Americas on the eve of invasion Stearns Ch 11
MesoAmerica Olmecs, 1200 - 300 BCE (classical) Toltec, 900 - 1200 CE (post) Maya, 250 - 900, continued….
Toltecs - influence Aztecs Quetzalcoatl - feather serpent, later considered God capital at Tula contact with Anasazi (turquoise for obsidian) and Cahokia (?) decline of Toltecs (open for Aztecs)
Aztec geography
How did they (Mexica) take power? military conquest from the north of lake Texcoco (Aztlan) in 1300s Triple Alliance - Acolhuas + Tepanecs by 1400 military cult - human sacrifices from war captives (terror threat) flower war: expand for religion
How did Aztecs hold power? political domination, not direct control social contract: forced others to pay tribute, give land and military service local leaders left in control state control and distribution of food merchant class or pochteca, specialized in trade (cacao)
How did Aztecs hold power? Chinampas - food surplus, supply Tribute empire: dependent upon the loyalty of the other “city states Decline - decrease in food production, end of calpulli
chinampas
culture Nahuatl language Mesoamerican calendar Toltec religion - united people 128 total gods - male / female form; major cults of devotion to gods who ruled natural world mythology - similar to Greek or Hinduism
transitions traditional calpulli (clans) replaced by military and administrative nobles significance of military cult (born into) egalitarian principles disappeared in expanding empire (hiercharchy) lack of technology - limited role of women (maize) continuation of classical civ: “militarized afterglow of earlier achievements”
Tenochtitlan
Practice sourcing “With a core population recently estimated at 5 to 6 million people, the Aztec Empire was a loosely structured and unstable conquest state that witnessed frequent rebellions by its subject peoples. Conquered peoples and cities were required to regularly deliver to their Aztec rulers impressive quantities of textiles and clothing….The process was overseen by local imperial tribute collectors…..” Secondary Source: “The Aztec Empire” in Ways of the World by Robert W. Strayer; p. 590
Inca geography 3,000 miles
How did they (Twantinsuyu) take power? Tihuanaco was previous regional empire Pachacuti (Inca) - expanded Cuzco pastoralists into larger empire 1400 - 1500 variety of methods Chimor (previous empire) by force others through alliances, trade Twantinsuyu - 4 parts put together split inheritance - need for more land
How did Inca hold power? capital in Cuzco - 4 regional governors (curacas) loyal to “inca” 9-13 million people, different ethnicities - gave land and labor (mita) in return for redistribution of goods, food, projects complex roads / bridges / tambos (supply center) cult of ancestors (common religion) ayllus - clans, family groupings (nobles)
Inca agriculture - human interaction with the environment If Aztecs created alliances by FEAR, Incas could encourage cooperation because of their agricultural system
Inca culture Quechua oral language - actively spread Temple of the Sun at Cuzco gold, silver and bronze work knots as numbering system engineering - roads, bridges, terrace farming
Quipu size of knot (0-1o) placement on cord (100 - 1000) color = subject purpose - mita (labor tax) and production
Machu Picchu
? on succession?