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The '''Aztec''' civilization was an empire existing in Central [[Central Mexico]] which lasted from roughly 1325 to 1521AD. At the height of its power, controlling the Aztec empire controlled a population of roughly 20 millioninhabitants. The capital of the Aztec empire was [[Tenochtitlán]], which was built on islands a large island in the middle of [[Lake Texcoco]]. The capital of modern [[Mexico]], [[Mexico City]], is was built on upon the ruins of Tenochtitlánafter the Spanish conquest in 1521. Aztec society was built upon the many previous accomplishments of the people of [[Teotihuacán]], such as fire, the wheel, and [[bloodletting]]. Education, among many of the Aztecs was also important, including literacy, [[arithmetic]], [[history]], and [[premodern philosophy]]. The Aztecs also contributed many knowledgeable inventions to the world; most famously they . The Aztecs were famously the first to use the cacao bean in food. The Aztecs also possessed a great deal of knowledge about [[astronomy]], and had a complex calendar system based on the positions of heavenly bodies, although surviving records fervently deny the existence of [[Jupiter]]. The Aztecs also made significant advances in [[irrigation]]and had an advanced numeral system based on the number 20 as opposed to the modern numeral system based on the number 10.

Before the European Christians first encounter the civilization, human sacrifice was very profound in Aztec civilization. At the sanctification of Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlán in 1487, records report the sacrifice of tens of thousands of prisoners over the span of four weeks.  As described by According to [[Spain|Spanish]] accounts texts referencing the affair,<ref>Díaz, Bernal (2005, published posthumously in 1632). , Historia verdadera de la conquista de Nueva España (Introducción y notas de Joaquín Ramírez Cabañas). Editorial Porrúa, 24.</ref>, the Aztecs tore the heart from the sacrificed, while the victims were still alive. This was a regular practice at Aztec sacrifices. The victim would be stretched across a small bench stone and held flat while the high priest stabbed the victim just below the ribs with an obsidian knife. The high priest would then make a cut in the abdomen and reach under the ribcage and remove the heart with his hands. The heart would then be offered to the god and placed in a receptacle. The dead victim would then be thrown down the temple steps.

The Aztec empire was conquered however at the height of its glory by Spanish conquistador [[Hernán Cortés]] . Cortés of Spain arrived at [[Veracruz]], Mexico in 1519, in search of rumors of [[gold]]. Cortés led an army of [[conquistadores ]] ([[Spanish language|Spanish]] for 'conquerors') on a march towards the Aztec capital of [[Tenochtitlán]]. The Aztecs famously believed Cortés and the Spaniards to be their god Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, who had proclaimed that he would one day return to rule the empire. After being received into the city by the Aztec Emperor [[Moctezuma II (who may have believed Cortés to be a manifestation of the god Quetzalcoatl fulfilling an ancient prophecy of return)]], Cortés and his men witnessed a bloody sacrifice ritual at which the Spaniards were horrified. It is belived that after gift exchanges Horrified by both sides, Cortes believed that a display the Aztecs had lots of gold. Cortes became greedy and attacked the AztecsSpaniards considered to be barbaric,they lost the battle and Cortes fled and returned by 1521 with more menSpaniards proceeded to attack the Aztec priests. The Aztecs had already been exposed to illnesses revolted and didn't have much fight left expelled the occupying conquistadors in them. Cortes had captured Moctezuma II and tortured him in attempts what came to get be known as [[La Noche Trieste]] (the locations of sad night). During the gold. Moctezuma was struggle many conquistadors were killed but never gave the locations. In 2006The empire however, some archiologists found a passageway that was big enough to get in treasure but small enough to cover up, it is believed that this is were the gold then stricken with an epidemic of smallpox which was found but unfortunately brought over by the Mexican Government was informed Spanish and they have closed this sections down and will not talk about what was foundwhich the Aztecs had no immunity to. If it was Cortés regrouped, and by 1521 he had conquered the Gold it could be lost once again since most people who are aware of entire empire after the finding speculate that the government kept it and will take centuries before we hear about it again[[siege of Tenochtitlán]] which lasted 75 days. Cortes had most Unfortunately, Cortés and his men burned thousands of manuscripts in the Aztec scripts and pyramids destroyed. When the Templo Mayor or the Great Pyramid was discovered by city workers excavating to fix the sewer system library in the area they actually found a huge carved wheel and they contacted Archeologists for help to understand what it was, after that is now Mexico City in the government paid the building owners in belief that area and destroyed they were the buildings in order to get to excavate work of the pyramidDevil.