Topic 7: Mesoamerican and Andean Systems of exchange

1. Topic 7:Mesoamerican and Andean Systems of exchange By Brittany Romano and KatieSerron

2. Mesoamerican Systems of Exchange The Aztecs • The Market Place was the center of the Aztec Empire• There were many Markets around the empire, the biggest was Tlatelolco.• Any merchandise in the Aztec empire could be found in the marketplaces• To ensure fairness and safety, government officials were assigned to supervise. Violators would be persecuted.• The wheel was never used for transportation. Everything had to be transported by either foot or by way of water.• Because of the lack of technology advances, large caravans of people with goods traveled throughout the empire.• Merchants employed ‘bearers’ to carry the loads on their backs.• Merchants also acted as spies in the empire as they went on huge trading expeditions• The Valley of Mexico was covered by an abundance of lakes, canals and other waterways. The dugout canoe was used for transportation along these waterways.

3. Andean Systems of Exchange The Incas • The Inca economy was not centered around money. It's main productivity came from fine pottery, cloth, valuable stones, and metalwork of silver, gold, and bronze. • The state produced food, weapons, and other goods for the support of the army. Inca subjects carried out mita, a form of labor tax. This allowed the Incas to aciculate food and other basic necessities. Incan civilians exchanged crafts and food amongst themselves. • The entire Inca Empire was connected together by a network of well-constructed roads. Suspension bridges extended over rivers and canyons, and were maintained by the local communities. Some of which are still present today. • Along the roads, there were many rest stops for people, such as the Inca army and other travelers. The army was facilitated in the houses and there were storehouses for the travelers. People traveled by foot, and they and llamas carried all loads. • The Inca did not use any wheeled carts or vehicles, because they were useless on the mountainous roads. • The emperor and nobles rode on litters, or seats mounted on poles and carried by men on their shoulders. Inca used boats and rafts on the major rivers, lakes, and on ocean voyages along the Pacific coast. For voyages along the Pacific coast and major rivers, the Inca used boats and rafts.

4. Mesoamerica The Spanish introduce the encomienda to the Mesoamericans When the slave trade began in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean, the culture began to change hugely. Silver was traded throughout the empire Sugarcane was traded in the south Cochineal cacao and indigo was also traded in the south Andean silver refinery at Potosi, Bolivia in 1700. among the largest and most heavily capitalized industrial enterprises in the Western Hemisphere during this time period. These silver mines attracted nearly 120,000 of foreign traders. In 1680 the silver production in Bolivia and Peru dominated the Spanish colonial economy. Later on, the Mexican silver production surpassed that of the Andean region The Columbian Exchange

5. MESOAMERICAN The markets facilitated trade Large Caravans traveled many miles for transportation of goods Didn’t use the wheel for travel Aztecs used dugout canoes for travel in the valley of Mexico Didn’t use money, traded for both tasks and merchandise Occasionally used cocoa beans for currency ANDEAN The roads facilitated trade Rest stops scattered along the roads benefited travelers Didn’t use the wheel for travel Inca used boats and rafts on the major rivers, lakes, and on ocean voyages along the Pacific coast Didn’t use money, used trade Economy centered on fine pottery, cloth, valuable stones, and metals Mesoamerican VS. Andean