Early Human Migrations

Major Pre-Columbian Civilizations

Lands of the Maya

Political Characteristics  Never form a unified political system  Do create a unified culture  Larger city-states dominated smaller city- states  Large city-states built elaborate commercial and religious centers  Chichen-Itza

El Castillo at Chichen Itza

Maya Economy Cultivated maize, cotton, and cacao – Increased agricultural production by draining swamps, terraced fields, and irrigation ditches – Led to environmental degradation Hereditary nobility controlled most of the land Maya merchants came from ruling class – Traded primarily in luxury products

Maya Religion Polytheistic Cosmos consisted of three layers: the heavens, the human world, and the underworld – Priests could communicate with residents of both supernatural worlds Mayan developments: calendar, writing system, and mathematics – Used to determine religious holidays

Maya sacrifice Had to please the gods via sacrifice – Piercing of bodies with needle – Human Sacrifice Sacrificed prisoners of war, slaves, and children

Mayan Bloodletting

Mayan Ball Game

Mayan Calendar

Maya Decline Maya city-states were abandoned or destroyed between CE Causes for decline include: – The disruption of trade after the decline of Teotihuacan in Central Mexico – Environmental degradation caused by overpopulation – Epidemic disease

Rise of the Aztecs Aztecs (Mexica) migrate to Lake Texcoco in central Mexico c Founded city of Tenochtitlan in 1325 Empire started in 1434 Aztec kings represented civil power and served as a representative of the gods on Earth

Aztec Government City-states ruled by a speaker chosen from the nobility The Great Speaker, ruler of Tenochtitlan, was in effect an emperor – Increasingly considered a living god Conquered peoples maintained some autonomy if they paid tribute

Human Sacrifice Human sacrifice was a typical part of Mesoamerican religion – Aztec expand practice into a cult where military supplied war captives for sacrifice Why? – Political purposes – Population control – Cannibal kingdom

Human Sacrifice

Tenochtitlan “The Venice of the Americas

Chinampas

Aztec Society Women’s primary role was the household – Women spent six hours a day grinding corn; restricted women’s rights Marriages were arranged Polygamy existed amongst the nobility Women could inherit property

The Inca

Inca Economy Unlike Aztecs, not a lot of trade – Tried to be self-sufficient Primarily agricultural – Terrace farming & complex irrigation – Over 200 types of potatoes Inca Socialism Used forced labor for massive projects

Terrace Farming

Inca Technology Built a complex system of roads and bridges – 2500 miles of roads – Used a system of runners to carry messages throughout the empire Beautiful pottery, cloth, and metalworking Quipu Masonry

Bridges and Roads

Quipu

Inca Metalworking