SOUTH AMERICA ANCIENT HISTORY

MESOAMERICAN EMPIRES

• MESOAMERICAN LOCATION NOTABLE EMPIREACHIEVEMENTS

Maya The Yucatan Peninsula,

present-day Mexico,Belize,

Guatemala

Hieroglyphic writing, astronomy, calendar, math, team sports

Inca Present-day Peru, Highway system,

Ecuador, Chile central govtAztec Present Mexico City

Great Temple

of Tenochititlan

MAYAN

THE MAYA

• Before cities, lived in villages grew corn, beans and squash• Slash-and-burn agriculture is burning vegetation to clear land for planting• Trade http://www.history.com/topics/may

a/videos#the-mayans

WHAT ABOUT SANDY???????

MAYA- CITIES/ GOVERNMENT

• Classic Age 250-900 AD built cities• Cities contained stone

pyramids, temples, palaces (built honor gods/rulers)• City-states each had

own ruler & govt• Linked in 2 ways 1.

trade 2. warfare

MAYA- SOCIETY/ RELIGION

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zul8w1RYypk

• Kings great influence, believed kings communicate with gods• Worshipped many gods• Performed private/public

rituals, blood to gods (piercing tongue/skin)• Playing Ball Game• Upper Class- Priests/

Warriors• Lower Class- Farmers/slaves

MAYA- ACHIEVEMENTS

• Impressive buildings and architecture• Astronomy, math, writing• Calendar system365 day farming260 day religious• #system- concept of zero• Glyphs-symbols

represented objects/ sounds• Codex- written book

MAYA-DECLINE

• 1. Environmental damage, overuse of resources/ drought• 2. Warfare

competition over land• 3. Abuse of power

AZTECS

AZTECS

• Legend- look for eagle perched on cactus eating snake, build city there• Lake Texcoco- Tenochtitlan• Formed alliance with

other city-states• Pay tribute, type of tax,

basis of economy• Military force destroy

towns

AZTEC- SOCIETY/ RELIGION

• King (Royal Family)• Priests (Interpreted

calendar & performed religious ceremonies)• Merchants & Artisans (goods for tribute)• Farmers(poor, paid so

much in tribute)• Slaves (captured/

didn’t pay debt)

AZTEC-ACHIEVEMENTS

• Arts and science• Bright feathers into

headdresses• Metalworkers (gold,

silver, copper, jewelry/masks)• Stonework on

temples• Writing tax records

& business deals

INCA

INCA EMPIRE

• Began expansion from Andes 1400s • Leader was Pachacuti- used political alliances & military force gain territory • Height population

around 12 million

INCA EMPIRE

• GovernmentEmperor most powerNeeded help, didn’t

want people conquered to gain power

Moved in new leaders loyal to Inca Empire

Created stability Military protected

internal/ external attacks

INCA EMPIRE

• EconomyCommon people

require to pay a labor tax called mita

Mita paid by women weaving clothes, men work govt farms, mines

No markets but govt distributed food

Govt kept extra goods

INCA EMPIRE

• EconomyUsed quipu or set of

colored and knotted cords keep track of goods

Colors and knots represented numbers or dates

No written languageUsed quipu record tax

records, livestock, population

Road system communication/ control economy

INCA EMPIRE

• SocietyAyllu-each family

grouped into a cooperative community

Each group of 10 ayllus had a chief

Worked together on different tasks (farming, building canals, performing religious rituals)

INCA EMPIRE

• SocietyClass divisions but no

slavesLower Class farmers,

artisans, servants( plain clothes, serve upper class)

Upper Class King, govt officials, priests (DO NOT pay labor tax)

Religion- worship Sun God, sacrifices of llamas, cloth, food

INCA- ACHIEVEMENTS

• Talented buildings (temples, forts, roads- still standing)• Art- metalwork• Weavers- wool &

cotton (patterns status in society)