CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AMERICAS

The Maya 300-900 A.D.Aztec 1200-1500 A.D.Inca 1400-1535 A.D.

Location Aztec Empire – The Valley of Mexico

located in the high plateau of central Mexico

Mayas – From the Yucatan in southern Mexico through much of Central America

Incas – western South America

Geography of the Americas

Type of Government Aztec Empire – A single ruler, an emperor

who was chosen by a council of nobles and priests.

Maya – Divided into city-states with a ruling chief for each city-state.

Inca – A “sapa inca” who was supreme ruler, owned everything and was divine.

Religion Aztec – Polytheistic, priests were

powerful; many human sacrifices to the god Quetzalcoatl who was the sun god. His giant pyramid towered above central Tenochtitlan.

Religion Maya – Polytheistic;

priests held power because only they could perform important ceremonies.

Priests held sacrifices on platforms of high temples while ordinary people watched from below.

Religion Inca – Polytheistic The Ruler was also the chief religious

leader. Polytheistic; belief in many nature spirits A powerful class of priests served the

gods Chosen Women – special attendants had

honored role in Incan ritual.

Agriculture Aztec – Farmed on “floating islands” or

chinampas to create more farmland Grew corn, squash and beans Used canals and aqueducts for

transportation.

Agriculture

Maya – slash and burn method: Cut down tropical forest; burn brush and spread ashes for fertilizer.

Grew corn, beans, squash, fruit trees, flowers

Incas – Used irrigation; grew 700 kinds of potatoes on mountain slopes; terrace farming.

Terrace farming because of mountains.

Advances

Aztecs – Had a calendar – excelled in math and astronomy; used herbs for medicine; priests recorded laws and history; extensive trade networks

Maya – Had a number system and zero; a calendar; bark books and used hieroglyphic writing

Advances Incas – Great Road

System through the mountains

Roads helped army and messengers

Pottery/Weaving Quipus-knotted

ropes for record keeping

Calendar Medicinal Herbs

Buildings/Cities Aztec – Tenochtitlan

was the capital city. It was located in Lake

Texcoco and was connected to the mainland by causeways.

The city contained temples, palaces, zoos and floating gardens. It was the center of the empire

Buildings/Cities Maya – Pyramid

temples Palaces Carved Pillars

Buildings/Cities Inca -

Ceremonial Centers

Stone building (can’t get a knife through the stones) and engineering

Cuzco - capital Machu Picchu

• Machu Picchu

Social ClassesAztec Maya Inca

EmperorPriestsNoblesWarriorsCommoners/FarmersSlaves (Criminals or POWs)

Ruling Chief of EACH CITYPriestsNobles (military leaders, directed public works and collected taxes) Farmers(Sometimes women ruled)

Ruler/PriestNobles/Local ChiefsGovernment Officials (kept records of taxes)Strict regulations on job assignments and marriages

How Did the Empire End?

Aztec Maya IncaMontezuma defeated by Spanish conquistadors and Hernan Cortes in 1500 A.D.

Cities abandoned by 900 A.D. Why?? Wars? Overpopulation?Revolts?The Mayan language still survives in S. Mexico and Guatemala

In 1525 the Emperor dies and his two sons fight for control. This weakens the empire making it easy for Francisco Pizarro to conquer in 1535 A.D.