2. Early Human Migrations

3. Major Pre-Columbian Civilizations

5. Lands of the Maya

6. Political Characteristics  Never form a unified political system  Do create a unified culture  Larger city-states dominated smaller city- states  Large city-states built elaborate commercial and religious centers  Chichen-Itza

7. El Castillo at Chichen Itza

8. Maya Economy Cultivated maize, cotton, and cacao – Increased agricultural production by draining swamps, terraced fields, and irrigation ditches – Led to environmental degradation Hereditary nobility controlled most of the land Maya merchants came from ruling class – Traded primarily in luxury products

9. Maya Religion Polytheistic Cosmos consisted of three layers: the heavens, the human world, and the underworld – Priests could communicate with residents of both supernatural worlds Mayan developments: calendar, writing system, and mathematics – Used to determine religious holidays

10. Maya sacrifice Had to please the gods via sacrifice – Piercing of bodies with needle – Human Sacrifice Sacrificed prisoners of war, slaves, and children

11. Mayan Bloodletting

12. Mayan Ball Game

13. Mayan Calendar

14. Maya Decline Maya city-states were abandoned or destroyed between 800-900 CE Causes for decline include: – The disruption of trade after the decline of Teotihuacan in Central Mexico – Environmental degradation caused by overpopulation – Epidemic disease

16. Rise of the Aztecs Aztecs (Mexica) migrate to Lake Texcoco in central Mexico c. 1325 Founded city of Tenochtitlan in 1325 Empire started in 1434 Aztec kings represented civil power and served as a representative of the gods on Earth

17. Aztec Government City-states ruled by a speaker chosen from the nobility The Great Speaker, ruler of Tenochtitlan, was in effect an emperor – Increasingly considered a living god Conquered peoples maintained some autonomy if they paid tribute

18. Human Sacrifice Human sacrifice was a typical part of Mesoamerican religion – Aztec expand practice into a cult where military supplied war captives for sacrifice Why? – Political purposes – Population control – Cannibal kingdom

19. Human Sacrifice

20. Tenochtitlan “The Venice of the Americas

21. Chinampas

22. Aztec Society Women’s primary role was the household – Women spent six hours a day grinding corn; restricted women’s rights Marriages were arranged Polygamy existed amongst the nobility Women could inherit property

23. The Inca

24. Inca Economy Unlike Aztecs, not a lot of trade – Tried to be self-sufficient Primarily agricultural – Terrace farming & complex irrigation – Over 200 types of potatoes Inca Socialism Used forced labor for massive projects

25. Terrace Farming

26. Inca Technology Built a complex system of roads and bridges – 2500 miles of roads – Used a system of runners to carry messages throughout the empire Beautiful pottery, cloth, and metalworking Quipu Masonry

27. Bridges and Roads

28. Quipu

29. Inca Metalworking