Latin American History Mayans, Aztecs, Incas, & The Conquistadors

Stelae

Map of Chichen Itza

Causeway

Well of Sacrifice

High Priests' Temple Observatory Temple

Las Monjas complex of governmental buildings Temple of the Warriors Las Monjas complex of governmental buildings

The Mayans Where? When? How do we know about them? Central America & South Mexico When? 250 BCE-900 CE 650 years (US 235 years ) How do we know about them? From ancient ruins and hieroglyphics—system of writing using symbols

Mayan Notable Accomplishments Built cities as centers of economics, politics, and religion. Studied stars & planets to create two calendars One for religious celebrations One for seasons

Mayan Notable Accomplishments Mainly worked as farmers Main crop was maize or corn Other crops: squash, beans, peppers, avocados, and papayas Created a number system that included zero Why was this important?

Great Mayan Mystery Declined around 900 A.D. At peak population was 22 million people No one knows why? Some theories are: Crop failure War Disease Drought Famine Millions of Mayan descendents still live in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala

Aztec Empire Where is it? When? Who? Valley of Mexico on the island of Texcoco Capital City was Tenochtitlan (site of modern day Mexico City) When? 1100-1521 A.D. Who? Warriors who conquered people of region and forced them to pay a tax or tribute which made the empire rich

Notable Aztec Accomplishments In order to use all available swamp land they created chinampas—artificial, floating gardens that allowed them to farm swamplands Capital had temples, markets, streets, canals, and even zoos!

Notable Aztec Accomplishments Astronomers made calendars and predicted eclipses and planetary movement Hieroglyphics or writing system similar to Mayans Created medicine from plants Set broken bones, and practiced dentistry Safe trade was made possible by a strong army

Incan Empire: “People of the Sun” Where? West Coast of South America Capital city was Cuzco in Andes Mountains (Modern Country?) When? 1200-1500s A.D.

Important Incan Rulers Pachacuti First ruler Started conquering surrounding people in 1438 Topa Inca Son of the first ruler Became emperor of Incas

The Incan Empire Size of the Empire Government Over 2,500 square miles at its height Included lands in modern-day Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina Ruled 12 million people Government To know how to tax people they conducted a census—official count of all people in the area Took care of poor, sick, and elderly

Notable Incan Accomplishments Quipus Knotted strings used to record info written language 14,000 miles of roads through very challenging land Canals & Aquaducts pipes or channels that carry water from a distant source Earthquake-Proof Buildings! Machu Picchu

Incan Religion Polytheists Practiced Human Sacrifice Inti Worshiped many gods Practiced Human Sacrifice Inti Sun God One of the most important gods Considered the Parent God

The Quechua: Descendants of the Incas Spanish conquered Incas in 1500s Descendants still live in: Peru Ecuador Bolivia Chile Columbia Still speak Incan language, Quechua Live isolated lives similar to ancestors: Weaving Subsistence farming Ponchos

Life in the “New World” is forever changed The Europeans Arrive Life in the “New World” is forever changed

Age of Exploration In 1400s, Spain & Portugal were searching for trade routes to Asia Christopher Columbus Italian explorer Landed in “New World” Oct. 12, 1492 Spanish monarchs, Isabella & Ferdinand financed his voyage

Treaty of Tordesillas 1492 Spain & Portugal signed a document dividing the new world Line of Demarcation At 50 degrees West longitude Spain had all the land west Portugal had everything to the east

After the Explorers Came the Conquistadors… “conquerors” From Spain Granted right to hunt for treasure and settle land In exchange they gave 1/5 of treasure to the monarch

Hernan Cortez Conquistador Arrived in Mexico in 1519 Brought 500 soldiers and 16 horses Was mistaken for a god by Aztec ruler, Moctezuma who welcomed them to the city Fighting began At the end: Moctezuma was dead Cortez barely escaped Spain clamed the region The Aztec Empire fell by 1521

Francisco Pizarro Conquistador Arrive in South America in the year 1531 180 soldiers killed the Incan Emperor and other leaders By 1535, had conquered most of Incan Empire

Why were the conquistadors so successful?

Reasons for Success of Conquistadors Diseases such as small pox, measles, and chicken pox that the natives had no immunity from Advanced weapons such as guns and cannons Horses Fighting amongst the native people they used to their advantage

After the conquistadors came the colonist Colonization After the conquistadors came the colonist

Which Countries Colonized Where? Spain controlled: From southern South America all the way to the present U.S. Also some Caribbean Islands Portugal controlled: Brazil France & England later controlled: Other Caribbean Islands

Why did the colonists come? Missionaries from the Catholic Church came to spread Christianity People looking for gold or other mineral riches To settle and farm the land

Spanish empire Largest Controlled by King’s representatives or viceroys Most important provinces: New Spain—capital was Mexico City (in modern-day Mexico City) Peru—with the capital of Lima (in modern-day Peru)

Hierarchy Power and influence in empire were determined by birth Spanish—most powerful citizens Mestizos—middle class; mixed Spanish and Native ancestry Natives—least powerful class

Vocabulary Haciendas Encomiendas Was a plantation owned by Spaniards or the Catholic Church Encomiendas Rights to demand taxes or labor from the Native Americans

Effects of Colonization on Natives Population dropped from 25 million to 3 million in a 50 year period of Spanish rule Created shortage of free labor demand for slave trade from Africa