The Americas Pre-Invasion (ca 1492)

2 Major Regions: Mesoamerica –Maya (cities abandoned around 8 th C.) –Toltec –Aztec Andean –Incas

Mayans 300 BCE-800 CE Pyramids City states Religion and Society: Quetzalcoatl Polytheistic Human sacrifice Popol Vuh Patriarchal

Toltecs nomads who Tula around 968 giver of civilization Empire reached to Yucatan economically reached SW America: obsidian & turquoise Religion and Society: –Quetzalcoatl –Human sacrifice

Aztecs Nomadic invasions in central Mexico around 1150 By 1434, Aztecs were regions’ dominant power Capital located on island in Lake Texcoco, Tenochtitlan (200,000?) Religion and Society: –Highly stratified society under a powerful leader; military elite was highest strata –Expanded the practice of human sacrifice

Yes, I said human sacrifice Religion and Society con’d: –Balance of religion and war demanded conquest (Huitzilopochtli) –Warriors provided slaves for sacrifice –Human sacrifice expanded to include cannibalism –Women: no role in public; high honor as mothers of future warriors

Economy of Aztec Empire Tribute system –All conquered people lost land and gave food in tribute Agriculture –Irrigation system around the capital, Tenochtitlan –Chinampas –Maize, cacao, beans, squash Market for exchanging long- distance goods: jade, emeralds, parrot feathers, vanilla beans State-controlled mixed economy

Aztec Social Structure Calpulli—Aztec clans; by 16 th C, became residential groupings as opposed to kinship groups Pipiltin (nobility) controlled military and priesthood Military values Women inherited property, but subordinate to men Any similarities to other cultures?

Incas Emerged as civilization around 1300 Why did they expand? –Economic gain –Political power –“split inheritance”  all titles & power went to successor, but wealth & land remained in hands of male descendents for supporting the mummy  justified endless expansion

Imperial Rule The Inca (emperor) considered a god Ruled from Cuzco Bureaucracy –Local rulers (curacas) stayed in office in return for loyalty –Exempt from tribute, received labor/produce from subjects –Conquered peoples could retain culture/leaders Quechua

More Incan Policies Forced transfer  kept empire stable Administrators: –Complex public works system Roads, bridges, causeways, etc.  kept military mobile Built for people when too big for them to do it themselves (irrigation projects) –Mita  required labor shifts –Conquered peoples provided land and labor –Local resources taken and redistributed No writing system, but quipu (knotted strings) helped with accounting

Incan Society & Religion Hierarchy: Inca  rulers  aristocrats  priests  peasants Women –Wove cloth –Taken as concubines –Worked in households –Female inheritance –Idea of gender cooperation –Still, male dominance Religion –Sun god, Inti –Some human sacrifice, mostly animal –Sin = violation of social order

Aztecs, Incas, and…? Location of empire Capital city Government Policy toward conquered peoples Religion Agriculture technology On your own piece of paper, compare the Aztecs, the Incas, and one other culture ( ), using the categories at right…This means, create a chart!