Table of Contents
Why is calpulli important?
The calpulli was the basic holder and distributor of usufruct on land to citizens, and the unit responsible for tribute collection and delivery. Each had its own leader and nobility, as well as a temple and market area.
What were calpulli in Aztec society?
Calpulli were collections of people in small rural villages or political wards in cities who worked in and shared ownership, more or less, of the property and fields. Calpulli were the lowest social order in Aztec society, and the most populous.
What does the word calpulli mean?
Definition of calpulli : a clan or ward constituting the fundamental unit of Aztec society.
What is an altepetl and calpulli?
As stated above, altepetls were the larger city-states that existed throughout Mesoamerica during the time of the Aztec. However, altepetls were made up of several different calpulli. The word ‘calpulli’ translates to ‘large house’ and refers to a small group or clan of people who lived within the altepetl.
Why was Tenochtitlan built on a lake?
Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital, captured in 1521 by the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, stood on islands in old Texcoco, connected to the mainland by causeways. It was hoped that vast areas of rich farmlands would be made available by draining the lake, but the soils proved too saline for cultivation.
Who is in charge of a calpulli?
each was subject to a single local tecuhtli (lord), in charge of providing and administering the distribution of land to the neighbourhood. within each calpulli, families were grouped into units of 20, combining to form major units of 100 households.
How did the Aztecs bring freshwater to Tenochtitlan?
While London still drew its drinking water from the polluted Thames River as late as 1854, the Aztecs brought potable water to Tenochtitlán from springs on the mainland by means of the aqueduct built by Nezahualcoyotl between 1466 and 1478.
Why did the Aztecs build in a lake?
At first, it wasn’t a great place to start a city, but soon the Aztecs built up islands where they could grow crops. The water also worked as a natural defense against attacks from other cities.
Who drained Lake Texcoco?
Lake Texcoco is best known as where the Aztecs built the city of Tenochtitlan, which was located on an island within the lake. After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, efforts to control flooding by the Spanish led to most of the lake being drained.
Why is Mexico called the sinking city?
Mexico City is sinking. So much water has been pumped out from the aquifer beneath it to satisfy the metropolitan area’s 18 million residents that the ground is collapsing underfoot at a stunning rate. Many cities have experienced subsidence.
Why did Aztecs build on water?
Because Lake Texcoco was fed through springs, and not flowing rivers, the lake was shallow and its waters calm. Over time, the Aztecs discovered how to create irrigation systems like aqueducts and build artificial islands on that lake and surrounding bodies of water.
How did the Aztecs built on water?
After the destruction of the original aqueduct, the king of Texcoco, Nezahualcoyotl, ordered the construction of another water system using sturdier materials following the same route as the original. This aqueduct consisted of two mortar lined troughs made of stone masonry.
Why did the Aztecs built on water?
Why was Lake Texcoco important to Aztecs?
Why is Mexico running out of water?
In the sprawling metropolitan area of Monterrey, home to some 5.3 million people, the drought and years of below-average rainfall have led to citywide water shortages. “We’re in an extreme climate crisis,” Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia said at a news conference last week. “Today, we’re all living it and suffering.”
Did the Aztecs build on water?
Over time, the Aztecs discovered how to create irrigation systems like aqueducts and build artificial islands on that lake and surrounding bodies of water. These feats of Tenochtitlan architecture eventually helped support the largest concentration of people found in Mesoamerica at the time.