Unit 7

1. Unit 7 Pre-Columbian Americas Ch. 16 (2-4) http://quizlet.com/_h65ik

2. Concept Questions • What were the major characteristics of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations? • What were the major accomplishments of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations? • What factors led to the fall of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations?

3. Prior Civilizations • Olmecs: “mother culture” of Mesoamerica • colossal heads • earthen pyramids • ruling class of priests and nobles • established a large trade network throughout Mesoamerica • human sacrifice • ritual ball game • calendar • Chavin: • permanent settlements • Terrace farming • Temples • religious images and styles of art reflect strong religious traditions

4. Maya • Urban centers – cities ruled by a god-king and used as centers for religious ceremonies and trade – most famous Chichen Itza • - Agriculture and trade were very important • Cities traded amongst each other • Sophisticated terrace farming • Colorful murals, ball game Dynasties • Hereditary rule, holy figure – considered half god (theocracy) • Nobility – assisted the rulers, performed sacred ceremonies • priests, warriors • artisans, merchants • Peasants - farmers

5. Maya • Religion – polytheistic • Made sacrifices including humans • Calendars, math and astronomy developed to support religion • Measured movement of sun, moon & Venus • Complex numbering system, including zero • 365 day calendar, kept track of the seasons • Written Language • Glyphs (hieroglyphics) written in books called codex to record historical events • Most famous story – PopolVuh, story of creation • Decline • Mystery, but declined several hundreds of years before the arrival of the Spanish

6. Aztec • Valley of Mexico background • Teotihuacan: first major civilization of central Mexico, thriving trade in obsidian, 200 ft. tall Pyramid of the Sun, abruptly declined and was abandoned • Organized city-state • Toltecs: warlike, empire based on conquest, war god demanded blood and sacrifice • Quetzalcoatl – god of peace, overthrown but became a myth, feathered serpent, continued as an Aztec god, his return was believed to bring about a golden age • Built pyramids and temples

7. Aztec • Aztecs Build an Empire • United with others in a Triple Alliance that extended their empire • Power based on military conquest and tribute, fail to pay the tribute and the warriors would destroy your village and capture or slaughter you • Society was divided into 3 classes * All powerful emperor • Nobles – government, army, priests • commoners – farmers, warriors • slaves • Vast trade and farming (chinampas – floating gardens of corn) • Tenochtitlan, grand city with canals, causeways, roads, huge population • Observed sun, moon and stars to develop an accurate calendar

8. Aztec • Religion • Public ceremonies to the many gods • Human sacrifices were required to keep the sun god happy, pushed the Aztecs to carry out many military conquests to provide slaves for sacrifice • Problems • Demand for tribute and sacrificial victims led to rebellion • Arrival of the Spanish brought to mind the myth of Quetzalcoatl’s return which helped overthrow Montezuma

9. Inca • Beginnings – South America • Belief that the ruler (all powerful emperor) was descended from the sun god, only 11 families (orejones) were eligible • Dead rulers were mummified and worshipped, their ancestors kept all the wealth from their time of rule, new rulers had to acquire their own – this led to more conquests • Pachacuti – expanded the kingdom into an empire through diplomacy and military conquest • Tried diplomacy first, tried to win their loyalty, military as a last resort

10. Inca • Government • Centralized govt. - People united by schools, road system and language • Cities built even in conquered territories, always a govt. presence • Communities organized through small groups called ayllu who worked for the common good • Social – peasant class, required all able bodied citizens to work as a labor tribute called mita • Controlled all aspects of the economy, but provided for citizens like a welfare state • No writing system, accounting system to record data using quipu (knotted cords), elaborate calendars for worshipping the gods • Used terrace farming on the mountain sides to grow potatoes

11. Inca • Religion • worshipped nature spirits • elaborate religious activities, including llama sacrifice • decorated in gold • Fall • King died on a tour of the empire • sons fought for the throne and tore the empire apart • when the Spanish arrived, they were able to take advantage of a weak Incan empire

12. Women and children • Gender roles established at birth • Boys given machetes • girls given a stone used to grind maize • Boys taught crafts, girls taught to cook • Women: could hold outside jobs • Work in the market • Skilled artisans • Priestesses • Within the family, women cared for the children, animals, and cooked