The Americas were not a wasteland from 900-1500. In fact, they were a very vibrant place with civilizations spawning that still leave an indelible mark on modern America, Mexico, and Canada. While Byzantium was reaching its apex and falling to the Ottoman Turks, the Americas were generating such amazing civilizations as the Incas, the Aztecs, and the Mayas. From the mound building peoples of Cahokia to the Pueblos of the Southwest, the peoples of the Americas showed a real penchant for advanced math and an affinity to the world around them. In fact, when the Spanish came to Mexico in 1519, Cortes found a city in Tenochtitlan that was larger than London! The Aztecs and the Mayas had extremely accurate calendars, powerful weapons, and able administrations. The Incas were said to posses an army that was the equal to any Turkish army in the 1500s. The Aztecs had learned to weave mats and cover them with dirt so that they could plant crops on lakes! Though the Europeans would cross the Atlantic and destroy the civilizations (either over time or immediately), the nations of American natives left us many marks that prove that they too were very advanced.
Please write 6 pages about the Aztecs and their empire, using at least four secondary sources and one primary source (written or made at the time of the society you are researching). Make sure that you use a real style-guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, or Turabian) for your citations.