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Maya Civilization

Maya Civilization. I. Classic Period: 250-900 C.E. Located in southern Mexico, northern Central America Influenced heavily by older culture, the Olmecs Ball courts – believed that playing this game would maintain cycles of sun and moon, bring rains

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Maya Civilization

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  1. Maya Civilization

  2. I. Classic Period: 250-900 C.E. • Located in southern Mexico, northern Central America • Influenced heavily by older culture, the Olmecs • Ball courts – believed that playing this game would maintain cycles of sun and moon, bring rains • Planned ceremonial centers, religious ceremonies • Gods and spirits – Jaguar spirit at center • Empire of independent city-states • Examples: Tikal, Chichen Itza • Each ruled by a god-king • Centers of religion, trade • Linked by common language, religious beliefs

  3. II. Trade & Agriculture • City states linked by trade routes and alliances • Products: salt, feathers, shells, honey, textiles • Cacao beans sometimes served as currency • Agriculture formed basis of Maya life • Squash, maize (corn), beans • Once thought to only practice slash and burn agriculture • Evidence has shown more sophisticated methods – beds raised above swamps

  4. III. Social Classes • As civilization grew, more wealth and development of social classes • King at top, passed title to eldest son (hereditary) • Was a divine (god-like) figure • Noble class: warriors, priests • Middle class: Merchants, artisans • Peasant farmers (majority of population) • Slaves: criminals, prisoners of war KING PACAL,603-683 C.E.

  5. IV. Religion • Polytheistic: believed in many gods • Believed each day was a living god, behavior was predicted by a system of calendars • Religious practices: • Made offerings • Pierced or cut their bodies to offer their blood • Practiced human sacrifice, usually enemies • Believed that it pleased the gods and kept world in balance

  6. V. Math, Calendar, Astronomy • Religious beliefs led to developments in math, astronomy, and use of calendars • Important to have an accurate calendar to know which god is “carrying time” that day • Identify the best times to plant crops, attack enemies, crown new rulers • Based on careful observation of planets, sun, moon • Calculated year to 365.2420 days • Had concept of zero

  7. VI. Written Language • Most advanced writing system in ancient Americas • 800 glyphs, or hieroglyphic symbols • Used for record keeping, history of civilization • Recorded important historical events in book known as a codex • Only 3 of these have survived • Creation story recorded in the Popol Vuh

  8. VII. Decline • Late 800s – many cities suddenly abandoned • Other peoples moved into areas being abandoned, disrupted Maya civilization • Theories • Increased warfare between city-states disrupted trade, increased economic hardship • Population growth, over-farming caused food shortages, famine, disease • When the Spanish arrive in the 1500s, Maya divided and weak, easily conquered • Examples of Mayan ruins

  9. Aztec Civilization(Late 1100s – 1500s)

  10. I. Toltec Influence • Toltec peoples laid foundation for Aztec • Toltec ruled over central Mexico beginning around 900, lasted until about 1150. • Gained power as Maya were losing theirs • Militaristic, human sacrifice a main component of religious ceremonies • Worshiped Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent • Became legend among different peoples of Mesoamerica, including Aztec

  11. II. Aztec Rise to Power • Originally poor, nomadic people from deserts of northern Mexico • Built up civilization from ashes of Toltec, around Lake Texcoco • City of Tenochtitlan • Formed Triple Alliance with other city-states, Texcoco and Tlacopan – basis of Aztec Empire • By 1500s, empire stretched 80,000 square miles, 5-15 million people • 38 provinces loosely controlled through strong military and tributes (taxes, human sacrifice)

  12. Aztec Empire, 1200s-1500s

  13. III. Social Classes Emperor Nobles – military leaders, land owners Commoners – merchants, artisans, soldiers, farmers Slaves – prisoners of war, criminals

  14. IV. Religious Life • Religion played a major role in daily life • Hundreds of temples and religious structures erected throughout civilization • 1,000 gods • Many adopted from other Mesoamerican peoples • Quetzalcoatl – god of learning and books, god of wind, symbol of death and rebirth • Depicted as both feathered serpent and pale-skinned man with beard • Practiced human sacrifice • Thousands a year sacrificed to Huitzilopochtli • Enslaved persons, criminals, prisoners of war

  15. V. Decline • 1502 – Montezuma II crowned emperor • Demanded even more tribute and sacrifice from provinces • Many provinces rebelled, threw civilization into chaos • Return of Quetzalcoatl • Many saw bad omens all around • The Spanish invaders represented Quetzalcoatl and downfall of civilization • Easily overthrew Aztec – had better weapons & disease, Aztecs weak and divided

  16. Inca Empire(1200s – mid 1500s)

  17. I. Beginnings • Built upon foundations of older civilizations • Chavin, Moche, Nazca, Chimor • Settled in Valley of Cuzco in Andes Mountains • 1200s – small kingdom established • Pachacutitook throne in 1438 • Greatly expanded control over neighboring lands • Belief that ruler was descended from sun god • Only men from one of 11 noble families could be selected as leader

  18. I. continued… • Empire called “Land of the Four Quarters” • Encompassed 80 provinces, up to 16 million people • Used combination of military force and diplomacy to overtake and control territories • Hundreds of different languages, ethnic backgrounds

  19. II. A Unified Empire • Utilized extensive road system • One official language – Quechua • Economy strictly controlled by government • Regulated production and distribution of goods • Centralized bureaucracy oversaw entire empire • Depended on ayllu– extended family group • Groups divided into 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 • Chief led each group • Chain of command = community->regional-> central • Demanded tribute • Mita– labor required by all able-bodied citizens

  20. II. Continued… • Recording keeping • No written language – utilized oral tradition • Used the quipu – a set of knotted strings to record numerical data • Knots and their position on the string indicated numbers • Colors of the strings represented different categories of information

  21. III. Religion • Focused worship mostly on nature spirits • Moon, stars, thunder, sun gods • Mamakuna – unmarried women selected for a lifetime of religious service • Yamacuna – men who served as full-time religious workers • Sacrificed llamas and distributed goods as gifts from gods

  22. IV. Decline • Huayna Capac – Inca leader during early 1500s • Died of disease (probably small pox) when travelling around Ecuador • After death – empire split in two, ruled by two sons • Civil war weakened empire • 1530s – Spanish arrived to overtake a very weak empire

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