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SERI OMEGA PRIVATE & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

SUBJECT: HISTORY LEVEL: YEAR 2 ONLINE LESSON: 7

DATE:12th JULY 2021

Chapter 15: Fine Houses

Aztec homes
 Aztec homes ranged from one-room huts to large, spacious palaces.
 As in their clothing and diet, the ___________ and __________ of Aztec homes depended
on the family’s _______________.
 ____________________ lived in many roomed elaborate houses.
 _________________ and ________________ usually lived in one-room homes.

 Many Aztecs_____________________ their homes with lime so the houses would reflect
light and stay cool.
 Most simple Aztec homes were built of ____________________.
 There would be ________________ roofs or sometimes _________________ roofs.
 It was here that the people stood to attack the Spaniards.

 The main area of the Aztec shelter was _________________________________________

 There’s an area to ____________, a _____________, a place to _________________, and
then the __________________
 There were no windows generally, and one open door.
 Wood for doorposts and support beams could be found outside the cities.

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Commoners
 Many commoners (Macehualtin) were engaged in ___________________.
 Their task includes taking care of the Tenochtitlan’s _________________ on the shallow
shores of Lake Texcoco outside the city.
 Commoners’ homes were often built _______________ the city.
 It’s nearer to the fields and chinampas where the men worked.

 They built _____________ one-room houses, usually with a few other smaller buildings
and a garden in the lot.
 These houses also had _______________.
 The family lived, slept, worked, ate, and prayed in that house.

 Most Aztec homes also had a separate building for a _________________, as the Aztecs
were very clean people.
 The kitchen area might also be in a smaller room built onto the house.
 They also had simple ___________________.
 Most work took place outside the house, during the day.

Nobles
 Nobles (Pipiltin) as they were known, lived in _______________ finer homes often built
of stone, although some were also built of adobe.
 Aztec nobles had homes with a similar _________________.
 The nobles were allowed to ___________________ their homes __________________.

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 Noble homes were often built around a central ___________________.
 The nobles might have large, beautiful ______________ as it was important to the nobles.
 These homes were often made of carved stone.
 Their house also might contain finer _________________ than a commoner would have.

 Noble homes could have a ___________________, or the roof could be flat and even
______________________________.
 As nobles were often involved in making laws and government, they tended to live
______________ the city centres, around the __________________ and
___________________.

o Often, an interrelated group of families lived together in a unit called a _______________.

o They would build their houses in a square with a common, central courtyard.
o The calpulli included both _________________ and _____________________.
o They worked together, functioning as a sort of _______________.
o The nobles owned the __________________, which the commoners ________________.
o The nobles provided the ____________________, often craftwork, and the commoners
paid tribute to the nobles.

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Materials used
 Materials used to build Aztec houses would vary from locally found to import.
 For example lime plaster for the walls might be imported while local wood could be used
in the construction.
 Materials used in a common house included _______________, _______________,
_______________, ________________, ________________ and __________________.
 Adobe brick is a heavy clay soil used to make ____________________________.

Exercise 1: Match the word to the correct meaning.

Meaning

Words A close group of related people.

Decorate
Bring in items from abroad.
Arable
Clan
To beautify something.
Import
Land suitable for growing crops.

Exercise 2: Fill in the table with the correct information.

Commoners Nobles

Location

Type of roof

Number of rooms

Type of furniture

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Exercise 3: Answer the following questions based on the passage.
Aztec houses for commoners were plain and simple. They were one story high, had one main
door, an open doorway, no windows, and the floor was usually of earth. Aztec homes were
built on a similar pattern in the empire. Smaller for the poorer classes and bigger for the
nobles. Though it was common for Aztec houses to be built on the ground, some were built
on platforms. Most simple Aztec homes were built of adobe bricks or also known as dried
mud/clay bricks. The houses were whitewashed in lime so the houses would reflect light and
stay cool.
1. Describe the Aztec houses.
i. _____________________________________________________________
ii. _____________________________________________________________
iii. _____________________________________________________________
2. What type of brick will be used to build simple Aztec homes?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. What does ‘similar pattern’ mean?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Why were the houses whitewashed with lime?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 4: State ‘True’ or ‘False’ for the following statements.

1. Aztec houses had a similar layout. _________

2. Every house had its own family shrine. _________
3. Most Aztec homes also had a separate building for a steam bath. _________
4. Poorer Aztecs lived in big houses. _________
5. Aztec homes depended on the family’s social status. _________
6. Poor Aztecs' houses had courtyards. _________
7. Materials used to build Aztec houses could only be found abroad. _________
8. Calpulli consisted of both nobles and commoners. _________

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Exercise 5: Label the house below correctly.

