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Chapter 12. Review and Discussion. Geography of the Americas. The Olmecs , 1400 B.C.E-1200 B.C.E. Founded the first American Civilization Laid the political foundation of the Mesoamerican societies. Teotihuacan (450 – 600 CE).
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Chapter 12 Review and Discussion
Geography of the Americas
The Olmecs, 1400 B.C.E-1200 B.C.E • Founded the first American Civilization • Laid the political foundation of the Mesoamerican societies
Teotihuacan (450 – 600 CE) • It was a religious, artistic, and trade center that had great influence on succeeding civilizations. • Elites • Controlled the state bureaucracy, tax collection and commerce • Powerful elites controlled the cities and the nearby towns and rural peasantry. • Religion (animism) • Enormous pyramids dedicated to the sun, moon, and other gods were built along the central avenue. • Human sacrifice was carried out
Maya 300-900 • The Maya established city-states • Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and Southern Mexico • united by a common culture but not unified by a common political or military system
Mayan Government • Each Mayan city had its local leaders, but all the city-states were ruled by one king
The Maya (300-900) • Military • Primarily fought to secure military captives not territory • Elite captives were mostly sacrificed • Commoners enslaved • Women • Elite - participated in bloodletting rituals and other religious ceremonies • Common – agricultural and textile production
What was life like for the Maya? • Mayan people were farmers • Priests were the highest people in the society • The Maya worshipped nature: animals, plants, water and the planets
Mayan architecture • Relied solely on man power, stone tools, and levers for the building projects
Mayan Accomplishments • Had a system of hieroglyphics • Practiced astrology-developed a 365 day calendar • Developed a counting system using 0 on a system based on 20 • Grew cotton, made cloth
The Mayan Ball Court Game: life or death with a little rubber ball… • The Ball Court that was used for symbolic religious games.
Aztecs • Lived in Modern Day Mexico • Capital – Tenochtitlan (Mexico City today) • Became an Empire and conquered other lands • Spanish arrived in 16th century
The Aztecs • Society • Clan based • Around 1325, a monarchial system is established • Kings increased wealth and power by territorial conquest • Supported population by • Land reclamation projects, constructing irrigated fields, and chinampas
Aztec Society Officials, governors, judges could attain a noble social status If they killed an enemy Farmers - Mostly captives or criminals (many were sacrificed to the Sun God)
The Aztecs • Trade • No wheel vehicles, draft animals or money was used • Barter economy • Benefited from the tributary system • Religion • Worshipped gods and goddesses • Huitzilopochtli (sun god) • Required a diet of human hearts • Sacrificed thousands of people every year
THE AZTECS The Great Temple at Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan • The city was made up of a central square surrounded by pyramid-temples, palaces, gardens, zoos, schools & markets. This city reveals all that was the best of the Aztecs!
Chinampas: Floating Gardens • By 1500, the Aztec empire spread from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and numbered 30 million people. • Conquered by the Spanish around 1519
Incas 1463 - 1532 • Located in current day Peru • By the early 1500’s, the Incan empire stretched 2500 miles • Andes to Pacific Coast (Ecuador to Chile)
Incas • Empire • Built a huge empire in the Andes by 1525 • Developed a strong and professional army • Prosperity and military strength depended on herds of llamas and alpacas • Rule • Generally left local rulers in place • Took heirs as hostage • imperial bureaucracy led by a king • King was required to prove himself by conquering new territories • Religion (Sun god most important) • Rituals, feasts, sacrifices of textiles, animals, and other tribute goods, and occasional human • Accomplishments • Construction of vast network of roads (13,000 miles)
Pachacuti, Ruled 1438-1471The Supreme Ruler • Pachacuti was the first INCA, or “supreme ruler” • The INCA was thought to be a descendant of the sun god “Inti”
Cuzco: The Imperial Capital • From Cuzco, the emperor ruled more than 10 million people • There was a system of roads, tunnels, and rope bridges that connected the cities of the empire
Incan Road System: The Heart of the Empire • allowed armies and news to travel rapidly around the empire. • prohibited ordinary people from using the roads at all.
The Incas…built a complex civilization • They imposed their own language and religion on the people. • that relied on order and absolute authority • The Incas strictly regulated the lives of millions of people within their empire. • Government officials arranged marriages.
The Incas…built a complex civilization • Community leaders assigned jobs to each family and organized the community to work the land. • Mit’a • Farmers had to spend part of each year working land for the emperor and the temples. • Government officials controlled the harvest.
Chosen Women of the Sun • Played a key role and honor role in Incan religious rituals • Started at age 8 and trained until age 16 where her fate would be decided • Made garments for the Sapa Inca • Most remained in house of seclusion in service of the Sun for most of their lives