Maya, Aztec, and IncaCivilizations

Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica =Central Mexico south to the northern part of Central America

Olmecs

• The Olmecs were the first inhabitants of the Americas to construct monumental architecture and to settle in towns and cities• Giant stone heads

Where did the ancient Maya live?

• The Maya settled on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

• AD 250-900

Maya Cities

• Palenque—King Pacal was 12 years old-built temple to record his achievements

• Tikal--major city of Mayan empire

• Chiche5n Itza5—largest ball court found

Maya Religion• The Maya believed in many gods• The Maya practiced human sacrifice• They believed gods needed blood to prevent

disasters or the end of the world

Maya Architecture• Built towering temples and palaces• Used obsidian tools to cut limestone

• Atop the temples, priests performed religious ceremonies and sacrifices while people watched from the plazas below

• Ceremonial platforms, temples, pyramids, observatories, ball courts all built by the Maya

Ball Game

• Stone court—shaped like capital I• Used heads, shoulders or hips• Bounce heavy rubber ball through stone ring• Winners received jewels and clothes• Losers often sacrificed

Maya Farming

• Tropical forests were cleared for farming• Crops grown included beans, squash,

avocados and maize (corn)• Used stone walls to shape hillsides into flat terraces for more available farmland

Advances in learning

• The Maya created a writing system of glyphs• They combined these glyphs into groups. The

Mayans used more than 800 glyphs.

Advances in learning• The Maya were very skilled in mathematics. In

fact, they were the first ones to use zero. • This system was more advanced than those being used by the ancient Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians.

Advances in learning• Built observatories to watch the stars• The Maya developed two calendars:One with 365 days guided farming activitiesOne with 260 days was used for religious events

What happened to the Maya?• The Maya abandoned many of their cities around

900 A.D.• Archaeologists DO NOT KNOW WHY Maya

civilization declined• Theories: There was a severe drought. Many died

due to starvation others migrated away Weakened soil due to overuse Increased warfare People rebelled against rulers

Maya today

…more than 2 million Maya people live in Guatemala and southern Mexico today.

Where did the Aztecs live?

• The Aztecs lived in what is known as the Valley of Mexico in Central Mexico.

• 1325-1521

Legend of Tenochtitlan

The gods told the Aztecs to search for an eagle holding a snake in its mouth sitting on top of a cactus. This is where they were to build their capital city. The Aztecs saw this sign in a swampy island in the middle of Lake Texcoco.

Tenochtitlan• Tenochtitlan was built on an island• It was connected to the mainland by

causeways leading north, south, and west of the city

• The city was interlaced with a series of canals, so that all sections of the city could be visited either on foot or by canoe

• They created chinampas, floating gardens, to create more farmland

Tenochtitlan

• Today, Tenochtitlan is Mexico City

Aztec Society

• The Aztecs created an empire through conquest—warfare most important to them

• Conquered people and local rulers had to pay tribute to the Aztecs—food, feathers, gold, cotton were some

• Besides getting tribute, the Aztecs added more conquered lands to their empire

Aztec Society

• The Aztecs had an emperor who was the most important person….then were

• Nobles who were in government positions• Warriors and Priests were highly respected• Merchants and Artisans were sellers and crafters• Farmers and Laborers made up majority of the

population and struggled to survive• Slaves were at the bottom—usually people

captured through war

Aztec Religion & Mythology

• Aztecs believed in many gods• The Aztecs built massive temples and pyramids dedicated to the gods• Aztec priests regularly made human sacrifices to please the gods• Cut out hearts to feed the gods• Often went to war for people to sacrifice

Aztec Achievements• Aztecs created a huge trade network—

Merchants carried products to and from all parts of the empire

• Built beautiful stone temples and pyramids• Created jewelry and masks using gold, gems and

feathers• Wove beautiful cloth• Used cacao beans to make chocolate

Aztec Achievements

• The Aztecs studied astronomy• The Aztecs developed a Calendar similar to

the Mayans. It had 365 days a year

Aztec Achievements• The Aztecs valued learning—every child

attended school. Boys learned trades and warfare. Girls learned cooking and weaving.

• Aztecs kept written records of important events. Language was based on symbols representing writing. They would combine symbols to create sentences.

• Also had strong oral traditionpassed stories down about ancestors and gods.

What happened to the Aztecs?

• Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Cortes conquered Tenochtitlan and defeated the Aztecs in 1521.

