MesoAmerican Civilizations Notes

Mesoamerican Civilizations

Maya, Aztec, Inca

Olmec 1200 B.C.- The first civilization of Mesoamerica

They were located in the hot and swampy lowlands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico south of Veracruz.

They had large cities that were centers for religious rituals.

They carved colossal stone heads

They may have been to represent their ancestors or gods.

TeotihuacánWas the first major city in MesoamericaArose around 250 B.C. and collapsed about 800 A.D.

May have had as many as 200,000 inhabitants at its height.

Has a main thoroughfare, known as the Avenue of the Dead, had two main temples.The Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon.

Meso-America

• Meso-America was home to 3 major civilizations in Pre-Columbian times.

• Pre-Columbian means before the time of exploration (think before Columbus)

• The 3 highly developed civilizations were:1.Mayans2.Aztecs3.Incas

Mayans

• The Mayans were a powerful civilization from 1500BCE-1548CE

• Their economy was based on Farming, Trade, and Artisans

• Their religion was polytheistic• That meant they believed in more than one god• The priests did human sacrifices to please these

gods.

Mayans

• Their capital city was Tikal• The Mayans had many important achievements:

Hieroglyphics, a writing system “glyphs”An accurate calendar of 365 days to plan agricultureA number system that included the idea of zero

Chichen Itza was an observatory

Tikal, Guatemala

Yucatán Peninsula-Maya were found in the Yucatan Peninsula and Part of Guatemala

Maya: Between 300 and 900 A.D.-Flourished during this time. We do not know why it fell into decline. The Maya abandoned their cities, we do not know why.Political and Social StructureCities-Were built around a central pyramidPyramid-Was topped with a shrine to the gods. City-States-Each governed by a hereditary ruling class

Mayan Kings-Ruled the Mayan KingdomThey claimed they were divineWere assisted by nobles and a class of scribesMade special blood sacrifices to maintain the kingdom.

People-Included townspeople, skilled artisans, and, officials, and merchants.Many people were peasant farmers who worked on terraced hillsides farming. Men did the fighting and hunting, women made cornmeal and were responsible for homemaking and raising children.

ReligionThe Maya were Polytheistic.They believed that all of life was in the hands of a divine power.They were responsible for pleasing the gods.

Their gods were ranked in order of importance, the Jaguar was the god of night and was seen as evil.The Maya practiced human sacrifice to appease their gods.

Human sacrifice was also used to mark special occasions. When a king ascended to the throne war captives were tortured and beheaded to mark the occasion.

AccomplishmentsAccomplishmentsLanguageThe Maya developed an independent Hieroglyphic language.

The Spanish destroyed most of the Mayan writings. They were not seen as having any value. Their language was not translated until the 20th century.

CalendarCalendarThe Maya developed a calendar that had two different parts.It had a solar calendar with 365 days, divided into 18 months with 20 days each with 5 extra days at the end. A Lunar calendar and a Calendar based on the movement of the Planet Venus. This was a sacred calendar with 260 days and 13 weeks of 20 days each. The Mayan calendar says our present world was created in 3114 B.C. and the current calendar restarted on December 23 2012 A.D.

Mayan civilization• Located in the Mexican and Central American

rain forest• Represented by Chichen Itza• Groups of city-states ruled by kings• Economy based on agriculture and trade• Polytheistic religion: Pyramids

Aztec Civilization• Located in arid valley in central Mexico• Represented by Tenochtitlan• Ruled by an emperor• Economy based on agriculture and tribute

from conquered peoples• Polytheistic religion: pyramids, rituals

Aztecs

• The Aztecs were a powerful civilization from 1400-1520CE

• Their economy was based on agriculture and warriors expanding the empire by capturing goods and prisoners

• Their religion was polytheistic

Aztecs

• Their capital city was Tenochtitlan. It was built on islands and floating rafts (current day Mexico City)

• The Aztecs had many important achievements:Strict legal system, they used the death penaltyEducation for Aztec childrenGold and silver jewelry

Aztecs

• The Aztecs were unpopular with their neighbors• Why? They kidnapped them for human sacrifices• The EFFECT of this was: neighboring people led

explorers and conquistadors to Aztecs• Conquered by the Spanish conquistador Cortez

The Aztec began c. 12th century A.D.Began a long migration that brought them into the Valley of Mexico. They established their capital city at Tenochtitlán. Tenochtitlán- means the Place of the Prickly Pear Cactus. An Aztec legend said that when the people found their new home they would see an eagle perched on a cactus holding a snake. They saw this in lake Texcoco.

