traditionally c. 1325 CEReputable source · 2 sourcesDebated
The Founding of Tenochtitlan
On the timeline · around traditionally c. 1325 CE ·
What happened
According to legend, the wandering Mexica were told to build their city where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus. They found the sign on a swampy island in Lake Texcoco and founded Tenochtitlan there — the future Aztec capital.
Why it matters
From this unpromising marsh the Mexica would build the greatest city in the Americas. The eagle-and-cactus omen still sits at the center of the modern Mexican flag.
How we know
The date comes from later Mexica chronicles and varies by source between about 1325 and 1345 CE; World History Encyclopedia gives the traditional date as 1345.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Tenochtitlan · Reputable source
- World History Encyclopedia. Aztec Civilization · Reputable source