You need to know something about the Maya and the Aztec Empire as we move into our time period 1200-1450. What can you say about their political structures, social dynamics, and st... You need to know something about the Maya and the Aztec Empire as we move into our time period 1200-1450. What can you say about their political structures, social dynamics, and state-building processes?
Understand the Problem
The question is focused on the topic of Mesoamerican civilizations, specifically regarding the Aztec Empire and its political and social structures. It seeks to analyze different aspects of the Aztec civilization as it relates to state building in the Americas.
Answer
Maya: decentralized city-states; Aztecs: centralized empire.
The Maya were organized into city-states with decentralized governance, while the Aztecs had a centralized empire with tributary states. Maya city-states competed politically, whereas the Aztecs expanded through military conquest. Both engaged in state-building, but the Aztecs relied on religious motives for expansion.
Answer for screen readers
The Maya were organized into city-states with decentralized governance, while the Aztecs had a centralized empire with tributary states. Maya city-states competed politically, whereas the Aztecs expanded through military conquest. Both engaged in state-building, but the Aztecs relied on religious motives for expansion.
More Information
The Maya civilization was marked by independent city-states such as Mayapan, while the Aztecs unified multiple regions under their empire, often using religious rites to legitimize control.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume the Maya had a centralized structure like the Aztecs. Remember that city-states operated independently.
Sources
- The Americas from 1200 to 1450 | AP World History - Fiveable - library.fiveable.me
- READ: The Americas 1200–1450 (article) | Khan Academy - khanacademy.org
- Aztec, Inca, and Maya: The Americas from 1200 to 1450 - OER Project - oerproject.com
