Aztec Engineers

You are an Aztec engineer. The emperor has called on you to solve some of the problems that come with living on an island like Tenochtitlan. On the back of this paper, you’ll see what adaptations are available to you.

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As you encounter the challenges, draw the icons representing the adaptation you would use to solve it directly on the map below.

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For each choice, on a separate paper, complete this sentence frame.

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To solve this problem, I would build ________________ because___________________.

Name: ____________________________

Period: _____

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Dike – Barriers built to hold back or control water. They are essentially walls built in the water. They protect land from flooding and help manage water levels.

Causeway – Raised roads or paths that connect places across water or soft ground. They make travel and movement easier and more reliable. They were often built in segments with each connected by a drawbridge that could be raised at any time.

Chinampas – Artificial, meaning man-made, strips of land built up from shallow water to create more usable ground. They help turn wet areas into stable, productive spaces. Chinampas are very fertile and can often grow 2-3 times the crops per year as normal land.

Deep-Root Trees – Trees with long, strong roots that anchor deeply into the ground. They are often built along the shoreline to help hold soil in place and prevent erosion.

Wooden Pilings– Thick wooden posts driven deep into the ground or lakebed. They provide a relatively simple and quick way to provide a strong foundation for building on soft or unstable surfaces.

Aqueduct – Structures designed to move water (usually for drinking) from one location to another. They help control where water flows and ensure it reaches needed areas.

Canal – Man-made waterways that create water paths through an area. They help organize water movement for transportation or control.

Adaptation

Icon

Here are some of the ways Aztec engineers adapted their land. Add the icons shown here to your map to solve the challenges to come!

Stone Foundation - Layers of stone used to create stable bases for buildings. They help structures, especially large ones, stay level and last longer on soft or uneven ground.

Name: ____________________________

Period: _____

1. A Massive Structure Is Sinking

A huge stone building in the center of your island is slowly sinking into the ground. The soil underneath is wet, soft, and unstable, and the weight of the structure is causing it to tilt.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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2. Flooding Threatens the City

Water levels rise dramatically during certain times of year. Homes and roads near the water’s edge are regularly damaged or washed away.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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3. Limited Space for Food Production�The city is surrounded by water, leaving very little flat land available to grow enough food for everyone.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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4. Evacuation!

If something (or someone) bad arrives, you need a quick way to escape the island.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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5. Salt Water Is Ruining the Drinking Supply

Fresh water from the western half of the lake is mixing with salty water from the east. As a result, much of the nearby water is no longer safe to drink, even though plenty of water still exists.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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Read each crisis then write which adaptation(s) you would add to help solve it.

To solve this problem, I would build ________________ because___________________.

Aztec Engineers

6. Travel Across Water Is Slow and Dangerous�Important areas are separated by water. Boats are not always reliable, especially during storms or heavy winds, making movement risky.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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7. Fresh Water Is Hard to Access�Clean drinking water exists far away on the northern shores, but the area where people live does not naturally have enough safe water nearby.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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8. Soft Ground Makes Building Impossible�You want to build more houses outside the center of the island to support your growing population, but the ground is so muddy that placing buildings directly on it causes them to shift, crack, or collapse.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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9. Erosion Is Wearing Away the Shoreline�Heavy winds blowing from the east are slowing breaking apart the edges of the land as water moves against them. Over time, usable land on that side of the island is disappearing.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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CONCLUSIONS

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10. Which of these adaptations do you feel was the most useful? Explain.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

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11. Do these adaptations lead you to believe the Aztecs were advanced? Why or why not?

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