Question
Describe two features of the Aztec Empire that Cortés encountered when he arrived in 1519. [4 marks]
Mark scheme (2 × described feature, B1+B1):
- Tenochtitlán (B1): the Aztec capital was an island city on a lake with a population of c.250,000 — larger than any European city of the time; connected to the mainland by causeways; Cortés described it as a wonder (B1).
- Human sacrifice (B1): the Aztec religion required the sacrifice of prisoners (especially war captives) to sustain the sun god Huitzilopochtli — this shocked Spanish observers and became a key justification for the conquest (B1).
- Also accept: tribute system from conquered peoples; Moctezuma II as paramount ruler; sophistication of Aztec agriculture and engineering.
4 marks · take your time before peeking.
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Generated by TopMyGrade AI · cross-check official sources before relying on the mark-scheme phrasing.