The Americas and Oceania

1. The Americas and Oceania Period 3: 600-1450 CE

2. Meso and North America • After the decline of the Mayan civilization, the Toltec moved into central Mexico. • Long distance trade with Anasazi people (Southwest US) • City of Chichen • Legend of the god Quetzalcoatl • Moundbuilders of North America aka Mississippians because they established earthen mounds in the areas by major rivers like the Mississippi and Ohio. • They pyramid shape suggests they were in contact with early Mesoamericans.

3. The Aztecs • After the Toltec Empire came the Aztecs or Mexicas. • Settled in the valley of Mexico and established their capital Tenochtitlan (called foundation of Heaven) around 1325. • Located in the middle of Lake Texcoco, connected to land by four causeways. Housed government buildings and religious structures • Population of 150,000 • Great Pyramid and two Temples as well as zoo, markets and gardens • Aztec created chinampasor platforms constructed of vines with soil on top that floated in the canals throughout the city. • Maize and beans were the staple crop which they farmed without the use of the wheel or beasts of burden. • Established a tribute empire • Seized prisoners of war as human sacrifice for their sun god because they believed human sacrifice fueled the gods. They had a religious calendar as well • Stratified society with nobles, peasants and slaves. Further organized into clans or calpulli. • Used hieroglyphics • Women who were talented weavers or died during childbirth were highly regarded. Though subordinate to men they could inherit property and will it to their heirs.

4. The Incas • About 1300 the Incas, or Quechua rose to power in the Andes Mountains of western South America. Built on traditions of earlier people they integrated people in to their empire. • Didn’t rule harshly like the Aztecs. Integrated people through the spread of their language (Quechua), moved people far from their homeland and forged marriage alliances • Created roads and way stations • Cultivated the potato and maize as a supplemental crop using Waru Waru agriculture (raised beds with irrigation channels to prevent soil erosion) • They created a tribute empire where subjects supplied the mita or labor for government controlled lands. Similar to Chinese and European landlords using coerced labor for public works. • Capital city was Cuzco • Record keeping was done using quipus, knotted cords • Polytheistic, worshipped sun god and creator god

5. Oceania • In the Pacific, people migrated from the Southeast Asian mainland to islands like Australia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, and Hawaii • Brought with them their languages, religious beliefs, foods, and animals • Food and animals effected environmental changes. • Coconuts and banana plants • Language and creation tales of the Polynesians moved along Oceania. • After 600 CE from their base in the islands of Fiji, Samoa, and Tahiti sailed in canoes to the uninhabited islands of Hawaii establishing agricultural and fishing villages • 1200 another group of Polynesians migrated to New Zealand know as Maori • Two regions that stayed outside the global network by 1450 were the Americas and Oceania.