Americas on the Eve of Invasion Ch 11. I. Toltec Culture Nomads took advantage of the fall of...
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Transcript of Americas on the Eve of Invasion Ch 11. I. Toltec Culture Nomads took advantage of the fall of...
Americas on the Eve of Invasion
Ch 11
I. Toltec CultureNomads took advantage of the fall of
Teotihuacan City in central Mexico/ part of American classical
periodToltec people were very militaristic
Copied a lot from TeotihuacanSet up a capital in Tula in 968
I. Toltec Culture Topiltzin
Toltec priest/leader Followed Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent) Exiled to the Yucatan Peninsula
Toltecs spread as far as Guatemala Conquered Mayan cities Ohio and Mississippi valleys?
Mined Obsidian an turquoise Obsidian- knives and weapons Turquoise- traded/ currency
Destroyed by nomadic invaders 1150AD
II. AztecsAka Mexica
Came to power after the fall of the Toltecs Very rapidly (originally around 10,000) Believed Eagle with snake on cactus was a sign
Centered around Lake Texcoco Tenochtitlan founded 1325
Conquered people Paid tributes, surrendered land and gave military
service Conquered people were sacrificed to the gods
II. AztecsReligion
Incorporated aspects from other culturesDeities for Fire, Rain, Water, Corn, Sky, Sun etc.
Tlaloc- god of rainFemale forms of each
Festivals based on cyclic calendarSacrificed blood and human hearts to feed sun god
Religious or political?
II. AztecsTenochitlan
Built on island in middle of Lake TexcocoFour bridges connected to mainland Canoe traffic
Adobe brick housesCity wards ruled by Calpulli (kin groups)Surrounded by Chinampas
Floating agricultural islands20,000 acres
Traded cacao beans/goldDistribution of wealth (nobility)
II. AztecsSociety
Military focusLeadership based on capturing sacrifices
Ritual warfare
Organized in regiments with different uniforms Jaguar and Eagle knights
Pochteca- merchant classEconomy was very heavily regulated
Scribes, artisans, healers and nobilityGrowth resulted in loss of egalitarianism
II. AztecsRole of women
Peasant womenRaised children, helped in fields & cared for
householdPeasants were monogamous
Women could inherit property- still subordinate to men
Spent up to 6 hours grinding corn by hand
III. TwantinsuyuAKA Incas (name for rulers)
Highly centralized rule with a deified ruler 3000 miles in extent in the Andean highlands 11-13 million
Created roads, bridges and irrigation
Focused aroud Cuzco Started conquest under Pachacuti (1438-1471)
Topac Yupanqui- Pachacuti’s successor greatly expanded territory
Huayna Capac (1493-1527)- territory stretched from Colombia to Chile
Correct- Topac Yupanqui
Incorrect: Tupac Shakur
III. Twantinsuyu Religion
Cult of ancestorsMummified dead rulers
Consulted oraclesTemple of the SunHoly shrines/Huacas- mountains, caves, rivers etc.
ConquestSplit inheritance
Caused the need to conquer for land and wealth
III. Twantinsuyu Government/Culture
Inca ruled from CuzcoAllowed local rulers (curacas) to rule smaller regions
Rewarded for loyaltyUsed roads to connect regions and had about 10,000
tambosSocialist type of rule
Divided up landRequired mita (labor turns) for public works
Yanas- permanent servants, artisans and workers for ruling class
Ayllu- peasants
III. Twantinsuyu Government/cultures
Infastructure2500 miles of roadsTerraced agriculture
No writing system or wheelVery mathematical
Quipu- knotted strings (abacus?) used to keep financial and census records
IV. The othersArawaks- On Hispanola (Haiti/DR) ran into Columbus
Chiefdom/tribal societiesLived on Manioc/ Yuca
North American Tribes 200 separate languages Greatly helped by the introduction of horse (plains
people) Hunters and gatherers
Americas had between 67-72 million people China and India-75-100 million Europe- 60-70 million