The Aztecs developed an innovative agricultural method known as *chinampas*, or 'floating gardens,' to cultivate crops in the shallow lakebeds of the Valley of Mexico. To construct a chinampa, farmers wove rectangular frames from branches and reeds, anchored them to the lakebed with willow trees, and filled the enclosures with decaying vegetation and nutrient-rich lake mud. This design allowed water to continuously irrigate the roots of the crops from below, eliminating the need for manual watering. Consequently, chinampas could support multiple harvests per year, sustaining the growing population of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan.
Based on the text, which statement is true about the irrigation of crops grown on chinampas?
- AThey were anchored using willow trees that pumped nutrients into the crop roots.
- BThey had to be constructed in deep water to ensure the frames remained fully submerged.
- They did not require manual watering because water irrigated the crops' roots from below.Answer
- DThey were built primarily to prevent the capital city of Tenochtitlan from flooding.
Answer
They did not require manual watering because water irrigated the crops' roots from below.
The passage explicitly states that the design of the chinampas allowed water to irrigate the crop roots from below, which eliminated the need for manual watering. This directly supports the statement that they did not require manual watering because water irrigated the crops' roots from below.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Identifying explicitly stated facts and details in a passage.
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