The story of the Aztec Empire is a story unlike any other. From it's origins as a nomadic underdog, to it's ascendance at the rich and powerful city of Tenochtitlan, to it's clash of civilizations with the mighty Spanish Empire, this is a historical story that will never happen again. If you think you know the story, think again. For hundreds of years myths and half-truths about the Spanish conquest have clouded the historical narrative. Even the name "Aztec" belies the deep connection between myth and history.

This is Part I in a series on the rise, fall, and enduring legacy of the Aztec Empire. It looks at the migration of early man into the Americas, the origins of the Mexica people as wandering nomad warriors, mesoamerican history and the development of agriculture there, the legacy of the Olmec, Maya, Toltec, and Teotihuacan, the Nahua language and cultural group, the arrival of the Mexica at Tenochtitlan, and more. The story will continue in Part II.

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