Which civilization built a capital described as larger than any European city?

Which civilization built a capital described as larger than any European city?

• A. Inca
• B. Aztecs
• C. Maya
• D. Olmecs

Answer: (B)

Factual urban scale and organization of large pre-Columbian capitals is what this item is testing. The Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, was built on an island in Lake Texcoco and grew into a monumental, highly organized city. It connected to the mainland by causeways, featured vast markets, monumental temples, and dense residential areas, all arranged around a sophisticated urban core. Spanish observers arriving after the conquest described it as larger than any European city they had seen, with a population that could rival major European cities of the era. That description highlights the extraordinary size and complexity of Aztec urban planning, making it the best fit for the statement. In contrast, the Inca capital Cusco was a significant ceremonial and administrative center but did not have the same claim to being larger than European cities. Maya centers were impressive and numerous, yet they did not present a single capital described in this way. The Olmecs were earlier and their urban centers were smaller and less expansive.

Factual urban scale and organization of large pre-Columbian capitals is what this item is testing. The Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, was built on an island in Lake Texcoco and grew into a monumental, highly organized city. It connected to the mainland by causeways, featured vast markets, monumental temples, and dense residential areas, all arranged around a sophisticated urban core. Spanish observers arriving after the conquest described it as larger than any European city they had seen, with a population that could rival major European cities of the era. That description highlights the extraordinary size and complexity of Aztec urban planning, making it the best fit for the statement.

In contrast, the Inca capital Cusco was a significant ceremonial and administrative center but did not have the same claim to being larger than European cities. Maya centers were impressive and numerous, yet they did not present a single capital described in this way. The Olmecs were earlier and their urban centers were smaller and less expansive.