Masters of Design

Worksheet Description

The Aztecs were masters of design. They built pyramids, ball courts, plazas, temples, homes, and a series of waterways to move the surrounding salt water and freshwater to keep the two separate. They also built to chinampas, a series of artificial islands often called “floating gardens.” In these, the Aztecs grew crops like maize, beans, squash, amaranth, tomatoes, chili peppers, and flowers, producing up to seven harvests per year. They also used these floating gardens to create fertilizer and provide drainage.