Mesoamerica: Mesoamerica: Mayan & Aztec Mayan & Aztec

EmpiresEmpires

Climate of Climate of MesoamericaMesoamerica

Warm Warm TemperaturesTemperatures PlentifulPlentiful Rainfall Rainfall Rich Rich volcanicvolcanic soils soils

– Good for growing crops like Good for growing crops like maize, maize, beans, and squashbeans, and squash..

Early Mesoamerican Early Mesoamerican CivilizationsCivilizations

OlmecOlmec– (1200 BC to 300 AD)(1200 BC to 300 AD)

ZapotecZapotec– (1500 BC to 750 AD)(1500 BC to 750 AD)

ToltecToltec– (900 to 1200 AD)(900 to 1200 AD)

The Mayan CivilizationThe Mayan Civilization

Developed Developed around around 1000 BC1000 BC– At its height, At its height,

Maya civilization Maya civilization consisted of some consisted of some 10 million people10 million people spread among spread among 40 40 citiescities..

Supporting Large Supporting Large CitiesCities

TradeTrade and and agricultureagriculture helped support helped support larger larger populations, populations, and early Maya and early Maya villages grew villages grew into cities. into cities.

Mayan Farming Mayan Farming Practices Practices Slash and Burn Agriculture-Slash and Burn Agriculture- a a

method of farming involves method of farming involves burning the vegetation to clear burning the vegetation to clear land for planting.land for planting.

Mayan Cities & Mayan Cities & GovernmentGovernment

Classic AgeClassic Age– (250 to 900 AD)(250 to 900 AD)

Mayans built:Mayans built:– Stone pyramidsStone pyramids– TemplesTemples– PalacesPalaces

Who did they build them for?Who did they build them for?– Local Rulers (Kings)Local Rulers (Kings)– Gods Gods

Mayan Society & Mayan Society & ReligionReligion

SocietySociety– Kings ruled with Kings ruled with

absolute powerabsolute power It was believed they It was believed they

communicated with communicated with the godsthe gods..

– Priests & Warriors Priests & Warriors Upper ClassUpper Class

– Merchants & Skilled Merchants & Skilled Craftsmen Craftsmen

Middle ClassMiddle Class

– Farmers & SlavesFarmers & Slaves Lower ClassLower Class

Religious Religious CeremoniesCeremonies– Offering of blood to Offering of blood to

the gods. (the gods. (Blood Blood LettingLetting))

– Ball GameBall Game Only allowed to use Only allowed to use

your elbows, knees, your elbows, knees, and hips to get a and hips to get a rubber ball through a rubber ball through a hoop.hoop.

– Losing team Losing team sacrificed.sacrificed.

– Human SacrificeHuman Sacrifice

Religion: Major GodsReligion: Major Gods

Hun Hunahpu – Hun Hunahpu – maize god.maize god.– Father of the hero Father of the hero

twinstwins– Most important Most important

deity for the Mayadeity for the Maya– He brought about He brought about

the creation for the creation for the present world the present world age.age.

Chac – god of Chac – god of rain, thunder, rain, thunder, and lightning.and lightning.– Both adored and Both adored and

feared by the feared by the MayaMaya

– He was portrayed He was portrayed as both a as both a benefactor and a benefactor and a violent warrior.violent warrior.

Religion: Major Gods Religion: Major Gods cont.cont. Gukumatz – Gukumatz –

Feathered snake Feathered snake godgod– Taught the Maya Taught the Maya

the arts of the arts of civilization, civilization, including codes of including codes of law, agriculture, law, agriculture, fishing, and fishing, and medicine.medicine.

Ixchel – Earth and Ixchel – Earth and Moon GoddessMoon Goddess– Goddess of Goddess of

creativity, creativity, weavers and weavers and childbirth, childbirth, goddess of goddess of medicine and medicine and reason, and a reason, and a bringer of the bringer of the storms.storms.

Mayan Achievements Mayan Achievements

ArchitectureArchitecture– BuildingsBuildings– CanalsCanals

AstronomyAstronomy MathMath

– Used Zero (0)Used Zero (0) WritingWriting Calendar SystemCalendar System

Mayan CalendarMayan Calendar

The Maya had The Maya had two two calendarscalendars::– 365 day farming 365 day farming

calendarcalendar– 260 day religious 260 day religious

calendarcalendar It was more It was more

accurateaccurate that the that the European European calendar.calendar.

