| By the fifteenth century
Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital was a huge and growing metropolis. By
1519 its population was estimated at around 200,000. Tenochtitlán was
divided into four separate neighborhoods: a central plaza in which great
temples were built and three nearby districts in which the inhabitants of this
city lived and worked. Since the city had started out on a small island it soon
ran out of space. To solve this problem the Aztecs built artificial islands
with canals running through them and bridges called causeways running over the
canals. The city was very similar to modern day Venice in that respect.
Because Tenochtitlán was and island, space for farming
soon became limited. To solve this problem the Aztecs built floating gardens
called chinampas. These were twigs bunched together with mud stacked on top.
These were not anchored to the lake at first and could be towed by canoe, but
after a few years the plants' roots would anchor the chinampa to the lake.
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A good chinampa could yield wonderful
crops. These chinampas are still used throughout Mexico. Mexico's economy
thrives on agriculture, specifically corn.
You can see a far reaching echo of Aztec times today in the
Mexican tradition of Tianguis. Tianguis is an Aztec word which means open air
market place. These are held throughout Mexico, even in the most urban and
cosmopolitan areas such as Mexico city where, you will see them throughout the
city.
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