The Unification of the Aztec Empire (1428)
This event marks the beginning of the Aztec Empire, which was a powerful Mesoamerican empire that ruled much of Central America from 1428 to 1521. The Aztec Empire was unified by the Triple Alliance, which was composed of the city-states of Tenochtitlan
Human sacrifice was a common practice in many parts of Mesoamerica. The rite was not new to the Aztecs when they arrived at the Valley of Mexico, nor was it something unique to pre-Columbian Mexico. Other Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Purépechas and Toltecs, and the Maya performed sacrifices as well, and from archaeological evidence, it probably existed since the time of the Olmecs, and perhaps even throughout the early farming cultures of the region. However, the extent of human sacrifice is unknown among several Mesoamerican civilizations. What distinguished Aztec practice from Maya human sacrifice was the way in which it was embedded in everyday life.