Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Maya

Located in S. Mexico Separated into city-states ruled by a god-kingPolytheism and human sacrificeDevelop an accurate calendar using

astronomyMajor city at TikalGlyphs used for writing on codex (tree bark)Food shortages and warfare lead to the Maya

decline

Aztecs

Great fightersBuild Tennochtitlan

as their capitolUsed Chinampas

(floating islands) for farming

Aztec Religion

PolytheisticUsed Human Sacrifice

and TerrorCannibalismThe Sun god was the

most important deity Quetzalcoatl: feathered

serpent, believed he would return

Aztec Life

AgriculturalLimited TechnologyNobles dominated SocietyCollected tribute from surrounding people

Inca

Pachacuti expands the Inca empire in modern day Peru

Government divided territory into many smaller units to control

Government controlled most economic activity as well

Inca Religion

Polytheistic with many nature spiritsSun god was most importantSacrificed animals, goods, and humans

Inca Rule

Rulers were Divine (Theocratic)Ruled from the CuzcoCollected Land and Labor from those

conquered (Mita System)All land was owned by the state

Inca Technology

Known for their superior road building Roads helped unify and connect

the empire

Quipu used for Record Keeping

Demise Civil war weakens the Inca

empire, opening the door for Spanish invasion

Lack of Global Connections

Isolation kept them from key technologyNo great world religionNo immunity to Afro-Eurasian diseases