Have you ever wondered how Mesoamerican civilizations farmed and got their food? In this essay, I will compare and contrast the farming methods of the Aztecs and the Mayans. The Aztecs and Mayans had some things in common, and there were also many differences. One example of how the Aztec and Maya were different, is that the Aztec used aqueducts to get water, while the Maya used canals to get water. Another example of how the Maya and Aztec are different is that the Maya used terraces and slash and burn, while the Aztec used chinampas. One example of how they are similar is that both the Aztecs and the Mayans gathered and hunted. One example of how the Aztec and the Maya were different is that the Aztec used aqueducts, and the Maya used canals. …show more content…
The Maya used canals to redirect the rainwater so that they could use the extra rainwater to water their crops during the months there was drought. The aquatic plants provided shade and food for the fish, which in turn, provided fertilizer for the crops. On the other hand, the Aztecs chose the land next to Lake Texcoco, a swampy lake. Since Lake Texcoco is not freshwater, they built aqueducts to carry freshwater from small springs. They used sand, dirt, and wooden stakes to build causeways that brought the water to Tenotchtitlán. Another example of how the Maya and the Aztec are different is the Maya used terraces and slash and burn, while the Aztec used chinampas. In the highlands of the Yucatán Peninsula, there were mountains, but since it would be hard to farm on slanted land, the Maya used terraces, a farming method that involved cutting steps into a mountain to form flat land to farm on. In forested areas, the Maya also used a technique called slash and burn, since the trees are in the way so they cannot farm. Slash and burn involves cutting down the trees and burning the rest. The fire ashes provide nutrients to the soil. In contrast, the Aztecs used chinampas to farm on Lake