Warm Up:

1. Warm Up: Describe the symbolic importance of pyramids in Mayan Civilization?

2. Writers Workshop Discuss as a group: • How did you approach the question? • Were there any specific documents that you had a difficult time with? • How did each use groupings of documents for analysis? • How did you approach point of view? • What types of additional sources or documents did you think would be helpful?

3. Peer Grading For each essay there are three rubrics: • Each essay is to be graded by all of the members of your group. • Write the name of the grader on the top of each rubric. • Grade the essay according to the rubric On the bottom of the rubric there is a space for comments: • What did the writer did well? • Suggestions for improvement? • Was the essay easy or difficult to grade? How could the writer make the essay easier on the grader?

4. II. Postclassical Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 • Continuity and Change • Continuity • Religious beliefs and practices • Architecture • Social Organization • Change • Population growth in postclassical period - Increased warfare - Improved agricultural techniques • More centralized government • Larger military focused on conquest

5. II. Postclassical Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 • Toltecs • Conquest State • Arrived in central Mexico in the 10th century • Warlike people • Conquest based on military power • Controlled from modern Mexico City to Central America

6. II. Postclassical Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 • Rule • Capital city of Tula, founded in 968 • Civilization based on achievements of Teotihuacan • Ruled by dual kings - probably caused the internal struggle • Destroyed by invaders around 1175 c.e

7. II. Postclassical Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 C. The Aztecs • Origins • Migrated to central Mexico following the collapse of the Toltecs • Settled in the Lake Texcocoarea • Established the cities of Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco around 1325 • Developed a monarchical system of government

8. II. Postclassical Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 • Kingship and Empire • Kings chosen from royal family by council of aristocrats • Ruler proved legitimacy through military conquests • Kings increased their wealth and power by means of territorial conquest

9. II. Postclassical Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 • Social Class • Kings and aristocrats possessed massive estates - Cultivated by slaves and landless commoners • Little social mobility - Exceptions: military and priesthood • Highest social ranks reserved for nobles • Great inequalities in wealth and privilege

10. II. Postclassical Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 4. Population Growth • increased agricultural production in the capital area • land reclamation projects - 5 ½ mile long, 23 foot tall dike • constructing irrigated fields and chinampas. • Tribute System - Conquered people supplied food and other goods to the capital

11. II. Postclassical Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 • Trade • No wheeled vehicles or pack animals • Commerce dominated by small lightweight items - Gold, jewels, feathered garments, cacao, animal skins • Merchants became wealthy • Lacked privileges of high nobility • No system of money or credit • barter

12. Cities • Populations of Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco approached 500,000 • island city • Network of canals and streets • Connected to lakeshore by three major causeways

13. II. Postclassical Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 7. Religion • Polytheistic • Included jaguar god and Quetzalcoatal • Most gods had dual nature • male and female • Huitzilopochtil - God of war and the sun • Required a diet of human hearts to sustain him • War captives were preferred sacrificial victims • Tens of thousands sacrificed every year