Aztec society flourished as they built a prosperous empire. At the same time that the people of London drank the polluted water of the River Thames (until 1854), Tenochtitlan had a supply of fresh, clean water for its residents. As chamber pots were emptied in the streets of Europe, public toilets were built in every neighborhood and 1,000 cleaners were employed to clean the streets. While many books may refer to these Native Americans as primitive savages or barbarians, we can see that while their way of life may have been different, it was fascinating and sophisticated with much to teach us then and now. The contributions and achievements of the Aztec people were significant in many areas and had a great influence on American life