Why were the Aztecs able to take control of the basin known as the Valley of Mexico?

A.

They were the first people to settle in the area.

B.

They built a strong defense that protected Lake Texcoco from invasion.

C.

They had a powerful army that allowed them to conquer their neighbors.

D.

They produced trade goods that made them wealthy.

C. They had a powerful army that allowed them to conquer their neighbors.

The correct answer is C. Aztecs were able to take control of the Valley of Mexico because they had a powerful army that allowed them to conquer their neighbors.

Explanation:

The Aztecs were the native Indians living in the high plains of Mexico. Between 1428 and 1521, the Aztecs led a strong empire that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific in Mesoamerica.

The Aztecs were a warrior nation whose prosperity was based on conquering and taxing the countries of the weaker Indian tribes. The Aztecs are known for their human sacrifices.

In the 15th century, Aztec leader Itzcoatl led his army to a victorious war with the allied city Texcoco against the Tepeans. Extensive conquest wars began during the reign of the next ruler, Moctezuma I. The Aztec kingdom spread widely, but was rather weak and fragmented. On August 13, 1521, Spanish conquistadors conquered the capital of the Aztec empire, Tenochtitlan, under Hernan Cortes. Tenochtitlan is now the capital of Mexico, Mexico City.