BELLRINGER Identify ONE contribution made by the Incas.

Early Civilizations in Mesoamerica Maya, Inca, & Aztec Civilizations

HOW IT ALL BEGAN… During the Ice Age, prehistoric nomads migrated across the land bridge between Asia & America During the Neolithic Revolution, these nomads settled into farming villages; Some of which became advanced civilizations

Land Bridge AKA Bering Strait

INCA EMPIRE The Inca built one of the largest & wealthiest empires in the world Capital: Cuzco 1300-1572

INCA EMPIRE Incan Empire extended more than 2,500 miles Huge territory covered deserts, mountains, & rain forests Used terraced mountain- sides & irrigation streams for farming

INCA EMPIRE Most famous city was Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

INCA EMPIRE Accomplishments of the Inca: Had no writing, but created record system called quipu (knots tied to colored rope) Built suspension bridges Built 10,000 miles of roads Math 1st civilization to harvest potatoes

Decline and Collapse… Civil war Disease Spanish conquest Francisco Pizarro 1531-1535

MAYAS The Maya lived in present-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, & Honduras 1800 B.C.-900 A.D. One of the most advanced civilizations in the world.

MAYAN EMPIRE Mayanspolytheists; who built large pyramids to honor gods Offered their blood, food, & sometimes human sacrifices to please the gods

Mayan Empire Accomplishments of the Mayans: Developed system of mathematics & number system Created accurate calendar with 365 days that could accurately predict eclipses Had exact knowledge of phases of the moon

12/21/12

Mayan Empire Developed hieroglyphic-style writing to record astronomical observations, calendar calculations, & historical information The Madrid Codex—one of four preserved codices (manuscript volumes) of Maya hieroglyphs.

Decline and Collapse… Overpopulation Exhausted environment around them Constant warfare among city-states Environmental change: intense period of drought

Aztec Maya Inca Location Time Periods Capital Economy Religion Social System Government Technology End of Civilization Contributions

BELLRINGER Compare the writing system of the Incas and the Mayas.

AZTEC EMPIRE The Aztec Empire began lasted from 1427 to 1521 (conquered by Spanish conquistadors) The capital, Tenochtitlán, was located on the present-day site of Mexico City

AZTEC EMPIRE The Aztecs were founded by the Mexica, (came from west Mexico) Legend predicted the Mexicans would find a great civilization where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus growing out of a rock Aztec civilization was created on Lake Texcoco—strategic with abundant food supplies & waterways for transportation As the Mexica grew in number, they established superior military and civil organizations. Gradually, they revolted against the Tepanec and won control of some territory on the mainland. In about 1427 the Mexica of Tenochtitlán formed a triple alliance with the city-states of Texcoco and Tlacopan (now Tacuba). Under the Mexica ruler Itzcoatl, his successor Montezuma I, and the Texcocan ruler Netzahualcóyotl, the three states began a series of conquests. They eventually established an empire that extended from central Mexico to the Guatemalan border and included many different states and ethnic groups, who were forced to pay tribute to the alliance. Tenochtitlán became the dominant power within the alliance. "Aztec Empire," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000. © 1993-1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. a highly developed civilization. A fertile basin, the valley was located 2400 m (7800 ft) above sea level. In its center lay five interconnected lakes dotted with marshy islands. From about AD 100 to 650 the valley was dominated by the city of Teotihuacán, center of a powerful religious, economic, and political state. After the decline of Teotihuacán, the Toltec people migrated into central Mexico from the north and established a conquest state there. The Toltec civilization reached its height in the 10th and 11th centuries. In the 13th century wandering bands of Nahuatl-speaking warriors, often called Chichimec, invaded the valley. They took over Toltec cities, such as Atzcapotzalco, and founded new ones, such as Texcoco de Mora. The Chichimec combined their own culturaltraditions with those of the Toltec to form the early Aztec civilization, whose social structure, economy, and arts would reach their height under the rule of the later empire. "Aztec Empire," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000. © 1993- 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

When captured by Spanish conquistadors, Tenochtitlán was possibly the largest city in the world

Aztec Empire Farming was the basis of the Aztec economy, but land was not large enough to produce enough food for the population; Aztecs created chinampas (floating gardens), by putting mud on huge mats made of woven reeds & placed them in lake—farmed on soil on these “farms” Farming provided the basis of the Aztec economy. The land around the lakes was fertile but not large enough to produce food for the population, which expanded steadily as the empire grew. To make more land suitable for farming, the Aztec developed irrigation systems, formed terraces on hillsides, and used fertilizer to enrich the soil. Their most important agricultural technique, however, was to reclaim swampy land around the lakes by creating chinampas, or artificial islands that are known popularly as “floating gardens.” To make the chinampas, the Aztec dug canals through the marshy shores and islands, then heaped the mud on huge mats made of woven reeds. They anchored the mats by tying them to posts driven into the lake bed and planting trees at their corners that took root and secured the islands permanently. On "Aztec Empire," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000. © 1993- 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Aztec farmers had no plows or work animals. They planted crops in soft soil using pointed sticks. Corn was their principal crop. Women ground the corn into a coarse meal by rubbing it with a grinding stone called a mano against a flat stone called a metate. From the corn meal, the Aztec made flat corn cakes called tortillas, which was their principal food. Other crops included beans, squash, chili peppers, avocados, and tomatoes. The Aztec raised turkeys and dogs, which were eaten by the wealthy; they also raised ducks, geese, and quail.

Trade—Pottery, tools, jewelry, figurines, baskets, and cloth were produced for the ruler or sold in the local markets. Prized luxury items (lake salt, gold ornaments, and rich garments) were traded to distant peoples along the Gulf coast and south toward what is now Guatemala. They received: luxury items such as tropical-bird feathers, jaguar skins, cotton, rubber, and cacao beans for chocolate. The Aztec had no wheeled vehicles or draft animals, so trading goods were carried by canoe or on the backs of porters, who marched in long caravans led by merchants. In dangerous areas, Aztec warriors would protect the caravans. Merchants would often act as spies for the empire when trading in towns that had not been conquered by the Aztec. "Aztec Empire," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000. © 1993- 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Aztec Empire Aztec were excellent warriors who expanded their empire by conquering their neighbors Aztecs were the “people of the sun” who honored many gods, especially sun god; used human sacrifices to keep the gods happy—victim’s heart was removed & priest ate flesh as sign of respect Boys received military training at age 12 and were required to serve in army for 5 years by age of 17

Decline and Collapse… Spanish conquest Hernan Cortes (1521)