Ancient Cultures of Central and South America: The Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Mayan Map

The Mayans The culture's beginnings have been traced back to 1500 BC. The Height of Mayan civilization was between 600-900 AD. Period from 250-900 is known as the Classic Period of Mayan civilization.

The Mayans During the Classic Period spectacular cities such as TIKAL were created. Located in northern Guatemala.

The Mayans Maya cities featured giant pyramids, temples, palaces, and elaborate stone carvings dedicated to the gods and to important rulers.

The Mayans Tens of 1,000s of people lived in residential areas surrounding the city center. Archaeologists have identified at least 50 major Maya sites. Each city was it’s own city state.

The Mayans Each Maya city featured a stone sided ball court. Games had religious and political significance.

The Mayans The Maya believed playing the game would maintain the cycles of the sun and moon and bring life-giving rains.

The Mayans The exact rules and method of scoring during the game are unknown. However, inscriptions indicate players could use their hands and feet to move a solid rubber ball.

The Mayans Members of the losing team…unfortunately might be sacrificed by beheading!!!

Mayan Government Priests were also the role of rulers in the Mayan Government. Why would it be significant that Priests were also rulers…. 1)Positives 2)Negatives

Mayan Writing Devised a complex style of hieroglyphic writing that has yet to be fully deciphered. Maya words are formed from various combinations of nearly 800 signs.

Maya Technology The Maya, for example, were so advanced in mathematics and astronomy that their calendar was the world's most accurate until this century. They could also predict solar and lunar eclipses. The Maya calendar was adopted by the other Mesoamerican nations, such as the Aztecs and the Toltec. The pyramid was used as a calendar: four stairways, each with 91 steps and a platform at the top, making a total of 365, equivalent to the number of days in a calendar year.

Mayan Calendar December 21, 2012 has been described in the MC the, “end of an era.”

Agriculture The basis of the culture was farming, which included not only the cultivation of maize, beans, squash, and chili peppers, but also "cash crops" of cotton and cacao.

Mayan Economy The Maya participated in long distance trade with many of the Mesoamerican cultures, including Teotihuacan, the Zapotec, and other groups in central and gulf-coast México, the Caribbean islands and down up to Colombia, as well as inter-site commerce.

Religion The most revered deities (Gods) were Itzamna and Ix Chel, father and mother of all other gods, and the rain god Chac. Kukulcan was the Mayan name for the feathered serpent.

Downfall Insufficient food supply, earthquakes, plague, invasion by outsiders, DROUGHT, internal rebellion or a combination of these factors have all been suggested as possible causes for the fall of the Mayan eminence. By 900 AD the Maya's numerous ceremonial centers had been abandoned.

Aztec Empire Map

Aztecs Prior to the 15th century, the Aztecs were a marginal tribe living on the edge of Lake Texcoco, the site of present day Mexico City.

Aztec Government Aztecs had established laws and a emperor. Not a conventional empire, because they allowed conquered people to maintain a level of independence. They just needed to pay their taxes (Tribute) to the Aztecs.

Tenochtitlan By 1473, after defeating neighboring tribes, they ruled the largest empire Mexico had ever seen. Their capital of Tenochtitlan, set in the lake, was a picturesque city of pyramids, mile-long floating roads, aqueducts, animated marketplaces, and one hundred thousand residents.

Tenochtitlan

Tenochtitlan

Tenochtitlan

Mexico City Today

Economy Use Of Money In Aztec Economy The Aztecs were an advanced people since they knew about the value of money. Several kinds of money were used by the Aztecs and the cacao bean was one of the regular money used by the Aztecs. For example, a small rabbit would cost a person around 30 cacao beans

Aztec Calendar -The Aztecs used a Calendar similar to The Mayans. It had a 365 day a year Calendar. -In the mythology of the Aztecs, the first age of mankind ended with the animals devouring humans. The second age was finished by wind, the third by fire, and the fourth by water. The present fifth epoch is called Nahui-Olin (Sun of Earthquake), which began in 3113 BC and will end on December 24, 2011. It will be the last destruction of human existence on Earth.

Aztec Writing The Aztec Language was based on symbols representing writing. They would combine symbols to create sentences.

Mythology The most important Aztec god was the feathered-serpent Quetzalcoatl. He was considered the god of intelligence and the god of creation.

Quetzalcoatl

Inca Map

Inca Between 1200 and 1535, the Inca population lived in the part of South America extending from the Equator to the Pacific coast of Chile.

Incan Government The Inca society was arranged by a strict hierarchical structure. The Highest Level the Sapa, high priest or ruler, and the army commander at the top. The temple priests, architects and regional army commanders were next. The 2 lowest classes consisted of artisans, army captains, farmers, and herders. Farmers provided most of the food for the rest of the population. They had to pay tax in the form of gold, which were distributed to the higher classes.

Inca Economy The main resources available to the Inca Empire were agricultural land and labor, mines (producing precious and prestigious metals such as gold, silver or copper), and fresh water, abundant everywhere except along the desert coast.

Inca Agriculture The Inca developed drainage systems and canals to expand their crop resources. Potatoes, tomatoes, cotton, peanuts and coca were among the many crops grown.

Inca Agriculture Llamas were used for meat and transportation. There was more than enough resources available for everyone. Increased subsistence levels led to a growth in the Inca population.

Inca Technology The Incas had an incredible system of roads. One road ran almost the entire length of the South American Pacific coast.