Developments in the Americas (600-1450 CE)

Developments in the Americas (600-1450 CE) Mexica (Aztecs) Social ● Social classes & social hierarchy ● Who has power in society? ● Gender roles and relations/patriarchy ● Family and kinship Political ● Type of government ● Role of the government ● Who rules? ● How do they maintain power? Interactions with the Environment ● ● How did the environment shape and/or impact this society? Patterns of settlement Cultural ● Religions, Belief systems, philosophies, & ideologies ● The arts and architecture ● Written works, theater, plays Economic ● Agricultural and pastoral production ● Trade and commerce ● Labor systems Inca Mayans The Aztec Empire was based on a social hierarchical system. The emperor, known as the Great Speaker, had power. Next were land-owning nobles who formed the majority of Aztec military leadership. Next in rank were scribes and healers, followed by craftspeople and traders. The pochteca was a special merchant class that traded in luxury goods. At the bottom of the social hierarchy were the peasants and soldiers. Aztec government was a theocracy, which was ruled by religious leaders. The emperor, or the Great Speaker would rule. Power was maintained via military conquest and tribute paid to them, lands surrendered, and military service provided to them by the conquered people. Tribute included food, cloth, firewood, feathers, beads, and jewelry. The Incan civilization was based on a strict social hierarchy. At the top was the emperor and his family, then the nobles, and last, the commoners. Women and men had parallel roles, but were separate in Inca society. Furthermore, strong attachments were made between close family and distant relations. The Mayans had a hierarchical society rigidly divided between nobles, commoners, serfs, and slaves. Mayan kings claimed to be descended from a god. Royal rule was passed from father to son. The king directed the activities of the elite scribes and priests who administered the affairs of the state. The Incan Empire was divided into four provinces, each with its own governor and bureaucracy where loyal conquered leaders were rewarded. Conquered people were subject to the mit’a system, mandatory public service. The main form of Mayan government was the city-state, each ruled by a king, and consisting of a city and its surrounding territory. Men would usually rule as kings, though women seldom did too. Wars would be fought to gain tribute and captives. Power would be maintained via divine rule. The Aztecs located the capital city of Tenochtitlan on an island centered in a swampy lake to defend it from invasions. A network of aqueducts were constructed to provide water for the city. The Great pyramid was built. Floating gardens called chinampas increased the amount of space for food production. The Aztecs dug ditches to use lake water to irrigate their fields and drain the lake for more land. The Aztecs believed that the gods had sacrificed themselves to create the world and thus, human sacrifice and bloodletting was repayment and atonement for human sin. Aztec architecture was prominent for their massive stone temples, pyramids, and double stairways. Aztec artwork presented exquisitely carved gemstone insects, handcrafted pottery, jewelry, and feather work garments. The Aztec economy was largely based on agriculture and trade. Agriculture was necessary as it provided fruits and vegetables to sustain a large population. Avocado, beans, tobacco, squash, and corn would be traded as well. In addition, the conquered people would pay tribute, while the peasants paid taxes. The Incas were able to create areas of suitable farmland by cutting flat planes into the mountains bounded by stone walls. This allowed them to withstand the mountainous climate and harsh conditions by cultivating species of plants suited for extreme conditions. The Mayans constructed a vast civilization in a tropical rainforest climate. Threatened with rising sea levels and intense droughts, the Mayans converted forests into wetland field complexes to grow ancient food spices, such as maize. The religion of the Inca empire was polytheistic and Inti, the sun god, was the most important of the Incan gods. The Temple of the Sun in Cuzco formed the core of Incan religion. Dead rulers were mummified and continued to “rule”. Priests were consulted before important actions, such as determining the gods’ will and determining sacrifices. Additionally, Inca religion incorporated some animism. The Mayans practiced the belief of animism. They worshipped various gods related to nature, such as the gods of the sun, rain, and corn. Mayan art was characterized by stone sculptures, ceramics, wood carving, and wall painting. Mayan architecture featured multi-level elevated platforms, pyramids, corbelled roofing, and monumental stairways. The Mayan economy was agriculturally based. Vast marketplaces reflected the commercialization of the economy. Trade in the Mayan civilization was centered around fish, squash, yams, and corn. The common people were required to pay taxes in the form of crops and provide labor to the government. Trade in the Inca Empire waws limited and crops produced included corn, cotton, and potatoes. The principal resources available to the Inca Empire were agricultural land and labor, mines, and fresh water. Men between the ages of 15 and 20 provided labor. ● Tax collection and purposes Technology ● ● ● ● ● Human adaptation and innovation Writing systems Farming/agricultural implements Instruments that improve/expedite trade Methods of production The Aztecs’ low level of technology, such as the lack of wheeled vehicles and pack animals contributed to the decline of this civilization. This was because as a result, agriculture was ineffectual and onerous. In mathematics, the Inca developed the quipu, a system of knotted strings used to record numerical information for trade and engineering. In agriculture, the Inca developed terraces for the cultivation of crops, such as potatoes and maize. With captive labor, they constructed the Carpa Nun, a vast roadway system which stretched across 25,000 miles, mainly used by the government and military. Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the Mexica and the Incas. Mexica Central America 400-1517 Moderate trade Organized citystates with a king Wars for tribute Writing, step pyramids, accurate calendar Drought and deforestation led to its decline Andes in South America 1200-1533 Cotton, potatoes Limited trade Wars for conquest Mit’a system Waru waru, roads, Masonry European diseases, Civil war, and Spanish attacks Led to its decline The Mayans incorporated the concept of zero into their number system, developed a complex writing system, and made rubber from liquid derived from rubber plants. Furthermore, they made very precise observatories atop pyramids, enabling them to design an accurate calendar. Learning objective: Explain HOW and WHY the Mexica Empire developed and changed over time. The Mexicas were originally hunter-gatherers who migrated to central Mexico from the north in the 1200s. In 1325, they assigned Tenochtitlan as their capital. Over the following 100 years, they conquered the surrounding peoples and established an empire stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. Incas Write a comparison thesis statement for the following prompt. Remember, good thesis statements are clear, direct, and SPECIFIC. Learning objective: Explain HOW and WHY the Inca Empire developed and changed over time. Compare (list similarities and difference) the political organization of the Incas and the Mexica. In 1438, Pachacuti, a tribal leader began conquering tribes in Cuzco, Peru. His military victories combined the small tribes into an entire state, the Incan Empire, which stretched from present-day Ecuador to Chile. By 1493, Pachacuti’s grandson, Huayna Capac, ruled the empire. Although the political disposition of the Inca and Mexica civilizations were acutely diverse, some characteristics were in common. The government of the Incas was divided into four provinces with a designated governor and bureaucracy. This was similar to the political structure of the Aztecs as they too grouped city-states into provinces. However, unlike the Incas, the Aztecs’ government was a theocracy and wars were for the purpose of captives rather than conquest in the Inca Empire. Furthermore, the Incas did not pay tribute and instead were subject to the mit’a system, mandatory public service.