What are methods of farming did the Aztecs use?
To grow all this food, the Aztecs used two main farming methods: the chinampas and terracing. Chinampas were essentially man-made islands, raised bed gardens on the surface of Lake Texcoco’s shallow waters. The Aztecs centered their empire in the Valley of Mexico, with its central basin leading up into the mountains surrounding the valley.
What was the farming like for the Aztecs?
Aztec Economy: Farming and Agriculture. Agriculture was one of the most important sources of sustenance for the Aztec economy. Since the capital city was founded on a swampy ground, Aztecs used a special method of farming called “chinampa”. In this method, small rectangular areas of land were used to grow crops on the shallow lake beds of ...
How did the Aztecs get more land for farming?
The Aztecs centered their empire in the Valley of Mexico, with its central basin leading up into the mountains surrounding the valley. To use the hilly land for farming, the Aztecs terraced the hills by cutting into them. They then built a restraining wall to form a step in the hillside so that the land on the step can be used for crops.
Did the Aztecs have any advanced farming techniques?
Very innovative Aztec technology was used for farming and agriculture. The most important aspect of Aztec technology for agriculture was the farming method called “chinampa” in which the land was divided into rectangular areas and farmed through canals. This was an artificial island built on the swampy ground.
Did the Aztecs have farming?
Much of Aztec life was built around farming, which was extremely necessary to sustain the growing population. Since the land that the Aztecs farmed was not fertile enough to grow enough food to support the population, the Aztecs were forced to invent methods to increase productivity.
How did the Aztecs grow their crops?
Chinampas. Chinampas were artificially raised and flooded fields used for cultivation, and they covered large areas of the Chalco-Xochimilco basin and greatly increased the agricultural capacity of the land.
What tools did Aztecs use for farming?
The most important tool for Aztec farming and agriculture was the classic wooden digging stick. This stick was called Uictli in the Nahuatl language. There were multiple types of these digging sticks and other than farming, it was often also used for other purposes such as construction and repair work.
When did the Aztecs start farming?
There are several advantages to this system of farming, which began c. 800 CE, most obvious of which is the economical use of space. In effect, the Aztecs made new land in the water, a necessary feat to feed an urban center like Tenochtitlan, which was built in the center of the large Lake Texcoco.
How did the Aztecs use the hilly land for farming?
To use the hilly land for farming, the Aztecs terraced the hills by cutting into them. They then built a restraining wall to form a step in the hillside so that the land on the step can be used for crops. The chinampas farms were man-made plots of land built up from the sedimentation from the bottom of the lake.
What did the terraces do to the Aztecs?
To bring water to these fields, Aztecs farmers dug irrigation canals in the soil. The terraces also grew the Aztecs major crops, providing an extra layer of protection for its vital agricultural production , on which the empire depended.
What were the three staples of the Aztec diet?
Three crops formed the staples of the Aztec diet: maize, or corn, beans and squash. Each of these three plants assists the others when they are grown together. For example, corn takes nitrogen from the soil, which beans then replace. Bean plants need firm support on which to grow; corn stalks provide that support.
What were the Chinampas farms?
The chinampas farms were man-made plots of land built up from the sedimentation from the bottom of the lake. The Aztecs created large reed mats, which they floated in the shallows, the edges of which were built of woven twigs and branches attached to posts anchored in the lakebed.
What was the Aztec economy based on?
Due to its island location the Aztec economy was based primarily on agriculture in the form of chinampas. Also referred to as ‘floating gardens’ chinampas were mounds of dirt and other debris built up in the shallow, swampy areas of Lake Texcoco which surrounded Tenochtitlan.
Which empire used the farming technique?
It was a common practice throughout Mesoamerica but the Aztec Empire was the first to use the farming technique on a mass scale. The Aztec farmers had to follow a few key points to create the chinampas. First, the farmers would use wooden stakes to section off the area they were going to build up.
What was the Aztec Empire?
Throughout its history as a civilization the Aztec Empire expanded across much of central Mexico and other surrounding areas, to become the most dominant and powerful people in the region. Tenochtitlan, the main Aztec city (or altepetl), was the center of this vast empire. The Aztec had a diverse range of food items that made up their diet. ...
