley of mexico around a.d stay close, children. warriors? we don't want their kind here. when the aztec first arrived, the people who already lived there did not want them to settle in the area. they were afraid of the aztec.

3 what are we gonna do? nobody likes us! relax, we're the aztec. we are accustomed to a nomadic way of life. one day our god huitzilopochtli will lead us to the promised land. huitzilopochtli we have helped you to defeat your enemies, chief, just as you requested. the chiefs of some of the nearby city-states often asked the aztec to help subdue their warring neighbors. when the aztec did as they were asked, they were rewarded and allowed to stay a little longer. i will give you this fine piece of land. heh heh heh. eventually one king rewarded them with a barren piece of land infested with poisonous snakes. he thought that the snakes would destroy the aztec.

4 the aztec roasted the snakes and prospered. the aztec settled for a while, but when they came under attack from a much larger army, they fled to the marshes around lake texcoco. uh oh. look! on that cactus! the eagle eating a snake! we're here! legend says that they saw the promised sign from their god huitzilopochtli. this is where they would make their home.

5 you will call this city tenochtitlan. excellent! we have built a magnificent city. the biggest temple was built to honor you, huitzilopochtli. tenochtitlan? what does it mean? it means "place of the prickly pear cactus." it was perfect. although it was close to the equator, the altitude kept the temperature about 65 degrees year round. the surrounding water of the lake protected the city from attack. an aqueduct brought fresh water from the mountains. the lake's waters also provided food, including edible algae... fish ducks life was good...

6 ...until about fantastic! it seems they've built rows of small islands around the city. they look like floating gardens for flowers and crops. genius! hernan cortes...filled with beautiful flowers and plants. bernal diaz del castillo i love the smell of tenochtitlan in the morning. and they have aviaries filled with thousands of species of birds. wow! look, rooftop flower gardens... they even have a zoo filled with carnivores and reptiles.

7 this must be a dream! what should we do, hernan? this city is larger and far more beautiful than our hometown. the streets are very clean. three cheers for hernan! you'll write a letter to the king tonight, bernal. tell him what we have seen. tomorrow we'll go down there and introduce ourselves.

8 Tenochtitlan GRAPHIC NOVEL Background Summary Much of what we know about the early life of the Aztec and the founding of the great city of Tenochtitlán is based on myth. According to their earliest legends, the Aztec believed they were born in the center of the Earth and came into the world through seven caves. Their first settlement was Aztlán, which most likely existed along Mexico s northwest coast. Around A.D. 1116, the Aztec moved south. They wandered for more than 100 years, settling in neighboring cities until their aggressive ways convinced their hosts to force the Aztec to move on. Sometime around 1300, the Aztec reached the shores of Lake Texcoco in the Valley of Mexico. Because the best lands in the region were taken by more powerful peoples, the Aztec settled in swampy areas. Eventually, they began to build their great city on the island where, according to legend, they saw an eagle perched on a cactus. Tenochtitlán quickly developed into a massive city, with huge temples and marketplaces. Wealthy priests, warriors, and traders led a highly organized society. By the time Hernán Cortés and his Spanish army arrived, Tenochtitlán had over 300,000 residents and stood at the center of an empire of some six million people. Following the Spanish invasion in 1519, however, the Aztec empire rapidly crumbled. Within two years, Aztec dominance in the region was destroyed. Although today, the splendor of Tenochtitlán lies buried beneath the streets of Mexico City, the legacy of the Aztec continues in many aspects of Mexican culture. Activities Listing Have students research the influence of the Aztec on modern Mexico s food, language, art, and culture. Ask students to list their findings and write a sentence or two about each. Writing Have students conduct further research into the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Ask students to write a short report explaining how a relatively small number of Spanish soldiers were able to defeat and destroy the Aztec Empire which consisted of about six million people. Ask: What was the Spaniards reason for going to war against these people? What role do you think other people in the region played in the conquest?