Which is an example of how the physical environment helped the Aztecs establish an empire?

Options:
The capital city of tenochititlan could be easily defended from attack.
The active volcanoes kept neighboring peoples from attacking the Aztecs.
The capital city of tenochititlan was located in the dense rain forest.
The Aztecs lives on a flat plain that was perfect for warfare

The example of how the physical environment helped the Aztecs establish an empire is: The capital city of Tenochititlan could be easily defended from attack.

The example of how the physical environment helped the Aztecs establish an empire is:

The capital city of Tenochititlan could be easily defended from attack.

To determine which option is an example of how the physical environment helped the Aztecs establish an empire, we can analyze each option:

1. The capital city of Tenochititlan could be easily defended from attack.
One of the key factors that contributed to the success of the Aztec empire was the strategic location of their capital, Tenochititlan. It was built on an island in the middle of Lake Texcoco, surrounded by water on all sides. This natural barrier provided a significant advantage in terms of defense, as it made it difficult for enemies to attack the city directly.

2. The active volcanoes kept neighboring peoples from attacking the Aztecs.
While active volcanoes were present in the Aztec territory, it is not necessarily an example of how the physical environment helped the Aztecs establish their empire. Volcanoes may have influenced the settlement patterns of neighboring peoples, but they did not directly contribute to the Aztecs' imperial expansion.

3. The capital city of Tenochititlan was located in the dense rainforest.
This option is incorrect. Tenochititlan was not located in a rainforest environment. It was situated in a lake surrounded by marshland and was not densely forested.

4. The Aztecs lived on a flat plain that was perfect for warfare.
This option is partially correct. The Aztecs did inhabit a flat plain, known as the Valley of Mexico, which provided suitable conditions for agricultural activities and facilitated communication and trade. However, it does not explicitly explain how this flat plain directly helped the Aztecs establish their empire.

Based on the analysis, option 1, "The capital city of Tenochititlan could be easily defended from attack," is the best example of how the physical environment helped the Aztecs establish their empire.