Decline of Mayan Decline of Mayan CivilizationCivilization

Factors to decline:Factors to decline:– Environmental DamageEnvironmental Damage

Overuse of resourcesOveruse of resources

– DroughtDrought Not able to feed everyoneNot able to feed everyone

– Warfare IncreasedWarfare Increased Competition over landsCompetition over lands

– Abuse of Power by KingsAbuse of Power by Kings

The AztecsThe Aztecs

Located in modern day Located in modern day MexicoMexico, , and and Tenochtitlan was the capital Tenochtitlan was the capital city and is located in what is now city and is located in what is now present day present day Mexico CityMexico City..

Rise of the Aztec Rise of the Aztec EmpireEmpire According to legend, the war god told According to legend, the war god told

one of the tribes’ leaders that they one of the tribes’ leaders that they should look for a place where they saw should look for a place where they saw an an eagle perched on a cactus eating a eagle perched on a cactus eating a snakesnake. It was there that they should . It was there that they should settle and build a new capital. settle and build a new capital.

– They built They built Tenochtitlan after the prediction Tenochtitlan after the prediction came true, and it was on a swampy island came true, and it was on a swampy island in in Lake Texcoco. Lake Texcoco.

Rise of the Aztec Rise of the Aztec Empire Cont…Empire Cont… Population consisted of farmers & Population consisted of farmers &

warriors.warriors.– Allied with Texcoco and TlacopanAllied with Texcoco and Tlacopan..

After the alliance was formed the After the alliance was formed the empire gained control over many empire gained control over many region. region.

– Ruled Ruled 400 – 500400 – 500 other city-states. other city-states.– 5 Million people5 Million people under Aztec rule. under Aztec rule.

Aztec EmpireAztec Empire

Conquered Conquered people paid people paid tributetribute..– Tribute was a Tribute was a

type of tax.type of tax. The Aztec Empire The Aztec Empire

gained wealth:gained wealth:– TradeTrade– TributeTribute

TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

SizeSize– Five square milesFive square miles

Approximately Approximately 3200 acres 3200 acres

PopulationPopulation– 200,000200,000

ArchitectureArchitecture – Walled CityWalled City– PyramidPyramid– TemplesTemples– PalacesPalaces– Ball courtBall court– ““Floating Gardens”Floating Gardens”

ChinampasChinampas

– CanalsCanals– MarketsMarkets

Aztec SocietyAztec Society

Social ClassesSocial Classes

King

Priests & Warriors

Farmers

Slaves & Prisoners of War

Though people were born into a certain class it was possible to move up the ranks within a life time.

Also apart of the middle class

• Merchants and Artisans

Aztec ReligionAztec Religion

Main deity in the Aztec religion was Main deity in the Aztec religion was HuitzilopochtliHuitzilopochtli and was known as both and was known as both the the sun godsun god and and war god.war god.– Human sacrificeHuman sacrifice was practiced heavily in was practiced heavily in

the Aztec religion.the Aztec religion. Believed that these sacrifices gave Believed that these sacrifices gave power to the power to the

godsgods which in turn would insure the survival of which in turn would insure the survival of the Aztec civilization.the Aztec civilization.

ReligionReligion

War captives were used in the sacrificesWar captives were used in the sacrifices– In times of peace the Aztec would have to In times of peace the Aztec would have to

resort to resort to ritualistic warfar.ritualistic warfar. In the year 1487 the Aztecs reported In the year 1487 the Aztecs reported

killing killing 84,400 war prisoners in four days84,400 war prisoners in four days at the great pyramid of Tenochitlan.at the great pyramid of Tenochitlan.– After a town was conquered the inhabitants After a town was conquered the inhabitants

where no longer eligible of sacrifice and where no longer eligible of sacrifice and became Aztec citizens.became Aztec citizens.

Aztec ArtAztec Art

The Aztecs also made The Aztecs also made other religious and non-other religious and non-religious artifacts such religious artifacts such as as jade masks.jade masks.– These artifacts were sold These artifacts were sold

in markets by visiting in markets by visiting merchants.merchants.

Aztec AchievementsAztec Achievements

Written RecordWritten Record– Glyphs-Glyphs- symbols that represented symbols that represented

both objects and sounds. both objects and sounds. Kept track of Kept track of tax record and business tax record and business

detailsdetails..

AstronomyAstronomy– Calendar like the Mayans, but they Calendar like the Mayans, but they

also tracked the movements of some also tracked the movements of some planetsplanets..

THAT’S ALL FOLKS!THAT’S ALL FOLKS!