USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Chinampas were invented by the Aztec civilization. Sometimes referred to as “floating gardens, ” chinampas are artificial islands that were created by interweaving reeds with stakes beneath the lake’s surface, creating underwater fences.

Detailed explanation-2: -A part of Lake Texcoco was saline, however, and the Aztecs constructed a system of dikes, dams, and aqueducts to supply the chinampas with fresh water.

Detailed explanation-3: -The Aztec built their capital city, Tenochtitlan, on Lake Texcoco. Built on two islands, the area was extended using chinampas-small, artificial islands created above the waterline that were later consolidated. Tenochtitlan eventually reached an area of more than 13 square kilometers (five square miles).

Detailed explanation-4: -Chinampas helped make agriculture easier in these lake regions, as they essentially created more land and they interconnected lands in bodies of water around the growing populations. Chinampas were used through the 19th century but did face decline after the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in Mesoamerica.