Their city was built up on rafts made from reeds and covered with dirt. They were called chinampas. Present-Day Mexico-City is built on top of this city. The original was destroyed by the Spanish.

Political and Social StructureBy 1500 there were about 4 million people in the Aztec Empire. Aztec EmperorRuled over the Aztec Empire. Was the supreme leader of the people.He claimed that he was divine.

PeopleMade up of commoners, indentured workers, and slaves. Most people were farmers, but they also traded with people in the surrounding areas.

Men were to be the warriors, while a woman’s role was to be in the home. Women were allowed to own and inherit property and enter contracts. Women wove textiles and raised children. They could also be priestesses.

ReligionHad a polytheistic religion based on warfare.

HuitzilopochtliTheir chief god. He was the god of the sun. The Aztec offered him human sacrifice to give him strength to battle the forces of darkness each night so that he could rise each morning.

QuetzalcoatlThe feathered SerpentHe believed he had left the valley of Mexico and promised to return in triumph.

Human SacrificeEach Aztec city contained a pyramid where they practiced human sacrifice as a way to postpone the end of the world.

Destruction of the AztecThe subjugation of the people of the Aztec Empire bred hatred and discontent among the people. When the Spanish arrived they did not have a difficult time finding allies to fight the Aztec.

Hernán Cortés 1519Spanish Conquistador who came to the valley of Mexico in 1519 with 550 soldiers and 16 horses. He was at first greeted by the Aztec Emperor Montezuma (Moctezuma). The Spanish later kidnapped the Emperor and made him a puppet. The people rebelled and the Emperor was killed. The Spanish barely escaped.

The Spanish returned several months later. Many of the natives had fallen ill with Smallpox. Cortés and his allies destroyed the Aztec capital and subjugated the Aztec people.

Tenochtitlan: The Tenochtitlan: The ““VeniceVenice”” of the Americasof the Americas

Aztec Aztec ChinampaChinampa or or Floating Garden:Floating Garden:

15ft. to 30ft. wide15ft. to 30ft. wide

Tenochtitlan - Tenochtitlan - ChinampasChinampas

Aztec Sun Stone -- CalendarAztec Sun Stone -- Calendar

Aztecs Sacrifice Neighboring Tribes Aztecs Sacrifice Neighboring Tribes to the Sun Godto the Sun God

Incas

• The Incas were a powerful civilization from 1200-1535CE

• Their economy was based on agriculture, and silver/gold jewelry trade

• Their religion was polytheistic

Incas

• Their capital city was Cuzco• Machu Picchu was high in the Andes Mts (terrace

farming)• The Incas had many important achievements:

Stone covered roads to connect empire (bridges)Architecture included stone palaces, temples, fortressAdvanced medicine, example: brain surgery

Late 1300's IncaThe Inca started as a small group that were located in Cuzco. They did not begin to become powerful until after the fall of the Moche of Peru.

PachacutiUnified the Inca and established the Inca Empire.

Organization of the EmpireIncan state was built on war. The conquered peoples were all taught the same language. Each region was appointed a governor who answered to the Emperor.

Road System: 24, 800 miles of RoadThe Inca built roads to unify their people. Roads made travel and communication throughout the empire more efficient.

There were rest houses and storage depots along with bridges to span ravines and waterways.

CultureCultureWere required to marry from within their own social group.Women were expected to live at home, the only alternative was to be a priestess. Most people were farmers, they also herded llamas and alpacas.

QuipuQuipu-A system of knotted strings used by the Inca to keep records.

Great BuildersGreat BuildersThey had great buildings made of stone held without mortar. Their roads also show their ability as great builders.

Machu PicchuMachu PicchuCity built at 8,000 ft above sea level.

Urubamba RiverUrubamba RiverRiver below Machu Picchu

Inca Gold & SilverInca Gold & Silver

Incan Terrace FarmingIncan Terrace Farming

DefeatThe Spanish arrived in 1531

1531: Francisco PizarroSpanish Conquistador led a band of 180 men with superior weapons. The Inca, like the Aztec, were devastated by disease.

SmallpoxDevastated the Population

Civil WarAfter the death of the Inca Emperor a civil war broke out, Pizarro took advantage and defeated the people.

Pizarro and his men established Lima as the new capital of the Spanish Colony in 1535.

Incan Civilization• Located in the Andes Mountains of South

America• Represented by Machu Picchu• Ruled by an emperor• Economy based on high-altitude agriculture• Polytheistic religion• Road System

Achievements of Mayan, Aztec, and Incan

civilizations

• Calendars

• Mathematics

• Writing system and other record-keeping systems