The land-filled lake bed turned out to be a soggy support for the immense buildings that have been The Spaniards alsoĭrained the lakes, preferring wheels and horses (which they introduced to Mexico) over canals and canoes for transport. For much of the construction material the Spaniards quarried the local porous, volcanic reddish stone called tezontle. Of contemporary medieval cities, it followed the grid pattern of the Aztecs. On top of the ruins of their city, and using rubble from it, they were forced to build what became the most European-style city in North America. He utilized the slave labor - and the artistry (Aztec is the Spaniards' name for the Mexica.) At the site of Tenochtitlán's demolished ceremonialĬenter - now the 10-acre Zócalo - Cortés started building a church (the precursor of the impressive Metropolitan Cathedral), mansions, and government buildings. Mexico comes from Mexica (pronounced meh-shee-ka), which was the Aztecs' name for themselves. Of smallpox and the common cold, Cortés succeeded in erasing Tenochtitlán only two centuries after it was founded.Ĭortés began building the capital of what he patriotically dubbed New Spain, the Spanish empire's colony that would spread north to cover what is now the southwestern United States, and south to Panama. With these forces, the European tactical advantages of horses, firearms, and, inadvertently, the introduction Other settlements such as Cholula and Tlaxcala, who saw a chance to end their submission to the Aztec empire. He was backed by a huge army of Indians from Thus, Moctezuma welcomed the foreigner with gifts of gold and palatial accommodations. The east in the year 1519 to rule the land. Aztec emperor Moctezuma II believed the white, bearded Cortés on horseback to be the mighty plumed serpent-god Quetzalcóatl, who, according to prophecy, was supposed to arrive from When he first laid eyes on Tenochtitlán in the early 16th century, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés was dazzled by the glistening lacustrine metropolis, which remindedĪ combination of factors made the Spanish conquest possible. One of the three largest cities on Earth. Even then it was the largest city in the western hemisphere and, according to historians, It to lakeshore satellite towns by a network of calzadas (canals and causeways, now freeways). They settled on what was then an island in shallow Lake Texcoco and connected Of Tenochtitlán's founding, they discovered this eagle in the valley of Mexico, the image of which is now emblazoned on the national flag. Their prophecies announced that they would recognize the spot when they encountered an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus and holding a snake in its beak. As the story goes, the nomadic Aztecs were searching forĪ promised land in which to settle. Between these periods, from 900 to 1200, the Toltec Empire controlled the valley of Mexico. More than 600 years after Teotihuacán was abandoned, around AD 750. The founding farther south of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, did not occur until And with an estimated 22 million inhabitants it's the most populous city in the western hemisphere.Īs the gargantuan pyramids of Teotihuacán attest, the area around Mexico City was occupied from early times by a great civilization, probably Nahuatl in origin. It is both the oldest (founded in 1325) and the highest (7,350 feet) metropolis on the North American continent. The Federal Republic of Nigeria We'll start studying again on 13 September, 2019.Mexico City is a city of superlatives. Its capital city is Abuja and it has a population of over 180 million people. It is often referred to as the ’Giant of Africa’. Its neighbours are Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. This country is located in Western Africa. This country in South East Asia is bordered by Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand. It is known for its horses and volcanoes. This country is surrounded by water, the Greenland Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Major cities include Acapulco and Guadalupe.ģ. It is the most populous Spanish speaking country in the world. This country has the USA as its northern neighbour and to the south it borders Guatemala and Belize. It is approximately 1.8 times the size of the United States.Ģ. It has borders with fourteen countries including Finland, China and Poland. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north. This country is located in Northern Asia. Listening comprehension exercise: Guess the country! Text:ġ. Talking crossword, chapter 13: (This is the pair work we did in class). There was some pronunciation practice, a listening comprehension exercise, a talking crossword, and some discussion, as well as a vocabulary game. for your hard work and active participation.Īnd thank you for the flowers! They were magnificent!ĭuring the last class we did some recap.
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