Mesoamerica: Mayan & Aztec Empires

1. Mesoamerica: Mayan & Aztec Empires

2. Climate of Mesoamerica • Warm Temperatures • Plentiful Rainfall • Rich volcanic soils • Good for growing crops like maize, beans, and squash.

3. Early Mesoamerican Civilizations • Olmec • (1200 BC to 300 AD) • Zapotec • (1500 BC to 750 AD) • Toltec • (900 to 1200 AD)

4. The Mayan Civilization • Developed around 1000 BC • At its height, Maya civilization consisted of some 10 million people spread among 40 cities.

5. Supporting Large Cities • Trade and agriculture helped support larger populations, and early Maya villages grew into cities.

6. Mayan Farming Practices • Slash and Burn Agriculture- a method of farming involves burning the vegetation to clear land for planting.

7. Mayan Cities & Government • Classic Age • (250 to 900 AD) • Mayans built: • Stone pyramids • Temples • Palaces • Who did they build them for? • Local Rulers (Kings) • Gods

8. Society Kings ruled with absolute power It was believed they communicated with the gods. Priests & Warriors Upper Class Merchants & Skilled Craftsmen Middle Class Farmers & Slaves Lower Class Religious Ceremonies Offering of blood to the gods. (Blood Letting) Ball Game Only allowed to use your elbows, knees, and hips to get a rubber ball through a hoop. Losing team sacrificed. Human Sacrifice Mayan Society & Religion

9. Hun Hunahpu – maize god. Father of the hero twins Most important deity for the Maya He brought about the creation for the present world age. Chac – god of rain, thunder, and lightning. Both adored and feared by the Maya He was portrayed as both a benefactor and a violent warrior. Religion: Major Gods

10. Gukumatz – Feathered snake god Taught the Maya the arts of civilization, including codes of law, agriculture, fishing, and medicine. Ixchel – Earth and Moon Goddess Goddess of creativity, weavers and childbirth, goddess of medicine and reason, and a bringer of the storms. Religion: Major Gods cont.

11. Mayan Achievements • Architecture • Buildings • Canals • Astronomy • Math • Used Zero (0) • Writing • Calendar System

12. Mayan Calendar • The Maya had two calendars: • 365 day farming calendar • 260 day religious calendar • It was more accurate that the European calendar.

13. Decline of Mayan Civilization • Factors to decline: • Environmental Damage • Overuse of resources • Drought • Not able to feed everyone • Warfare Increased • Competition over lands • Abuse of Power by Kings

14. The Aztecs • Located in modern day Mexico, and Tenochtitlan was the capital city and is located in what is now present day Mexico City.

15. Rise of the Aztec Empire • According to legend, the war god told one of the tribes’ leaders that they should look for a place where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus eating a snake. It was there that they should settle and build a new capital. • They built Tenochtitlan after the prediction came true, and it was on a swampy island in Lake Texcoco.

16. Rise of the Aztec Empire Cont… • Population consisted of farmers & warriors. • Allied with Texcoco and Tlacopan. • After the alliance was formed the empire gained control over many region. • Ruled 400 – 500 other city-states. • 5 Million people under Aztec rule.

17. Aztec Empire • Conquered people paid tribute. • Tribute was a type of tax. • The Aztec Empire gained wealth: • Trade • Tribute

18. Size Five square miles Approximately 3200 acres Population 200,000 Architecture Walled City Pyramid Temples Palaces Ball court “Floating Gardens” Chinampas Canals Markets Tenochtitlan

19. Aztec Society • Social Classes • Though people were born into a certain class it was possible to move up the ranks within a life time. • Also apart of the middle class • Merchants and Artisans

20. Aztec Religion • Main deity in the Aztec religion was Huitzilopochtli and was known as both the sun god and war god. • Human sacrifice was practiced heavily in the Aztec religion. • Believed that these sacrifices gave power to the gods which in turn would insure the survival of the Aztec civilization.

21. Religion • War captives were used in the sacrifices • In times of peace the Aztec would have to resort to ritualistic warfar. • In the year 1487 the Aztecs reported killing 84,400 war prisoners in four days at the great pyramid of Tenochitlan. • After a town was conquered the inhabitants where no longer eligible of sacrifice and became Aztec citizens.

22. Aztec Art • The Aztecs also made other religious and non-religious artifacts such as jade masks. • These artifacts were sold in markets by visiting merchants.

23. Aztec Achievements • Written Record • Glyphs- symbols that represented both objects and sounds. • Kept track of tax record and business details. • Astronomy • Calendar like the Mayans, but they also tracked the movements of some planets.

24. THAT’S ALL FOLKS!