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AZTEC Unit Exam

1 "The Aztecs had a strong belief that it was important to alter the geography of the area in which
they lived in order to improve their ability to survive." Which Aztec action could be used to support
this statement?

A. The Aztecs settled in the high Valley of Mexico.

B. The Aztecs built dams and chinampa on Lake Texcoco.
C. The Aztecs considered floods to be the result of the god Tlaloc

2 For a historian trying to discover the religious beliefs of the Aztecs, what source would be the most
reliable?

A. A book describing the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, written by a Spanish priest.
B. An image from an Aztec codex showing the Aztec trade with other cultures in the area.
C. An Aztec calendar stone, found in Mexico City.

3 The worldviews of the Aztecs and Spanish were similar in that both cultures believed that

A. conquering an empire made their nations stronger

B. religious beliefs should not influence the way people in society live
C. many gods influenced the culture of a nation

4 When the Spanish first landed on the coast of Mexico and encountered societies that were part of
the Aztec Empire, many of these people were willing to help the Spanish against the Aztecs. This
willingness was most likely a result of the Aztec practice of

A. forcing neighbouring people to follow the Aztec religion

B. creating a calendar which all neighbouring groups had to use
C. forcing conquered groups to pay tribute

5 Which of the following phrases describes a worldview which was not generally shared by members of
the Aztec nation?

A. A belief that the gods controlled all aspects of their world.

B. A desire to conquer or control a greater amount of territory.
C. The conviction that people should be able to choose any religion.

6 With which one of the aspects of Aztec society below would people in Canada today most likely agree?

A. The Aztec use of slavery and human sacrifice.

B. The belief in the god-like status of the leader, the Emperor.
C. Laws which regulate the type of clothing worn by different social classes.
D. Beliefs which value citizens who would contribute to the nation.
Use the following organizer to answer Question 7

Borders include both the Influenced by Islamic

Atlantic Ocean and culture and learning
Mediterranean Sea Common
Factor?
Reconquered Spain
Conquered and ruled by
after centuries of
Muslim forces
warfare

7. The common factor in the features above could best be described as

A. influence of geographic features on Spanish culture
B. influences on the development of the Spanish worldview
C. causes of Spanish imperialist perspective
D. results of the Spanish “discovery” of the New World

8. Expulsion of Jewish people from Spain and the Spanish Inquisition used to find and punish any who
challenged the Christian Church were steps taken by the King and Queen of Spain following the
A. Spanish conquest of Grenada and the defeat of the Muslims
B. Muslim takeover of most of the territory of the Iberian peninsula
C. discovery of unknown lands to the west of Spain by Columbus
D. creation of new fighting methods by Spanish armies

Use the following events to answer Questions 9 and 10

Event 1: Emperor Moctezuma dies
Event 2: The Aztec hear rumours of strangers arriving on the coast
Event 3: The city of Tenochtitlan is destroyed by the Spanish
Event 4: Cortés and the Spanish march to Tenochtitlan

9. The correct order of the above events was

A. Event 1, 2, 4, 3
B. Event 2, 3, 4, 1
C. Event 2, 4, 1, 3
D. Event 3, 4, 1, 2

10. The immediate Aztec response to Event 2 was to

A. welcome the Spanish into their capital city
B. attack the Spanish before they reached Tenochtitlan
C. call for assistance from neighbouring groups
D. close causeways and deny entrance to the invaders

11. Spain’s decision to expel Jewish and Muslims following the Reconquista initially had what type of
effect on Spain and why?
A. Negative effect; their removal from Spain effected the economic growth of Spain
B. Positive effect; Spain was religiously and politically unified.
C. Positive effect; population of Spain was now predominately nobility and upper class.

12. Cortez demonstrated the Spanish worldview (Spaniards were superior to non-Christian indigenous
people) by doing which of the following?
A. Capturing Aztecs and enslaving them
B. Stealing food, water and valuable items
C. Using the Conquistador formula of befriending and then conquering
D. Deliberately distributing small pox infected blankets as gifts

13. The Aztec educational system was designed to produce which of the following types of citizens?
A. Free thinkers who could develop new theories and ideas
B. Good citizens who could contribute to society
C. Independent entrepreneurs who could boost the Aztec economy
D. Liberal scholars who could continue to develop philosophy

14. In addition to firearms, the Spanish army also used ________ in their battle against the Aztecs
which gave them a great advantage.
A. Bombs B. Crossbows C. Horses D. Boats that could hold 30 people

15. In Aztec culture social mobility was…

A. Was earned through good military service and success
B. Was based on financial wealth
C. Was non-existent, social class was hereditary
D. Was not an issue in Aztec society as Aztec society was classless.

