Final answer:
Moctezuma I built a levee and aqueducts to ensure a reliable water supply, improve agricultural productivity, and showcase Aztec engineering skills and power.
Step-by-step explanation:
Aztecs ruler Moctezuma I built a levee and aqueducts for several reasons.
- To ensure a reliable supply of fresh water for the city of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital, which was built on islands in Lake Texcoco. The aqueducts brought in water from springs in the hills overlooking the lake.
- To improve the agricultural productivity of the region, the Aztecs constructed raised planting-beds called chinampas on floating platforms in the lake. The levee helped separate the fresh water around the city from the brackish water of the main lake, ensuring better soil fertility and watering for their chinampas.
- To showcase their engineering prowess and demonstrate their wealth and power. The construction of impressive infrastructure projects like aqueducts and levees served as symbols of prestige and authority.