Pre-Colombian Civilization! Unit III 600-1450 C.E.

Maya 300 B.C.E.-900 C.E. Golden Age 500-850 C.E. Classical civilization Southern Mexico (Yucatan Peninsula), Central America Tikal

Maya - Political City-states Warfare Relatively autonomous, but united under one king Warfare Religious Slaves Geography

Maya – Social, Cultural Social structure Gender Kings, priests, nobility Merchants Peasants, slaves Gender Traditional roles for women Inherit land

Maya - Religious Three-part world view Maize Sacrifices Pyramids Calendar Zero (Gupta!)

Maya - Economic Agricultural Slash and burn Terrace, ridge field Maize, cotton

Maya - Decline Disease, drought, internal unrest Remaining peoples Rigoberta Menchú

Aztecs 1150 C.E.- 1450 C.E. Central Mexico Tenochtitlan Quetzalcoatl

Aztecs - Political Expansionist, militant Professional army Sacrifices Autonomy, taxes (no bureaucracy) Roads Inter-territorial trade Guerras floridas

Aztecs – Social, Cultural Social Structure Warrior elite Maya Gender Women subordinate Inherit property Commerce Religion Military and religion Sacrifices

Inca Early 13th century- 1450 C.E. Peruvian Andes Cuzco

Inca - Political Expansionist Most united empire! Inti Professional standing army Most united empire! 1. bureaucracy 2. unified spoken language (Quechua) 3. roads Chasquis and quipus

Inca – Social, Cultural Gender Women subordinate Inherit property Commerce (weaving) More religious roles Religion Inti: sun god, owns all No private property El Inca Smaller-scale sacrifice Morality Machu Picchu

Comparison - Politically Motivations for expansion Maya: slaves Aztec: territory, sacrifices Inca: religious Centralization Aztec and Maya: city-state autonomy Inca: most centralized Bureaucracy Unified language (Quechua) Roads

Comparison - Socially All Maya: Merchant class Aztec: Warrior elite Peasant majority Slavery of conquered peoples Women subordinate except Inherit land Commerce Maya: Merchant class Aztec: Warrior elite Inca: Religious elite, god-king (el Inca)

Compare Aztecs to Romans 1. roads 2. autonomy but tribute 3. adapted ideas from conquered peoples 4. polytheistic vs

AP Essays Mesoamerican civilization= Mayas, Aztecs Andean civilization= Incas Be able to compare Mayas to Unit II classical civilizations Understand how religion contextualized expansion (Unit III!)