The Aztecs were the last of many complex civilizations that rose and fell in Mesoamerica before Europeans arrived there in the fifteenth century. The early recorded history of the Aztecs is a mixture of real events and mythological accounts, making it difficult to pinpoint where they originated. What is known for certain, however, is that groups of seminomadic peoples began migrating into the Valley of Mexico from the highlands to the north sometime during the twelfth century. Collectively known as Chichimecs, these bands shared similar cultural backgrounds and considered their homeland to be a place called Aztlan. Whether Aztlan was a real or a mythical place is not known.

Migration and Settlement

One group of Chichimecs, the Mexicas, arrived in the Valley of Mexico after all the prime land in the valley had been taken. For a while, they were forced to wander from one place to another...