This presentation will probably involve audience discussion, which will create action items. Use PowerPoint to keep track of these action items during your presentation In Slide Show, click on the right mouse button Select “Meeting Minder” Select the “Action Items” tab Type in action items as they come up Click OK to dismiss this box This will automatically create an Action Item slide at the end of your presentation with your points entered. Latin America

Civilizations of Latin America Maya 250-900 AD Inca 1438-1533 AD Aztec 1325-1521 AD

Maya Location: Yucatan Peninsula Modern day Guatemala

Maya Government Series of city-states Each with its own King No single unified empire. Nobles and Priests were below the King in social order but helped run the city-state.

Maya Religion Polytheistic Gods controlled nature. Priests performed rituals and ceremonies to please the Gods. Without such ceremonies Mayans believed the Gods would send drought, storms, or other natural disasters. Mayan lightning God

pok-a-tok- Large stone, square court. Similar to basketball –ball through a hoop Ball – size of a softball When nobles played the game, depending on who won, priests interpreted the result as a message from God.

Maya Achievements Architecture System of writing Mayan Calender As seen in their buildings System of writing Hieroglyphics – to record historical and religious events. Mayan Calender 365 ¼ Day Calender – most accurate during the time. The concept of “0”

Maya Decline and Fall Theories: 800-900 Disease weakened the empire No one is sure the exact reason for decline Theories: Disease weakened the empire War weakened the empire High taxes led to a revolt by peasants

Aztec Location: Central Plateau of Mexico Modern day Mexico

Tenochtitlan Center of the Aztec Empire Largest city in the world (1500 AD) 150,000 population Lake Texcoco surrounded Tenochtitlan

Tenochtitlan

Chinampas method of ancient MesoAmerican agriculture which used small, rectangle-shaped areas of fertile arable land to grow crops on the shallow lake beds in the Valley of Mexico.

Aztec Government 1 ruler Chosen by a small group of priests Aztecs Conquered over 500 city-states Left rulers of city-states in place City-states were to pay “tributes” or taxes to the main Aztec empire Taxes included: Gold Maize Tobacco Precious stones

Aztec Religion Human Sacrifice Quetzalcoatl Chief God To please the Gods Typically captives from war or warriors. Quetzalcoatl Chief God

Quetzalcoatl Chief God Believed to have brought maize (corn) to earth. Took the form of a bearded white man. Tried to give the Aztec priests a new religion that ended human sacrifice. Other priests believed the end of human sacrifice would anger the Gods, so they banished Quetzalcoatl.

Aztec Achievements Educated men and women 365 Day Calendar Civics History Religion Men Art of war Women Homemaking 365 Day Calendar Hieroglyphics Pyramids

Spanish Motives for Conquering Aztecs and Incas Wealth Convert Indians to Christianity

Aztec Decline and Fall Conquistador – Spanish conqueror Conquistador Hernan Cortez arrives in Mexico in 1519. 400 soldiers 16 horses 14 cannons Marched on Tenochtitlan A city of 200,000 – 250,000

Montezuma Reluctant to fight: Leader of the Aztec Empire Reluctant to fight: Possibly believed Cortez was Quetzalcoatl Cortez won allies with people the Aztecs had conquered. Smallpox and other European diseases killed thousands of Aztecs.

Additional Spanish Advantages Rode horses (Aztec had never seen horses) Metal armor Muskets Cannons

Inca Location: Cuzco – capital Included: Fertile Valley of the Andes Empire stretched 2,500 miles Included: Peru Bolivia Chile Ecuador

Cuzco Capital of the Inca Empire

Inca Government Inca emperor owned all the land, mines, and wealth of the empire. Aids: Nobles; Priests People: Were told what jobs to do. Peasants Assigned a plot of land to farm Taxed were collected on their crops.

Inca Religion Polytheistic Chief God = Sun God Inca translates to “children of the sun” Royal family believed to be descendants of the Sun God Gold was believed to be the sweat of the Gods.

Inca Achievements Communications network. Runners helped carry news across the empire. Used a network of roads (built by an earlier people) Route for: Armies Messages It was even paved!

Chasqui Runner that delivered messages

Quipu – knotted string that helped transmit messages (carried by Chasqui)

Inca Decline and Fall - 1533 Conquered by Francisco Pizarro Atahualpa Inca leader Captured and killed by Pizarro

Spanish Success Spanish were out numbered 80,000 to 186 How did the Spanish win? Technology Germs (smallpox)