Hernan Cortes formed strategic alliances with indigenous groups like the Tlaxcalans, who provided thousands of warriors to help overthrow the Aztec Empire.

Nahuatl remains a living language with over 1.5 million speakers. English words derived from it include chocolate, tomato, and avocado.

Montezuma II was taken hostage by Hernán Cortés within a week of their first meeting, as the Spanish sought to control the empire through him.

Tenochtitlan was built on an island in Lake Texcoco and connected to the mainland by causeways. Modern-day Mexico City was constructed directly atop its ruins.

Chinampas were not actually floating; they were stationary artificial islands anchored to the shallow lake bed by the roots of willow trees.

Inca emperors were considered direct descendants of Inti. His primary temple, the Coricancha, was once covered in sheets of solid gold.

In Quechua, Cusco translates to "navel of the world." The city's urban plan was designed in the shape of a puma, a sacred animal in Inca mythology.

The Inca used quipus to manage a massive empire without a written alphabet. They encoded data using a base-ten system and subtle variations in string color and knot type.

Llamas were the only large beasts of burden in the pre-Columbian Americas. They are adapted to high altitudes and can carry up to 30 percent of their body weight.

Machu Picchu's dry-stone walls use blocks cut so precisely that no mortar is needed, which allows the structures to remain stable during earthquakes.