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The Aztec and Inca Empires

The Aztec and Inca Empires. General Info. Aztecs = in Mexico and Central America Incas = in South America Both lacked: work animals, metal tools, wheels Both still developed: centralized governments & armies and both conquered other empires Both ended when: conquered by the Spanish.

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The Aztec and Inca Empires

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  1. The Aztec and Inca Empires

  2. General Info • Aztecs = in Mexico and Central America • Incas = in South America • Both lacked: work animals, metal tools, wheels • Both still developed: centralized governments & armies and both conquered other empires • Both ended when: conquered by the Spanish

  3. Aztec Empire

  4. Inca Empire

  5. Aztec Empire • Capital = Tenochtitlan (modern-day Mexico City) • Agricultural center and marketplace

  6. Aztec Empire • Built chinampas = artificial islands used for farming made by piling mud from the lake onto rafts  floating gardens • As population grew, Aztecs expanded outside of the city  built canals and bridges to connect the mainland to the island where the capital was

  7. The Empire • Stretched from Mexico to the border of Guatemala • Stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean • Conquered people had to pay tribute (taxes) in the form of: food, clothing, raw materials, prisoners for sacrifice, jewelry, military supplies, rubber balls, etc.

  8. The Empire • Aztec civilization organized as a hierarchy • At the top = the emperor • Classes = nobility, commoners, serfs, slaves • Land owned by: nobility and commoners • Commoners = priests, merchants, artisans, farmers • Serfs = farm workers tied to noble lands • Lowest class = slaves = prisoners of war; criminals; debtors – often sacrificed

  9. Religion & the Arts • Religion moved them to engage in war and sacrifice • Live human sacrifices were needed to keep the gods happy • Aztec artists decorated temple-pyramids with scenes of gods or battles • Writers glorified Aztec victories in their works Quetzalcoatl God of dying & resurrection

  10. The Inca Empire • Lived in the Andes Mountains in South America • Empire stretched about 2500 miles along the Andes • Capital = Cuzco

  11. The Inca Empire • Raided other tribes and slowly built a large empire • Strong central government  local rulers had to report to Inca emperor • Unlike the Aztec Empire, which had no centralized government or complex administration

  12. The Inca Empire • Emperor closely controlled the lives of common people • Owned all land and carefully regulated the growing & distribution of food • Farmers used step terraces on hillsides • Part of all crops after every harvest went to emperor as taxes

  13. The Inca Empire • Work crews built roads & bridges to link different regions of the empire • Gods pleased with food, animal, and human sacrifices • Not even close to the scale of the Aztecs • No writing system  used quipus to record information = ropes with knotted cords of different lengths

  14. The Inca Empire • Mita = labor service used • Required periodically of every household • Required to work for the state • Examples: farming, herding, mining, crafting manufactured goods, construction • In return: state provided elaborate feasts for the people

  15. “Gender Parallelism” • Both the Aztec and Inca Empires used this system with men and women • Separate spheres and responsibilities, but each one equally valuable • Each had autonomy in its own sphere • Did NOT mean total gender equality

  16. What would a conversation between an Aztec and Inca sound like? • Nahuatl or Quechua? • Highlands or lowlands? • Peaceful or aggressive? • Respectful or disrespectful? • What would have happened if the allied agaainst the Spanish (conquistadors)conquerors)?

  17. Pow Wow • a spiritual gathering • For native Americans

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