Worlds Apart Chapter 21: Americas & Oceania

Mesoamerican cultures Societies to remember o Mexica/Aztecs o Inca o Builder societies Pueblo Mound Longhouses

The Toltecs Constant war Migrated in 8 th century o Irrigation o Agricultural cultivation o Stone homes & cities o Capital: Tula

Mexica - Aztecs C began Tenochtitlan Chinampas

Aztec society Rigidly hierarchical o Males (noble) – warriors o Women – household duties o Priests – read omens, sacrifices Calpulli = clan o Cultivation Artisans Merchants

Mexica Religion Human blood sacrifice essential for productivity Why would productivity be particularly important for the Mexica? Who got sacrificed? TT1LU

North American Societies Pueblo & Navajo Iroquois Mound Builders o Cahokia

Inca Cuzco Extensive road system o Runner system Quechua language Sun Worship Centralized government What political entity does this remind you of? Why?

Inca Society State controlled trade Rulers Aristocrats o Mummification of royalty o Bureaucratic class o Used quipu Priests o Celibate aeceticism Commoners o Lived in ayllu N258_0

Inca Religion Inti – sun god o Agricultural sacrifices o Sin o Life after death o Confession & pennance

Oceania Aboriginal foraging communities Small exchange between groups, but no trade routes Religion centered around the local environment

Pacific Island Societies Inter-island contact & trade 400 – 700 C.E. spread of the sweet potato Tahiti & Hawaii interactions (fishhooks) Dense populations sometimes resulted in migration

Entre’ Europe Established exchange and communications networks were not dramatically affected because of infrequent European reconnaissance in the Pacific Ocean

Not exactly a triangle trade

The Americas & Disease Millions of indigenous people may have died prior to the onslaught of European expansionism into N. & S. America. Historians theorize that as many as 1 to 18 million N. Americans and similar amounts of S. Americans died before 1492 when Columbus arrived. o If the hypotheses are correct and millions had already perished, what potential effects would this have had on native societies? o Why would the Aztec’s and Incas in particular not use their numerical superiority to overwhelm the Conquistadors? o What epidemic is blamed as the most likely culprit for catastrophic population decline? Why is that particular disease blamed?