1. The Americas on the Eve of Invasion

2. Review Questions
What two empires in Latin America were destroyed by the Spanish?
What were the wars the Aztecs waged for sacrifice victims known as?
What were the chinampas?
What was one of the methods the Inca used to unify their empire?
What hallmark of civilization did the Aztec possess that the Inca did not?

3. People and Places
Moctezuma II
Tenochtitlan
Cuzco

4. Toltec Heritage
Rose after the Mayans and extended from Yucatan to trade with the Southwest
Strongly militaristic with same religion as the Aztecs
Perhaps contact between Mississippian culture
Mississippians based on maize and bean agriculture and built large earthen pyramids

5. Aztec Rise When Toltec fell in 1150 power shifted north
Aztecs were nomads who migrated to Lake Texcoco in 1325 and spoke Nahuatl
Powerful fighting skills made good them mercenaries in the city- state competition
Became their own power in 1428, triple alliance in 1434

6. Religion of Conquest
Traditional deities of nature, different manifestations
Three cults of gods
Gods needed blood to continue to fight
Ritual cannibalism
Cyclical view of history
Great Speaker seen as divine

7. Tribute Empire
Great Speaker in Tenochtitlan was the emperor, prime minister had extreme power as well
City-states left alone if they fulfilled their obligations
A few territories left unconquered for flower wars
Many revolts

8. Economy Food demanded as tribute supplemented high yield chinampas
Each community had land set aside for temples and state, as well as periodic markets
The great market operated by pochteca, specializing in long- distance trade
Not a market economy because the state regulated markets and unfairly redistributed tribute
Aztec art was a mix of religious and natural themes

9. Society
Seven capulli went back to nomad times and were organizers of the commoners lives
Originally everyone was in a capulli but eventually a nobility emerged from families in the most distinguished capulli
Nobility controlled priesthood and military
Also created a serf-like class to work their lands
Military was highly ritualized, rank based on captives taken
Fashion restrictions made social class apparent
Other social groups had their own capulli

10. Aztec Women
Women had political rights but were expected to stay in the house and grind corn
Marriages arranged, weaving skill highly regarded
Older women trained young girls
Militaristic Aztec empire governed through religious tactics of terror

11. Twantinsuyu: The Incan World
The Inca were successors of Tihuanaco and Huari
Inca emerged in 1350 and under Pachacuti began conquest
Conquered Chimor, creating a large multi- ethnic empire
Emperor or inca was divine and the high priest was usually a relative

12. Politics Empire divided into four provinces, each with a governor
Local rulers(curacas) were given privileges in exchange for loyalty, as well as their sons being taken to Cuzco
Movement of Quechua-speakers and conquered populations forced integration
This was done on the amazing road system with tambos
Being conquered had benefits for the peoples
Tribute was mita and cloth, as well young women for state purposes

13. Incan Religion and Society
Split inheritance and cults of the mummies caused a constant for expansion
Cult of the sun official religion but others were tolerated
Places in nature were often temples staffed by priests and women
Each community aimed at self-sufficiency, relying on the government for other goods
Nobility drawn from 10 royal ayllus, yanas removed from their ayllus to serve them
State-sponsored irrigation for maize
Not much trade or merchant class

14. Unequal Society
Women had property rights and were called equal but were still inferior
The inca queen was the link to the moon, like the inca was for the sun
Gender hierarchy shown by the temple selections

15. Andean Achievements Advanced pottery, metalworking, and cloth
Kept records using quipu
The Inca had a passion for numerical order
Amazing stonecutting and terracing
All of this was done without the wheel

16. The Rest of the Americas
A lot of variation, from hunter-gatherers to farmers
Generally societies were kin-based, with social standing not based on wealth
Different outlook on the environment than Afro- Eurasia
Cahokia was a major settlement

17. Though many will say that pre-Columbian Latin America is just a footnote in world history, that view depends on one’s definition of world history. Should we define world history as the history of global interactions, therefore ignoring the isolated peoples of the world? Or should world history be defined as the history of the world’s peoples, which shapes their interactions? Thanks for listening.