Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations

Pre-Columbian Society in North and South America

MesoAmerica

• Maya, then Aztecs = dominant civilizations

• Built on the foundation of earlier civilizations eg: Olmec (the big head people)– Maize– Ball games– Temple pyramids/ritual human sacrifice– Astronomy/calendar

Aztecs – greenMaya - brown

Maya• Height – 600CE-900CE

• Culturally united---

(NOT POLITICALLY)– City-states– Polytheistic– Nobles/Priests = elite class– Innovative agriculture b/c of poor soil

(chinampas, terraces, irrigation)– Glyph writing/zero– Downfall? Overtaxed environment, internal

warfare

Political Control in Maya City-States

• Political authority rested with Kings who were closely intertwined with priests and religion

• Blood-letting rituals were performed by Kings (believed to retain the city-state’s connection to the gods; comparable with China’s idea of the Emperor performing rituals for his ancestors)

Maya – Tikal

Writing Styles

Aztecs• Height – 1300CE-1500CE• A true, united Empire• Invading conquerors from N. Mexico• Tenochtitlan – capital w/Emperor• Important families controlled outlying areas• Conquered people had to give tribute• Complex social hierarchy (nobles, priests, etc.)• Blood-letting remained an important political

ritual• Human sacrifice, often – used to control

population which had been conquered

Inca 1400s-1500s• South America (Andes

Mts.)• Also a true united empire• Military expansionists• Governed territory of over

2,500 miles• Used the delightful Llama

(pack animal only)• Farmed potatoes on

terraces• God-kings =

intermediaries b/t heaven and earth

Social Hierarchy• Aristocrats lived privileged lives (fine

foods, embroidered clothes, and large ears spools)

• Inca often integrated conquered elites into their empire’s elite to keep them happy

Inca ear spoolsAKA: Fancy

gauges

Cuzco• Capital city• Connected to outlying areas by 16,000

miles of roads• Royal family members ruled outlying

areas• Tribute state - $$ to Cuzco, emperor

ensured everyone had what they needed = a redistributive economy

• Gov’t control – trade, labor, detailed census, centralized econ, etc.

• Taxes often paid in labor (called mit’a)

• Mit’a labor used to create huge terrace, irrigation, and water-control systems

• Labor groups – allyu = extended

family organized groups (used b/c of crazy terrain)

• NO writing – used qipus!

Labor and Taxes

Back by popular demand! llamasong.flv