16. Which of the following acts by the Spanish had the greatest impact on changing the Aztec identity
following Spanish conquest?
A. Removal of gold from Aztec palaces and temples
B. Compulsory enrollment of all Aztec males into the military of New Spain
C. arrest and death of Moctezuma
D. Destruction of Aztec temples and codicies

17. The history of Spain Spanish worldview have been greatly influenced by Spain’s…
A. Protestant faith
B. Geographical location
C. Economic dominance of trade with Africa and the Far East during the Renaissance
D. Membership in the European Economic Community (EEC)

18. The Aztec’s built their temples in the shape of a pyramid. The pyramid is an important shape in the
Aztec world because it was …
a) A sign of the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli
b) Resembled the shape of a mountain, a place where Aztec’s believed the physical met the sacred
19. In what two ways did the Aztecs expand their territory and build an Aztec Empire?
 A. Farming and construction of the chinampa
B. Conquest and human sacrifice
C. War and trade
D. Treaties and tribute

The enrollment of all Aztec citizens of all social classes and genders into institutions like
the calmaecac and the telpochcalli, reflect the value the Aztec’s placed on ___________
and the use of this system in maintaining the Aztec social structure.

20. Which of these words listed below best fills in the blank shown above and makes the above
statement most accurate?
A. Religion B. Education C. Military Service D. Law and order.

Speaker 1: The good of society comes before the needs of the individual.

Speaker 2: There is no requirement that any person contribute to the good of society.
To measure the worth of a person based on that person’s contribution to
the good of society reduces a person’s worth to the sum of their actions.

Speaker 3: The truest measure of freedom is a man who is his own master, and reaps
all he sows.

Speaker 4: All the stars in the sky are not the same, some shine a little brighter than
others and it is to these stars, not the whole sky to which we gaze upon
with delight.

21. Which speaker best represents the Aztec worldview on the relationship between the individual and
society?
A. Speaker 1 B. Speaker 2 C. Speaker 3 D. Speaker 4

22. According to legend, the gods of the Aztecs told the people to migrate south and look for a sign
telling them were to settle and build a great city. The sign was…
A. An eagle perching on a cactus
B. The stars in proper alignment
C. A large lake with plenty of fish
D. A Macdonald’s restaurant.

23. Why was a mountain site to settle their village very important to the Aztecs?
A. The mountains were a sacred and holy site
B. The mountains brought them physically closer to the gods.
C. The mountains gave them a sense of security
D. All the above
24. Why was poetry highly regarded in Aztec society?
A. The Aztecs were very creative people
B. Creating poetry made them feel like they were imitating their gods.
C. If you became a poet. You were very important
D. Aztecs liked to rhyme

25. What was the key to Aztecs success as farmers?

A. Their ability to work fast
B. Their physical strength and intelligence
C. The foods they choose to grow
D. The chinampa

26. This god encouraged the Aztecs to leave their ancestral homeland and settle in the valley of
Mexico?
A. Huitzilopochtli B. Tezcatlipoca C. Quetzalcoatl D. Tlaloc

27. This was the most powerful of the gods whose name means “Smoking Mirror.”
A. Huitzilopochtli B. Tezcatlipoca C. Quetzalcoatl D. Tlaloc

28. What was Aztec society organized into?

A. Units called calpolli
B. Groupings of similar people
C. Tribes
D. They were not organized.

29. What was the name of the school for nobles called?
A. telpochcalli B. calmecac C. whatsinaname D. glyphs

30. What was the name of the school for commoners called?
A. telpochcalli B. calmecac C. whatsinaname D. glyphs

31. At what age did Aztec boys become official warriors?

A. 12 B. 15 C. 18 D. Only when they performed well in battle.

32. What are two Aztec laws still in effect when the Spanish arrived?
A. Only proven warriors could marry
B. Common people could not wear cotton under their clothing
C. Only great noblemen could build a house with a 2nd storey
D. b and c

33. Aztec parents punished children by forcing them to inhale a fiery smoke of hot chili peppers.
A. True B. False

Written Response /7
1. What were the key elements of the worldview of the Aztec civilization prior to contact with
the Spanish?

2. How did the Aztec civilization’s worldview influence the Aztecs’ choices, decisions and
customs?

3. What key elements of Spain’s worldview led to the desire to expand the Spanish empire?

4. In what ways did factors such as technology and disease contribute to the dominance of the
Spanish over the Aztec civilization?

5. To what extent were the divergent worldviews of the Spanish and Aztecs factors in the
dominance of one nation over the other?

6. Who were the Mestizo?

7. Explain the Marriage Law?

 Answer Sheet

1 A B C D 26 A B C D
2 A B C D 27 A B C D
3 A B C D 28 A B C D
4 A B C D 29 A B C D
5 A B C D 30 A B C D
6 A B C D 31 A B C D
7 A B C D 32 A B C D
8 A B C D 33 A B C D
9 A B C D 34 A B C D
10 A B C D 35 A B C D
11 A B C D 36 A B C D
12 A B C D 37 A B C D
13 A B C D 38 A B C D
14 A B C D 39 A B C D
15 A B C D 40 A B C D
16 A B C D 41 A B C D
17 A B C D 42 A B C D
18 A B C D 43 A B C D
19 A B C D 44 A B C D
20 A B C D 45 A B C D
21 A B C D 46 A B C D
22 A B C D 47 A B C D
23 A B C D 48 A B C D
24 A B C D 49 A B C D
25 A B C D 50 A B C D

Written Response:
The family altar (3)

The day before (3)

The Day of the Dead (4)