1. The Aztecs, Incas, and Maya
Unit 5, November 9th and 10th
The Aztecs, Incas, and Maya

2. The Maya The Land of the Maya Urban Centers
The Maya lived in Southern Mexico and Northern Central America
Land and vegetation of this region varied
The Maya culture influenced the Olmec civilization
Urban Centers
From A.D., the Maya built spectacular cities
Cities, like Tikal, have pyramids, temples, palaces, and stone carvings
Each has a court where ritual ball games were played

3. Agriculture and Trade Support Cities
Cities were linked by alliances and trade
Farming maize, beans, and squash were the foundation of Maya life
Kingdoms Built on Dynasties
Farming success leads to rise of social classes
The King is the leader and holy figure – priests and warriors were also at the top of the social class
Middle class – merchants, artisans
Lower class - peasants

4. Religion shapes Maya life
The importance of Religion
The Maya believed in many gods, who could be good, evil, or both
Each day is a God whose behavior could be predicted with calendars
Religious practices
They had many ways of worshiping from prayer, offerings, to giving blood
The Maya also made human sacrifices to please gods and balance the world

5. Written Language preserves History
Math and Religion
Religion leads to advances in their calendar, math, and astronomy
The Maya used two calendars – one religious (260 days) and one solar (365 days)
Written Language preserves History
Their writing system has 800 glyphs – or symbols
They use writing to record history in a codex – bark/paper book
Popul Vuh – famous codex that contains Maya story of creation

6. The end of the Maya
In the late 800s, the Maya abandon their cities for causes unknown
Signs of social problems:
In 700s there was fighting among many Maya city-states
Population growth and over-framing might have hurt the environment
By the 1500s the Maya live in small, weak city-states

7. The Aztecs Geography An early City-State
They live in a mountain basin 7,500 feet about sea level, with access to large lakes and fertile soil
They lived in modern day Central Mexico, with their largest city being where Mexico City is today
An early City-State
Teotihuacan as a city-state rises in the first century A.D.
At it’s peak, in the 500s, the city had up to 200,000 people
The city served as a center of trade, especially of obsidian, a volcanic glass
The city quickly declines and by 750 A.D. is abandoned

8. Toltecs take over
Around 900, the Toltecs rise to power and rule in Central Mexico for about years
They are a warlike people and they rule by conquest
They worship a fierce war God and offer human sacrifices to him
The Toltec ruler Topiltzin tires to change the religion and end human sacrifices by encouraging the worship of Quetzalcoatl – a feathered serpent
He ends up being exiled to the Yucatan Peninsula and by the early 1200s, the Toltec rule ends

9. The Aztec Empire Arrival of the Aztecs Aztecs grow stronger
Aztecs (or Mexica) arrive around 1200 and begin working as soldiers
A legend claims that a god led them to found the city of Tenochtitlan
Aztecs grow stronger
Triple Alliance was created in 1428 between the Aztecs and two other city- states
By the early 1500s, the Aztecs have a large empire and rule 5-15 million people
Power comes from tribute which is given by conquered peoples

10. Nobles rule Aztec Society
Noble class – military leaders, officials, priests – they rule Aztec society
Nobles own the vast estates, and live life in wealth and luxury
Commoners – merchants, artisans, soldiers, and farmers
Lowest class – enslaved people
The Emperor’s power was absolute and he lived in the palace and was revered by all the people

11. Tenochtitlan Extraordinary Urban Center
Causeways connected island cities to mainland areas
Canals enable people to carry goods to cities and its huge main market
Chinampas – floating islands – were used to grow crops
Central area has palaces, temples, and government buildings

12. Religion rules Aztec Life
Many Gods
Their religion includes 1,000 gods, many of which were adopted from other indigenous peoples
Religious Practices
Center of religion is public ceremonies to win gods’ favor
Many religious festivals are held throughout the year
Sacrifices for the Sun God
The most important rituals are for the sun god, Huitzilopochtli
He needs human sacrifices to be strong
Aztecs engage in war to provide captives for these sacrifices

13. Problems in the Aztec Empire
A new ruler
In 1502, Montezuma II becomes the emperor and he calls for more tribute from all of the conquered peoples
These sacrifices lead to revolt in outlying areas
The Emperor tried to make life easier for the people, but they were too worried about the future
Soon after, the Spanish arrived and took over

14. The Inca Incan Beginnings Pachacuti builds an empire
The Inca live first in the high plateau of the Andes Mountains
By the 1200s, they have a kingdom in the Valley of Cuzco and modern day Peru
The Inca believe that their ruler is descended from the sun god, Inti
Pachacuti builds an empire
Pachacuti, a powerful and ambitious emperor takes control in 1438 A.D.
Under Pachacuti, the Inca conquer lands that house 16 million people
The Inca use diplomacy and military force to achieve conquests

15. Incan Government creates unity
Organized rule
The Inca divide their conquered lands into smaller units to easily govern them
Quechua is the official language of the entire empire
Incan cities show government presence
The Inca build cities with all the same architecture
The capital of their empire is Cuzco, which has temples, plazas and palaces
The Inca are very skilled builders

16. Incan Government The Incan government controls the economy and society
They use ayllu – extended family groups – to control how people live and work
They divided society into groups of 10; 100; 1,000; and 10,000
They demand mita – tribute – which is a requirement that people work for the state
They care for the aged and disabled

17. Government record-keeping
Public works projects
The government created public works, including a 14,000 mile road network which spanned the entire empire
Runners carried messages along the roads to different places
Government record-keeping
The Inca did not develop a system of writing
They used quipu – set of knotted and colorful strings – as their accounting and message service
They may have had an elaborate two-calendar system

18. Religion supports the state
Inca Gods
The Incan have fewer gods than the Aztecs
The Creator god and Sun god were the most important
Religious practices
Priests draft young women to assist in the ceremonies
Some young men also became specialized religious workers
Great cities
Cuzco had a magnificent Temple of the Sun decorated in Gold
Other cities might have had religious importance as well

19. Discord in the Empire Problems Arise
In the early 1500s, the Inca Empire reached its height under Huayna Capac
Capac died, perhaps of smallpox, while touring the newly conquered area of Ecuador
In the 1520s, his sons Atahualpa and Huascar split the empire in half
Atahualpa wanted control of the whole empire and begins a civil war
This weakens the Inca state just before the Spanish arrive