• They came to find gold, claim land and convert the native people to Christianity.

What happened to the Aztecs?

• Quetzalcoatl was a god worshipped by the Aztec peoples.

• Was believed that Quetzalcoatl had traveled east across the sea and would one day return, bringing peace

• When Hernan Cortes arrived in 1519 Moctezuma believed that it might be the return of Quetzalcoatl and allowed the Spanish easy entry into Aztec lands.

What happened to the Aztecs?• Moctezuma gave the Spanish gold and gifts.• Cortes took Moctezuma captive wanting more.• The Aztecs attacked the Spanish and drove them out,

but Moctezuma was killed in the fighting.• In a year, Cortes came back with help from the

conquered people of the Aztecs who resented the Aztecs.

• The Spanish had better weapons—cannons, swords and body armor as well as horses.

• Diseases like smallpox weakened or killed thousands of Aztecs.

• In 1521, the Aztec empire came to an end.

Where did the Inca live?

• The Inca controlled an empire in the Andes Mountain region of South America.

• Mid 1400’s-1537

Inca Government

• The Inca emperor had absolute power. He claimed to be the son of the sun.

• Pachacuti began to expand Inca territory.• Later leaders followed his example.• By 1500, the empire was divided into four regions

with the capital at Cuzco, in present day Peru.• Inca civilization extended 2500 miles from Ecuador

to Chile with an estimated 12 million people.

Inca Government

• The Inca government controlled all aspects of society.

• People were told what work to do and spent time farming or weaving for themselves as well as giving some to the government.

• People paid taxes in the form of labor-called the mita system.

• No merchants or markets-government distributed goods and supplies to the people through the mita.

Inca Society• Two main social classes.• Emperor, government officials and priests made up the

upper class. Enjoyed many privileges. • Farmers, artisans and servants were in the lower class.

There were no slaves. • No written records-everything by told by runners who carried messages throughout the empire.• Incas passed down history through songs and stories.• Quipus-record keeping with knotted cords. Knots stood for numbers. Different colors stood for crops or other topics.

Inca Farming

• Farmers grew maize and peanuts in the warm valleys.

• In the cooler mountains, they carved terraces into the hillsides to grow potatoes.

• High in the Andes people raised llamas for wool and meat.

Uniting the Empire

• The Inca built a massive road network through mountains and across rivers and valleys.

• The Incas used an official language, Quechua.

Inca Religion• The Inca believed in many gods.• The primary god was Inti, the sun god.• Inca ceremonies included sacrifices.• Unlike the Maya and Aztec, they rarely sacrificed humans, usually llamas, cloth or food.

Inca Achievements

• The Inca were known for expert masonry, or stonework.• The Inca constructed stone temples and walls without

using iron tools or mortars yet the stones fit together so well that a knife would not fit between the stones.

• They also did not have the wheel for help.

Inca Achievements

• Artisans made pottery as well as gold and silver jewelry and statues.

• Inca weavers made cloth from cotton and the wool of llamas to make beautiful textiles.

Machu Picchu• Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911 by explorer Hiram

Bingham. It sits one and a half miles high on a mountaintop in Peru once inhibited by the Inca civilization.

• Bingham thought it must have been a special religious city because of the fine stonework, however archaeologists believe it was some type of vacation resort for Inca nobles.

• Over 3,000 steps connect the levels of the city and farming terraces.

• It could only be reached by a log bridge on a sheer cliff. • If enemies threatened the citizens there, they would simply

draw back the bridge.

Fall of the Inca

• Ultimately, it was Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro that brought about the fall of the Inca Empire.

Fall of the Inca• A civil war in the Inca empire started after the ruler’s

death between his two sons for the power.• Atahualpa was the victor but the Inca army was

weakened.• Pizarro and about 180 men arrived in the Inca

empire• Atahualpa and soldiers came to meet them and were

attacked by the Spanish.• Even though the Spanish were outnumbered, they

caught the Incas by surprise and captured Atahualpa and killed thousands of Inca soldiers.

Fall of the Inca• To win his freedom, Atahualpa asked his people to

fill a room with gold and silver for Pizarro.• The precious metals would have been worth millions

today.• Despite the payment, Atahualpa was killed.• Some Incas fought back after Atahualpa’s death but

the Spanish eventually won.• Pizarro defeated the last of the Incas in 1537.• Spain took control over the entire Inca empire and

ruled for the next 300 years.