When was the Aztec Empire at its height?

• A. 1400 CE
• B. 1492 CE
• C. 1498 CE
• D. At 1500 CE

Answer: (D)

The Aztec Empire reached its height in the late 15th to early 16th century, when it was strongest in power, territory, and wealth. Around 1500 CE the Triple Alliance—Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan—had expanded to control central Mexico, built a thriving capital economy centered in Tenochtitlan, and organized a wide tribute system from many subject towns. This peak period sits just before the dramatic disruption of European contact that began with the arrival of the Spaniards in 1519. So, selecting 1500 CE best matches the time when the empire was at its most expansive and formidable. The earlier dates fall short of the full expansion, and the later dates reflect the period just before or during the first intense contact with Europeans.