1. Mesoamerican & Andean Civilizations

2. The Maya Developed in Mesoamerica around 1000 BCE
Lived in an area of thick forests making farming hard
Grew to more than 40 cities of 5,000 to 50,000 people each during the classic age from 250 to 900 BCE
Spread throughout the Yucatan Peninsula
Built large pyramids, temples, and palaces
Large plazas built for public events
Hillsides turned into flat terraces so crops could be grown close to cities

3. Maya Society Complex class structure:
Upper class included kings, priests, warriors, and merchants
Lower class included most of the Maya
Farmers had to give crops to ruler and serve in the army
Slaves held the lowest position in society

4. Maya Achievements Sculpture and jade and gold jewelry
Built cities using metal tools
Built observatories to study the stars
Developed the calendar and number systems
Also developed a writing system similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics

5. Causes of the Decline of the Mayan Civilization
Began to collapse around 900
The cause of the collapse is unknown
Warfare may have contributed
Kings made demands of people and they may have rebelled
A long period of dry weather may have made it hard to grow crops

6. The Aztec Empire Ruled a large empire in central Mesoamerica
Founded around 1100 CE
Controlled a huge trade network

7. Aztec Society People divided into social classes
Kings and nobles the most important
Priests and warriors below kings
Merchants and artisans next
Farmers and slaves the lowest

8. Aztec Achievements Built floating gardens called chinampas
Studied astronomy and created a calendar
Built bridges and canals
Had a complex writing system

9. Cortes and the Aztecs
Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes arrived in Mexico in 1519
Aztec emperor Moctezuma II thought Cortes was a god
Cortes took the emperor prisoner and the Aztecs became angry and drove the Spanish out
Cortes came back in 1521 and conquered the Aztecs

10. The Inca Empire Began as a small tribe in the Andes in South America
By the 1500s, empire stretched from Ecuador to Chile
At the height of the empire there were 12 million people Government was centralized and controlled many aspects of life
Incas paid the government in labor and goods

11. Inca Achievements Built massive buildings made of stone blocks
Produced art of gold and silver
No written language

12. Pizarro and the Incas Spaniards came to Peru in 1530
When the Incas would not convert to Christianity, the Spanish attacked
Pizarro lead the Spanish forces which lead to the collapse of the Inca Empire
Spanish defeated the Incans in 1537 and took control of the area

13. Similarities of the Fall of the Inca and Aztec
Both empires had internal problems before the Spanish arrived
The leaders of both empires captured by the Spanish
The Spanish had an advantage with horses and guns
Disease weakened and killed many native people

14. Encomienda System
Legal system developed by the Spanish to regulate the Native Americans and the American colonies
A person was granted a specified number of natives for whom they were responsible
Meant to be an exchange of protection, religion, and education for labor, gold, and other products
Ended up being a system of forced hard labor