When was maize first grown?
Maize is a cereal grain that was likely first grown by humans over 10,000 years ago in modern-day Mexico. As such, by the time of the Aztec Empire, maize had a long history of use in farming practices in Mexico.
Did the Spanish take cacao beans back to Europe?
Chocolate was surprising for the Spanish, since the cacao bean had only ever grown in the New World prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 15th and 16th centuries. Eventually, the Spanish took the cacao bean back to Europe with them and it has since spread worldwide.
What tools did the Aztecs use to farm?
Aztecs also used farming methods on the mainland, with crops and gardens, experimental and personal, grown. Aztec farmers did not use ploughs or any wheeled vehicles, instead only using simple wooden digging sticks and wooden hoes. Farmers grew a variety of different crops, particularly maize, beans, and squash.
Did the Aztecs use terrace farming?
Other methods of Aztec agriculture In addition to chinampas, the Aztec farmers practiced terracing to provide more usable land. In terracing, walls of stone were created in hillsides, then filled in to create deeper soil that could be used, even if the land wasn’t flat.
What system did the Aztecs use?
The Aztec government was similar to a monarchy where an Emperor or King was the primary ruler. They called their ruler the Huey Tlatoani. The Huey Tlatoani was the ultimate power in the land. They felt that he was appointed by the gods and had the divine right to rule.
Did the Aztecs use intercropping?
Agrotechnologies. One of the greatest challenges for Aztec farmers was the poor condition of highland soils and the lack of arable land. Multiple agrotechnologies were brought together to address these problems. To increase the amount of cultivatable terrain, Aztec farmers built terraces along piedmont hillslopes.
How many Aztec gods are there?
The Aztecs believed in a complex and diverse pantheon of gods and goddesses. In fact, scholars have identified more than 200 deities within Aztec religion. The Aztec gods were divided into three groups, each supervising one aspect of the universe: weather, agriculture and warfare.
What crops did Aztecs grow?
Once the floating island was secure and useable, the Aztecs used it to plant their principal crop: corn. They also grew various vegetables (such as avocados, beans, chili peppers, squash, and tomatoes), and sometimes—even flowers.
What did the Aztecs drink?
Water, maize gruels and pulque (iztāc octli), the fermented juice of the century plant (maguey in Spanish), were the most common drinks, and there were many different fermented alcoholic beverages made from honey, cacti and various fruits.
What was the main source of food for the Aztecs?
The Aztecs grew their own food and produced it in very plentiful quantities to be able to feed their population of over 750,000 people. Agricultural products were the main source ...
Why were the Aztecs so popular?
Part of the reason they were so popular, was because chocolate could easily be created from cacao beans. The Aztec empire was famous for its amazing chocolate. Agriculture of the Aztecs was also known for its advanced farming techniques. A civilization can not be famous for its agriculture without excellent farmers.
What is the Aztec farming year?
Maize and the Aztec farming year. Traditionally, the Mexica/Aztec year has been seen as divided into two halves: the rainy (farming) season ruled by Tlaloc and the dry (war) season, ruled by Huitzilopochtli - depicted symbolically in the ‘twin towers’ atop the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan (see the illustration, right, by Miguel Covarrubias).
How many varieties of maize are there in Mesoamerica?
Secondly, in the Mesoamerican region there were and are several (estimates range from 40 to over 60) varieties of maize, each with its own germination period and other properties - and colours (principally red, black, yellow and white (pic 2).
How long did corn seed soak before planting?
The seed was then shelled and soaked in water for two or three days to allow it to swell before planting. In the meantime the farmer prepared the cornfield, breaking up the ground with his digging-stick, and hilling up the earth into little hummocks arranged in rows about a yard apart.
Is maize sacred in Mesoamerica?
Whilst maize, ubiquitous, essential - indeed sacred - staple in the Mesoamerican diet, can grow in virtually any environment and landscape, its Achilles’ heal is its vulnerability to frost. Not surprisingly, the Mexica called on a host of deities or life forces to assist them each year in producing abundant crops.
