Peoples & Civilizations of the Americas C.E.

Classic-Era Culture & Society in Mesoamerica C.E.

Teotihuacán Large Mesoamerican city. Height of its power – C.E. Population of 125,000 to 200,000 Dominated by: –Religious structures Had pyramids and temples where human sacrifice was carried out.

Growth of Teotihuacán Possible by forced relocation of farm families to the city by agricultural innovations like: irrigation works floating gardens –These helped to support a larger population.

Living Quarters Apartment-like stone buildings housed commoners and artisans. Artisans made pottery, obsidian tools, and weapons for export. Elite lived in separate residential compounds. Elites controlled: –State bureaucracy –Tax collection –Commerce

Rule Ruled by alliances of wealthy families rather than by kings. Military was used primarily to: –protect and expand long-distance trade –Ensure that farmers paid taxes or tribute to the elite.

Collapse Teotihuacán collapsed around 650 C.E. Caused by: –mismanagement of resources –conflict within the elite –invasion

Teotihuacán City Plan

Pyramid of the Moon

Avenue of the Dead

Architecture

Remains

The Maya Single culture living in modern Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and southern Mexico but never formed a politically unified state. Various Maya kingdoms fought each other for regional dominance.

Map of Mayan Territory

Agricultural Productivity Drained swamps Built elevated fields Terraced fields Constructed irrigation systems Managed forest resources to increase production of desired products

City-States Largest city-states dominated neighboring city-states and agricultural areas. Constructed impressive and beautifully decorated buildings and monuments by using levers and stone tools.

Mayan Observatory

The Cosmos To Maya, consisted of three layers: –Heavens –Human world –Underworld Temple architecture reflected this cosmology Rulers and elites served as priests to communicate with residents of supernatural worlds.

Mayan Pyramid

Military Forces Fought for captives, not for territory Elite captives were sacrificed Commoners were enslaved

Mayan Women Elite women participated in bloodletting rituals and other ceremonies Rarely had political power Non-elite women probably played an essential role in agricultural and textile production.

Mayan Technology Developed: –Maya calendar –System of mathematics –Maya writing system

Mayan Hieroglyphics

Mayan Calendar

Mayan Decline Most city-states were abandoned or destroyed between C.E. Possible reasons: –Disruption of Mesoamerican trade upon fall of Teotihuacán –Environmental pressure caused by overpopulation –Epidemic disease

Post-Classic Period in Mesoamerica C.E.

Toltecs Arrived in central Mexico in the tenth century. Built a civilization based on the legacy of Teotihuacán. Contributed innovations in the areas of politics and war.

Toltecs Toltec capital = Tula Center of the first conquest state in the Americas. Dual kings ruled the state –Arrangement probably caused the internal struggle that undermined the Toltec state around 1000 C.E. Toltecs destroyed by invaders around 1156 C.E.

Toltec Statues

Toltec Shield

Toltec Ruins

Aztecs Originally a northern people with a clan- based social organization. Migrated to Lake Texcoco area Established cities of Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco around 1325 Developed a monarchical system of government

Aztec Kings Increased wealth and power by means of territorial conquest. As Empire grew in size, commoners lost ability to influence political decisions –Result was increase in inequalities in wealth

Agricultural Production Increased in the capital area by undertaking: –Land reclamation projects –Constructing irrigated fields Food tribute met nearly ¼ of capital’s food requirements

Trade Merchants who were distinct from and subordinate to the political elite controlled long-distance trade. Technology of trade: –No wheeled vehicles –No draft animals –No money used Goods carried by human porters and exchanged through barter.

Aztec Worship Large number of gods –Most important = Huitzilopochtli, the sun god Huitzilopochtli required a diet of human hearts that were supplied by sacrificing thousands of people every year.

Aztec Sacrifice

Northern Peoples

Southwestern Desert Cultures Irrigation-based agriculture was introduced to Arizona from Mexico around 300 B.C.E. Hohokam constructed extensive irrigation works in the Salt and Gila valleys around 1000 C.E.

Anasazi Developed a maize, rice, and bean economy Constructed underground buildings (kivas) in Arizona/New Mexico/Colorado/Utah region around C.E.

Chaco Canyon Population of about 15,000. People engaged in: –Hunting –Trade –Irrigated agriculture Exerted political or religious dominance over a large region.

