mayas, incas, and aztecs
DESCRIPTION
Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs. Mayas 1500 BC – 1500 AD. Lived in Yucatan peninsula Dense forest/ Jungle area Slash and burn agriculture Ideographs (picture writing) City of Tikal. Mayas. Math, sculptures, astronomy Pyramids Calendar polytheistic. Calendar- created by watching stars. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Mayas 1500 BC – 1500 AD
Lived in Yucatan peninsula Dense forest/ Jungle area
Slash and burn agriculture
Ideographs (picture writing)
City of Tikal
Calendar- created by watching stars
December 21st , 2012
– runs out
http://podcasts.howstuffworks.com/hsw/podcasts/symhc/2009-02-09-symhc-mayan-calendar.mp3?_kip_ipx=1594613873-1302531066
So what happened to the Mayas?
No one knows Some believe they became Aztecs
However, they just left their cities abandoned
Incas 1200- 1535
Located in Western South America in Mts. (Andes)
Jewelry (silver and Gold) *Roads*
Relay runners Terrance farming, irrigation
Inca Continued
Medicine Brain surgery ideas Spoken language (que chua) Domesticated animals Bridges Polytheistic “Sappa Inca” – ruler (king)
Aztecs
Fierce warriors Worshipped Sun King
(Huitzilopochtli) Human sacrifice
Polytheistic Created Tenochtitlan
(present day Mexico city)
Montezuma –
famous leader
Hernan Cortez
Cortez was a young Spaniard who went to Cuba to find his fortune. He heard stories of gold in Mexico and South America. In 1519 Cortez left Cuba to find this gold. With 300 Aztecs to every one of Cortez's men the Spanish fought. After 3 battles the Aztecs gave up. They could not complete against the guns and horses. The Spaniards also wore metal armor. More than this the Aztecs were afraid of the "god-like" warriors. On November 8, 1519 Cortez reached Mexico City and was received by Montezuma, the Aztec emperor. Cortez captured Montezuma and began to rule the empire through him. The Spaniards made the Aztecs work in the mines looking for gold and silver. This gold and silver was shipped back to Spain.
Francisco PizarroIn 1523 Pizarro led an expedition to explore and conquer the land of a wealthy Indian empire. With a ship furnished by the governor of Panama Pizarro explored the coast of Peru. He then sailed to Spain to ask for permission to conquer Peru. The permission was granted. With 200 men and 40 horses Pizarro began to conquer coastal settlements. Pizarro later captured the Inca emperor and slaughter 2,000 Indians. Pizarro accepted a large ransom for returning the emperor. After releasing him he had him executed.
Why did the Spanish easily defeat the Natives?
Spain had better weaponsDisease helped kill Natives
Incas or Aztecs did not know Conquistadors intentions
Encomienda System
Spanish type of slavery for Natives (Indians) Cheap labor force
Spain could demand labor and land from Natives at any time (like Feudalism)
Also wanted to convert them to Christianity