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Early Americas

Early Americas. Maya. 1. Where did they live?. Yucatan Peninsula (modern day Guatemala) Dense rainforest blocked out the sun (which made it seem like a bad location at first glance)

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Early Americas

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  1. Early Americas

  2. Maya

  3. 1. Where did they live? • Yucatan Peninsula (modern day Guatemala) • Dense rainforest blocked out the sun (which made it seem like a bad location at first glance) • Swamps and sinkholes provided the Maya with a year-round source of water by giving them access to underground streams and rivers

  4. 2. Political Structure of Mayan Civilization • Mayan civilization consisted of a group of city-states • Each city-state had it’s own king • Kings claimed that they were god-kings who descended from the Sun God

  5. 3. Human Sacrifice! • Mayan Kings taught their people how to please the gods • One of the ways that they did this was to offer humans as sacrifices to the gods • The Mayans believed that the gods gave “life-giving fluid” (rain) to the people, so the people offered their own “life-giving fluid” (blood) to the gods

  6. 4. Mayan culture centered around religion • At the center of each city-state was a ceremonial center with temples, palaces, ball courts, and markets • Small villages surrounded the ceremonial center which made up the city-state • Temples were structured for human sacrifice • People who were offered up for sacrifices included losers of games and prisoners of war • Polytheistic religion

  7. 5. Trade made the Mayans thrive • Royal women often married into families from other Mayan city-states • This increased trade and created political alliances

  8. 6. Mayan Social Structure • Priests created a strict class system • Ruler (King) & Family • Nobles / Priests • Craftsman, Merchants, Traders • Farmers, Hunters, Slaves

  9. 7. Mayan Achievements • 365 day calendar based on astronomy • Priests studied the “heavens” (sky) to schedule planting crops and religious festivals • Written language- hieroglyphics • Only nobles could read hieroglyphics • Method of counting based on 20

  10. 8. Decline of the Mayans • Nobody knows for sure what caused the fall of the Mayans, but there are several theories: • Over-farming used up all the land • Enemies attacked and took over • Peasants rebelled and overthrew kings • Drought

  11. Aztecs

  12. 9. Beginning of the Aztec Empire • Wandered for hundreds of years in search of a home promised to them by their sun god, the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl • They would find this place where an eagle “screams and spreads it’s wings and eats the serpent” • Settled on a swampy island called Lake Texacoco

  13. 10. Tenochtitlan • Tenochtitlan was the name of their new city • Means “place of the prickly pear cactus” • Built floating gardens, piling soil on rafts anchored to the lake bottom • Became the largest city in Mesoamerica with over 400,000 people • Huge pyramid in the center known as the “Great Temple” with more than 100 steps

  14. 11. Conquest • Aztecs dreamed of wealth and conquest • They wanted to collect tribute • Conquered neighboring city-states and took control of their resources

  15. 12. Kings • Claimed to be descended from the gods • A council of warriors, priests, and nobles picked, or appointed, the king from the royalfamily • Kings were expected to prove themselves by leading troops into battle

  16. 13. Aztec Social Structure • The king, or emperor, was at the top of Aztec society • Rest of the population fell into four classes: nobles, commoners, unskilled laborers, and enslaved people • Largest group was the commoners, who worked as farmers, artisans, or traders • Commoners could join the noble class by performing an act of bravery in war

  17. 14. Religion in Aztec Society • Polytheistic religion • Saw death as honorable • Those worthy of an afterlife included soldiers who died in battle, captives who gave their lives in sacrifice, and women who died in childbirth

  18. 15. Christopher Columbus • Thought that he could reach Asia sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean • Discovered the island of Hispaniola • Returned home carrying gold, spices, colorful parrots, and Native American captives • Set out again in 1493 to conquer • Brought conquistadors with him

  19. 16. Cortes and Montezuma • Spanish conquistador who invaded Mexico • Aztec Emperor was Montezuma • Montezuma expected Cortes because he had had a dream • Cortes had Spanish horses and guns • Cortes took Montezuma hostage and defeated the Aztecs

  20. 17. Achievements of the Aztec Empire • Chinampas- floating gardens • Bridges (since Lake Texacoco was located on an island) • Mandatory, universal education • Calendar • Chocolate (Aztecs and Mayas)

  21. Incas

  22. 18. Where was Incan Civilization? • Andes Mountains- modern day Peru • High river valleys • Capital was Cuzco

  23. 19. Pachacuti • Greatest Incan leader • Name means “earthshaker” • Pachacuti and his son, Topa, built the largest ancient empire in the Americas • Stretched 2,500 miles

  24. 20. Incan Government • Pachacuti set up a strong central government, but let local leaders stay in power • Sons of local leaders came to Cuzco for training • Required everyone to learn Quechua, the language spoken by the Inca • He also designed a system of roads for travel and trade- covered about 25,000 miles when finished • Empire divided into four provinces • Tributes paid in the form of labor tax • Local leaders appointed by the Emperor/King

  25. 21. Religion in the Incan Empire • Polytheistic • Believed that the sun god, Inti, protected Cuzco • Turned to sacrifice only in times of trouble, such as during earthquakes • Built large works of stone to please the gods • Incan kings were mummified

  26. 22. Incan Society Royal Couple head priest and commander of the armies regional army leaders Temple Priests, Army Commanders, Skilled Workers (musicians, artisans, accountants) Farmers, Herders, Ordinary Soldiers

  27. 23. Economics in the Incan Empire • Everyone grew what they needed, the rest was collected by the government put in storehouses in case of disaster • Labor tax- everyone had to work for the government for several weeks every year • Command Economy- no money/credit, only small amounts of local bartering and the government makes decisions about distribution

  28. 24. Balboa and Pizarro • A Spanish soldier named Balboa marched across the jungle-covered mountains of Panama looking for an “empire filled with gold” • He was accused of treason and killed before he reached it • A soldier traveling with him named Pizarro took up the search

  29. 25. Fall of the Incan Empire • Incan Emperor was “Atahualpa” • Atahualpa underestimated Pizarro since the Incas outnumbered Pizarro’s soldiers • Pizarro asked Atahualpa for a meeting and he agreed • Atahualpa thought that 5,000 bodyguards would be enough protection… it wasn’t. • Incan soldiers had swords, but the European soldiers had guns • Pizarro captured Atahualpa and defeated the Incas

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