ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
WHAT SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS DID THE MAYANS, INCANS, AND AZTECS POSSESS, AND WHY DID THEIR CIVILIZATIONS FAIL?
Peoples and Empires of the Americas
Pre-Columbian Societies
Pre-Columbian – before the arrival of Christopher Columbus
Art highly advanced Gender roles established at birth Women held various roles including
harvesting grain, preparing food or tending animals as well as home and children
The Maya
Earliest civilizations in the region were the Olmecs and Toltecs who were replaced by the Maya
Mayan territory stretched from Southern Mexico to Northern Central America
City- States included Tikal, Copan and Chichen Itza; and were ruled by different god- kings
Most were peasant farmers , but a small class of skilled craftsmen emerged
Nobles were from a small hereditary class
Cities were the center of trade and religious ceremonies and included large palaces, temples and pyramids
City-states were linked through trade, trading maize, beans and squash
Mayan Empire- Yucatan Peninsula
Chichen Itza Pyramid
Mayan Religion
Polytheistic Religious practices included human
sacrifice Calendars- 260 day religious calendar
and a 365 day solar calendar made by observations of astronomers
Glyphs- 800 symbols for writing Popol Vuh- Mayans creation story
Mayan Glyphs
Mysterious Mayan Decline
800’s- Mayan cities were abandoned Evidence now points to
environmental factors caused by a prolonged drought causing a disruption of trade and agriculture
Central Mexico/Aztec Empire
Aztec Empire was located in Central Mexico
125,000 people Pyramid of the Sun at center of the city Crops were grown on floating gardens
in wet marshy lands (Chinampas) Aztecs aligned their temples based on
their astronomical observations of the sun and moon
Mexican Flag
Aztec Society and Trade
Class System Nobles ( warriors, priests, government
officials) Commoners (Merchants, artisans, soldiers,
farmers) \Slaves (captives) Trade brings wealth to the Aztecs Tenochtitlan- located on an island
1500 was larger than any European capital raised roads connected the city to the
mainland
Tenochtitlan
Aztec Religion
Polytheistic Centered around public ceremonies Human sacrifices were made to
ensure that the universe would stay in motion Sacrifices to the Sun god ensured the
sun would rise each day Sacrifice also encouraged war Goal of an Aztec warrior was to bring
back live prisoners for sacrificial purposes
Aztec Religious Human Sacrifice
Problems in Aztec Empire
Montezuma II called for more tributes and human sacrifices from provinces led to rebellion
Montezuma II reduced the number of government officials
Weakened by civil war the Aztecs were not able to defend themselves from the Spanish
Rise of the Inca
Began as a small kingdom in the Valley of Cuzco in South America
Incan leaders were believed to be descendants from the sun god
Only people from the 11 noble families could be king
Worshipped dead rulers who where preserved as mummies
King Pachacuti- Used military conquest to conquer west coast of South America
Incan Empire
Incan Government Empire divided for easy management Standard economic system Uniformed speaking language (no written
language) Schools Road system Mita- labor tribute to Incan leaders
Citizens worked certain days of the year Government controlled all economic
activity Land was organized in geographic regions
Each producing a different good
Incan Religion
Polytheistic focused on key nature spirits
Sacrifice of llamas, humans and goods
Temple of the Sun in Cuzco decorated in gold
Temple of the Sun
Decline of Inca
Early 1500’s height of Incan power King Huayna Capac dies of disease Civil war breaks out between his sons at
the same time the Spanish arrive
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