The Americas - Maya, Aztec, and Incas PDF

Jade death mask and jewelry of Pakal, Ruler of Palenque, 7th Century CE  Maya Create City-States stretched from S.Mexico to N.Central America Classical Period 12,000 to 400 BCE - huge cities build - Tikal - major city-state in N. Guatemala  Maya Create City-States stretched from S.Mexico...

Jade death mask and jewelry of Pakal, Ruler of Palenque, 7th Century CE  Maya Create City-States stretched from S.Mexico to N.Central America Classical Period 12,000 to 400 BCE - huge cities build - Tikal - major city-state in N. Guatemala  Maya Create City-States stretched from S.Mexico to N.Central America Classical Period 12,000 to 400 BCE - huge cities build - Tikal - major city-state in N. Guatemala - city-states - ruled by a god-king & served as a center for religious ceremonies & trade  Maya Create City-States Agriculture supports cities - staple foods - maize, beans & squash - advanced farming techniques - led to wealth & social classes Classes - King at top - Nobility: priest, warriors - merchants Rendition by: - large peasant class Victor Maiorino Fernandes  Mayan Religion Religion affected everyday life - polytheistic (gods of corn, death, rain, war etc.) - each day considered a god Religious Worship 1. prayers, food, flowers & incense 2. bloodletting 3. human sacrifices(usually captured enemies) 4. Cenote(lake)sacrifices at Chichén Itzá Kinich Abau - The Sun God  Mayan Religion Religion affected everyday life - polytheistic (gods of corn, death, rain, war etc.) - each day considered a god Religious Worship 1. prayers, food, flowers & incense 2. bloodletting 3. human sacrifices(usually captured enemies) 4. Cenote(lake)sacrifices at Chichén Itzá  Mayan Religion Math & Religion - one of the most accurate calendar systems in history - solar calendar for planting & harvesting crops Written Language & History - 800 glyphs symbols = words & syllables - codex - history book written on bark-paper - Popol Vuh - book of creation story & history  Mayan Religion Math & Religion - one of the most accurate calendar systems in history - solar calendar for planting & harvesting crops Written Language & History - 800 glyphs symbols = words & syllables - codex - history book written on bark-paper - Popol Vuh - book of creation story & history  Mysterious Decline late 800s Mayans abruptly left their cities Why? Theories - war - rapid population growth - over-farming, or drought -> food shortages  The Valley of Mexico Location: modern-day Mexico City - large shallow lakes at its center Teotihuacán - fertile soil Teotihuacán - city-state 1st major civilization of central Mexico (200CE) - Pop. 150,00-200,000 - Pyramid of the Sun - largest pyramid of 20 - trade obsidian - declined 750 CE  The Valley of Mexico Location: modern-day Mexico City - large shallow lakes at its center - fertile soil Teotihuacán - city-state 1st major civilization of central Mexico (200CE) - Pop. 150,00-200,000 - Pyramid of the Sun - largest pyramid of 20 - trade obsidian - declined 750 CE  The Aztec Empire 1325 Aztec founded the city of Tenochtitlán - on an Island - Triple Alliance - Aztec formed w/2 other city-states - by 1500, Aztec was a brutal empire of 5-15 million people  The Aztec Empire Social Structure Emperor - absolute power w/a large palace Society divided: - noble class - military leaders, govt officials, priests - commoners - artisans, merchants, soldiers, farmers Artist rendition of - enslaved - captives Emperor Moctezuma II  The Aztec Empire Social Structure Emperor - absolute power w/a large palace Society divided: - noble class - military leaders, govt officials, priests - commoners - artisans, merchants, soldiers, farmers - enslaved - captives  The Aztec Empire Tenochtitlán - pop between 200,000 & 400,000 - Island connected to mainland by 3 causeways - centered around the Great Temple - a massive religious complex - chinampas - farm plots built on the lake (floating gardens)  The Aztec Empire Tenochtitlán - pop between 200,000 & 400,000 - Island connected to mainland by 3 causeways - centered around the Great Temple - a massive religious complex - chinampas - farm plots built on the lake (floating gardens)  Aztec Religion Religion Daily Life Polytheistic - 1,000 gods - Quetzalcoatl - god of learning, books, of wind, & symbol of death & rebirth - public ceremonies to communicate w/gods - human sacrifice was central, especially for the sun god Huitzilopochtli - victims were, enslaved, From Codex Laud folio, criminals, & war captives Aztec sculpture of Quetzalcoatl a pre-Columbian manuscript  Aztec Religion Religion Daily Life Polytheistic - 1,000 gods - Quetzalcoatl - god of learning, books, of wind, & symbol of death & rebirth - public ceremonies to communicate w/gods - human sacrifice was central, especially for the sun god Huitzilopochtli - victims were, enslaved, From Codex Laud folio, criminals, & war captives a pre-Columbian manuscript Problems in the Empire Montezuma II - Emperor in 1502 - gained wealth from collecting tribute from surrounding empires - some city-states rebelled against paying taxes & labor to the empire - Spanish invasion & smallpox ended the Artist rendition of empire Emperor Moctezuma II Problems in the Empire Montezuma II - Emperor in 1502 - gained wealth from collecting tribute from surrounding empires - some city-states rebelled against paying taxes & labor to the empire - Spanish invasion & smallpox ended the Artist rendition of empire Emperor Moctezuma II  Inca Empire - Origins largest empire in pre-Columbian America - territory from Ecuador to Chile - capital - Cuzco  Inca Empire - Origins largest empire in pre-Columbian America - territory from Ecuador to Chile - capital - Cuzco Origins - 1200s - settled in the of Valley of Cuzco from the Andes Mnts - rulers descendants of the Inti - sun god Pachacuti - ruler - conquered all of Peru - 1st used diplomacy then force Inti, Sun God  Inca Empire - Origins largest empire in pre-Columbian America - territory from Ecuador to Chile - capital - Cuzco Origins - 1200s - settled in the of Valley of Cuzco from the Andes Mnts - rulers descendants of the Inti - sun god Pachacuti - ruler - conquered all of Peru  Incan Government controlled economic, & social life (little private trade) - Ayllu - extended family group that took on large tasks - building - storing & distributing food  Incan Government Mita - a kind of tribute to the Inca govt in the form of labor - in return, govt cared for people Inca Roads - 14,000 mile-long network - chasquis - system of runners who carried messages Quipu a system for recording data using colored string & knots  Incan Government Mita - a kind of tribute to the Inca govt in the form of labor - in return, govt cared for people Inca Roads - 14,000 mile-long network - chasquis - system of runners who carried messages Quipu a system for recording data using colored string & knots  Fall of the Inca Emperor Huayna Capac - 1525 died of disease - civil war between 2 sons for control - left weakened at the arrival of the Spanish