Final answer:
The Aztec Empire, located in present-day Mexico City, was likely peaking in 1492. Led by Emperor Moctezuma II, the empire was marked by great wealth and complexity, but also by increasing internal conflicts and resentment.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1492, the tribe peaking in what is present-day Mexico City was most likely the
Aztec Empire
, also known as the Mexica. The Aztec Empire was greatly complex and wealthy, its power centralized in the city of Tenochtitlán, which was located on an island in Lake Texcoco. They built this city following a prophecy about an eagle landing on a cactus with a snake in its talons.
Under the reign of Emperor Moctezuma II, the empire reached its peak. However, by this time, demands for tribute and captives for ritual sacrifices were stirring resentment in many parts of the empire. The Spanish, led by Hernán Cortés, exploited these internal conflicts to eventually overthrow the Aztec rule and establish a Spanish-centered order built on top of the old Aztec state.
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