Anasazi Decline Twelfth or thirteenth centuries as a result of: –Drought –Overpopulation –Warfare

Anasazi Ruins

Mound Builders of the Mississippi

Mound Builders: The Mississippian Culture Chiefs served as priests and managed secular affairs such as long-distance trade People built large mounds both as: –burial sites –as platforms upon which temples and residences of the society’s elite were constructed.

Mississippian Center Center was Cahokia –Population of about 30,000 around 1200 C.E. Cahokia was abandoned around 1250 –Perhaps because of climate changes and population pressure

Reconstruction of Cahokia

Andean Civilizations C.E.

Cultural Response to Environmental Challenge Human inhabitants had to respond to: –High-altitude Andes –Dry coastal plain –Tropical headwaters of the Amazon

Labor Organization Basic unit of Andean labor = clan or ayllu Clans held land collectively Obligated to assist each other in production and to supply goods and labor to the clan chief.

Organization Territorial states organized after 1000 C.E. Introduced the institution of the mit’a –Required each allyu to provide a set number of workers each year to provide labor for: Religious establishments Royal court aristocracy

Division of Labor Work was divided along gender lines. Men were responsible for: –Hunting –War –Government Women were responsible for: –Weaving –Crops –Home

Andean Environment Four major ecological zones: –Coast –Mountain valleys –Higher elevations –Amazonian region Each region produced different goods and exchanged through network of trade routes.

Moche Culture emerged in the north coastal region of Peru in about 200 C.E. Used mit’a labor system to construct irrigated agriculture system. Produced: –Maize –Quinoa –Beans –Manioc

Map of Moche Region

Society Stratified and theocratic Wealth and power were concentrated in the hands of an elite of priests and military leaders

Elite vs. Commoners Elite: –Lived atop large platforms –Decorated themselves with fancy clothes, jewelry, and tall headdresses. Commoners: –Cultivated fields of elite –Supplied mit’a labor to the elite

Moche Artisans Skilled in production of: –Textiles –Portrait vases –Metallurgy Gold and silver used for decorative purposes Copper and copper alloy used for farm tools and weapons.

Moche Art

Decline and Fall Attributed to: –series of natural disasters in the sixth century –Pressure from warlike Wari people in the eighth century

Tiwanaku Located in Bolivia. Experienced increased agricultural productivity and urbanization after 200 C.E. Cultivated potatoes and grains on raised fields reclaimed from marshland.

Urban Construction Urban areas included: –Large terraced pyramid –Walled enclosures –Reservoir Construction process: –Large stones quarried, moved and laid by many workers –Used simple technology –Had copper alloy tools

Tiwanaku

Tiwanaku Society Highly stratified Ruled by hereditary elite Included specialized artisans Tiwanaku was a ceremonial and political center for a large regional population

Statue by Artisans

Wari Located near city of Ayucuho, Peru Had contact with Tiwanaku, but separate culture City built without central planning, different techniques, and very small compared to Tiwanaku

Wari Artwork

Tiwanaku and Wari Both civilizations declined to insignificance by 1000 C.E.

The Inca

Origins Small chiefdom in Cuzco until leaders consolidated political authority. Began program of military expansion in the 1430s. By 1525, constructed a huge empire.

Key to Inca Wealth Ability to develop a strong professional military AND Use it to broaden and expand traditional exchange system that linked regions of Andes together.

Inca Map

Labor System Used mit’a labor system to: –Man armies –Build capital city –Maintain religious institutions –Provide for old, weak, and ill

Local Rulers Inca left local rulers in place Controlled them by: –Military garrisons located close by –Took heirs to Cuzco as hostages

Central Government Inca created an imperial bureaucracy led by a king. Each king was required to prove himself by conquering new territory.

Capital City Capital = Cuzco Laid out in shape of a puma Buildings constructed of stone without mortar Palaces and temples decorated with scenes of rituals, feasts, and sacrifices.

Cultural Contributions Astronomical observation Weaving Copper and bronze metallurgy Gold and silver working Did not introduce new technology, but made existing technology more efficient to increase profits throughout region.

Inca Artwork

Civil War Incan domination increased wealth, but reduced levels of local autonomy. Elite fell into civil war in Inca control over vast territories was weakened.

Cuzco

Which way to Machu Pichu?

Machu Pichu Now how do we get down from here?