The Philippines’ Path to Independence
9-12
2
The Aztec Empire
Lesson Details
Grade Level
6-8
Duration (minutes)
1
Summary
A World History lesson on the Aztec Empire, exploring their capital city Tenochtitlan, the floating garden farming technique called chinampas, and their pioneering system of mandatory education.
Student Worksheet: The Aztec Empire
Teacher Note: Students can watch the video lesson above and answer the questions. Click the “Teacher Answer Key” dropdown below when you are ready to review the solutions!
Key Concepts:
• Tenochtitlan: The capital city of the Aztec Empire, built on an island in the middle of a lake.
• Causeways: Raised roads built over the water, connecting Tenochtitlan to the mainland.
• Chinampas: Floating gardens made of woven reeds and mud, used to grow corn, beans, and squash year-round.
• Education: The Aztecs created one of the first systems of mandatory education for both boys and girls, regardless of social class.
Instructions: Read each question carefully and write your answer in the space provided.
- Question 1: What was the name of the Aztec capital city, and where was it built?
- Question 2: What are causeways, and why did the Aztecs need them?
- Question 3: What are chinampas, and what were they used for?
- Question 4: What crops did the Aztecs grow using chinampas?
- Question 5: What was unique about the Aztec education system for its time?
- Question 6: Approximately how many people lived in Tenochtitlan, and why was that population size impressive?
Click to reveal Teacher Answer Key
1. Tenochtitlan, built on an island in the middle of a lake.
2. Raised roads built over the water; they connected the island city to the mainland.
3. Floating gardens made of woven reeds and rich mud, used for farming.
4. Corn, beans, and squash.
5. It was mandatory for both boys and girls, regardless of their social class — an early example of universal education.
6. Over 200,000 people; that’s a huge population for a city built on an island, requiring advanced farming and engineering to support.
Disclaimer: This worksheet was generated with AI assistance based on original video content. It is intended for educational reference only. Teachers are encouraged to review and adjust questions to fit their curriculum standards before classroom use.
🎯 Extension Activity: Have students design their own chinampa on paper, labeling what it's made of and what crops they'd grow, then write 2-3 sentences explaining why this farming method was so important for a city built on an island.