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Mayans and Aztecs

Mayans and Aztecs. Mayans Lower Mesoamerica (Yucatan, Guat., El Sal.) Myths of the peaceful Maya. Great inventors and artists. Oddly - very warlike Large, overpopulated cities City-states - hereditary king Tikal most important city 292 AD Sudden collapse 900 AD.

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Mayans and Aztecs

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  1. Mayans and Aztecs

  2. Mayans • Lower Mesoamerica (Yucatan, Guat., El Sal.) • Myths of the peaceful Maya. • Great inventors and artists. • Oddly - very warlike • Large, overpopulated cities • City-states - hereditary king • Tikal most important city 292 AD • Sudden collapse 900 AD. • War and environmental degradation led to fall.

  3. Society revolved around corn • Primary food • Creation myth: humans were born of corn.

  4. Economy: Agriculture and long distance trade (canoes). • Stratified society • King: • Ritual bloodletting • rope imbedded in body • Nobility/priesthood • Peasants

  5. Religion focused on flow of time and calendars • Fusion of observed/unobservable, earthly/celestial, time/space - no distinction • Time was basic unit/building block of the universe • Overcoming Fate: Hero Twins - sacrifice and rebirth • Ball Courts important: Copan built around ball court

  6. Highly advanced calendars • Long Count • The world didn’t end. • Solar calendar: 365 days, 18 months of 20 days each w/ extra 5 days at end • Sacred calendar: 260 days, 13 weeks of 20 days each (trained priests only)

  7. Most advanced Amerindian group • Development of zero • Advanced calendars • Fantastic "organic" art • Written System based on Hieroglyphs

  8. II. Aztecs : Valley of Mexico • Olmec • Teotihuacan - “Place of the Gods” • Ruled Valley 200 BC-650 AD • Mysterious -- no writing • Very powerful for long time • Evidence of a great fire near time of collapse • Tula ruled Valley 968-1200 (Toltec) • Warrior culture

  9. Aztec Arrived in valley 1218. • Last to arrive in Valley • Trouble finding land • Founded Tenochtitlan on islands in lake Texcoco 1325 • Worked as mercenaries and laborers for other Nahua city-states • Became very weathly and grew in population (power) • Eventually take over valley

  10. Economy and society • Complex system of agriculture based on irrigation • Extensive trading system all over Central and North America • Expansionist: tribute (Bugs Life) vitally important

  11. tribute = trade goods • Yearly tribute included • 14 million lbs corn • 8 million lbs beans • 2 million cloaks • Countless weapons and gems • Feed markets in Tenochtitlan • Traders/merchants sent out (spies)

  12. Organization • Major social unit was the calpulli - ward/clan

  13. Creating the Empire • Begin big push outward in 1430, gained control of north Mesoamerica. • Itzcoatl (1428-1440) builds the empire • feared warriors

  14. Religion and Empire • Sense of Doom • Man is rootless, without foundation • Universe is doomed - cycles of sun, each must end - 5th Sun must die

  15. Huitzilopochtli - God of War and the Sun • Huitz. The chief tribal god of Aztecs • Sun formed by god sacrificing himself on coals each day - reborn as sun • Nourishment from human heart (purity) - must be physically fed • Human sacrifice vital to religion • Numerous examples of human sacrifice to many gods. (18 major holidays, 20 temples, 300-12,000 victims per year) • New Year's celebration - lighting the fires • Flayed One's - Priests wearing human skins • Rededication of Temple Mayor - in 1487, as many as 80,000 • Increasingly common on community, family level

  16. All nations must serve Huitzilipotchli • Tribute cities give sacrificial victims • Flowery war • Meant to take captives, not kill • Hurt them with Spaniards (not killing)

  17. An empire based on fear • Did not govern their conquests directly • Left them as source of tribute • Left them as source of "war captives" for sacrifice • Constant fear • Yet a society that valued speech, dance, poetry • This empire of fear left them vulnerable to Spaniards (locals turned on them) • Lesson: Moderation???

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