Shrine Adobe walls Thatched roof Kitchen Sleeping area

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 SERI OMEGA PRIVATE & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

SUBJECT: HISTORY LEVEL: YEAR 2 ONLINE LESSON: 7

DATE:12th JULY 2021

Chapter 15: Fine Houses

Aztec homes
 Aztec homes ranged from one-room huts to large, spacious palaces.
 As in their clothing and diet, the size and style of Aztec homes depended on the family’s
social status.
 Wealthy nobles lived in many roomed elaborate houses.
 Poorer Aztecs and commoners usually lived in one-room homes.

 Many Aztecs whitewashed their homes with lime so the houses would reflect light and
stay cool.
 Most simple Aztec homes were built of adobe bricks.
 There would be thatched roofs or sometimes terraced roofs.
 It was here that the people stood to attack the Spaniards.

 The main area of the Aztec shelter was one room split up equally into four areas.
 There’s an area to sleep, a shrine, a place to prepare meals, and then the eating area.
 There were no windows generally, and one open door.
 Wood for doorposts and support beams could be found outside the cities.

1
Commoners
 Many commoners (Macehualtin) were engaged in agriculture.
 Their task includes taking care of the Tenochtitlan’s chinampas on the shallow shores of
Lake Texcoco outside the city.
 Commoners’ homes were often built outside the city.
 It’s nearer to the fields and chinampas where the men worked.

 They built simple, one-room houses, usually with a few other smaller buildings and a
garden in the lot.
 These houses also had shrines.
 The family lived, slept, worked, ate, and prayed in that house.

 Most Aztec homes also had a separate building for a steam bath, as the Aztecs were very
clean people.
 The kitchen area might also be in a smaller room built onto the house.
 They also had simple furniture.
 Most work took place outside the house, during the day.

Nobles
 Nobles (Pipiltin) as they were known, lived in larger, finer homes often built of stone,
although some were also built of adobe.
 Aztec nobles had homes with a similar layout.
 The nobles were allowed to decorate their homes lavishly.

2
 Noble homes were often built around a central courtyard.
 The nobles might have large, beautiful gardens as it was important to the nobles.
 These homes were often made of carved stone.
 Their house also might contain finer furniture than a commoner would have.

 Noble homes could have a peaked roof, or the roof could be flat and even terraced with
a garden.
 As nobles were often involved in making laws and government, they tended to live nearer
the city centres, around the central plaza and marketplace.

o Often, an interrelated group of families lived together in a unit called a Calpulli.

o They would build their houses in a square with a common, central courtyard.
o The calpulli included both nobles and commoners.
o They worked together, functioning as a sort of clan.
o The nobles owned the arable land, which the commoners worked.
o The nobles provided the occupations, often craftwork, and the commoners paid tribute
to the nobles.

3
Materials used
 Materials used to build Aztec houses would vary from locally found to import.
 For example lime plaster for the walls might be imported while local wood could be used
in the construction.
 Materials used in a common house included wood, straw, stone, sand, lime, and clay.
 Adobe brick is a heavy clay soil used to make sun-dried brick.

Exercise 1: Match the word to the correct meaning.

Meaning

Words A close group of related people.

Decorate
Bring in items from abroad.
Arable
Clan
To beautify something.
Import
Land suitable for growing crops.

Exercise 2: Fill in the table with the correct information.

Commoners Nobles
Location Outside the city Nearer to the city centre.

Type of roof Thatched roof Peaked roof, flat roof, or

terrace with a garden.
Number of rooms Single room Many rooms

Type of furniture Simple furniture Finer furniture

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Exercise 3: Answer the following questions based on the passage.
Aztec houses for commoners were plain and simple. They were one story high, had one main
door, an open doorway, no windows, and the floor was usually of earth. Aztec homes were
built on a similar pattern in the empire. Smaller for the poorer classes and bigger for the
nobles. Though it was common for Aztec houses to be built on the ground, some were built
on platforms. Most simple Aztec homes were built of adobe bricks or also known as dried
mud/clay bricks. The houses were whitewashed in lime so the houses would reflect light and
stay cool.
1. Describe the Aztec houses.
i. One story high.
ii. An open doorway.
iii. Floor made of earth.

2. What type of brick will be used to build simple Aztec homes?

Adobe brick which was also known as dried mud or clay bricks.

3. What does ‘similar pattern’ mean?

It means the way or the shape of the Aztec houses were the same throughout the empire.

4. Why were the houses whitewashed with lime?

So that the houses would reflect light and stay cool.

Exercise 4: State ‘True’ or ‘False’ for the following statements.

1. Aztec houses had a similar layout. True
2. Every house had its own family shrine. True
3. Most Aztec homes also had a separate building for a steam bath. True
4. Poorer Aztecs lived in big houses. False
5. Aztec homes depended on the family’s social status. True
6. Poor Aztecs' houses had courtyards. False
7. Materials used to build Aztec houses could only be found abroad. False
8. Calpulli consisted of both nobles and commoners. True

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Exercise 5: Label the house below correctly.

Shrine Adobe walls Thatched roof Kitchen Sleeping area

Shrine Thatched roof

Sleeping area Kitchen Adobe walls