American CivilizationsAmerican CivilizationsA Brief Introduction to the A Brief Introduction to the

Aztec and IncaAztec and Inca

In the prehistoric In the prehistoric period, people period, people

migrated into the migrated into the western western

hemisphere.hemisphere.

Different tribes, Different tribes, societies, and societies, and

civilizations soon civilizations soon formed from North formed from North

America . . . America . . .

to Meso to Meso and and South South AmericaAmerica

Some early American Some early American Civilizations included . . .Civilizations included . . .

North America:North America: HopewellHopewell AdenaAdena MississippianMississippian

South AmericaSouth America MocheMoche ChimuChimu NazcaNazca

Mesoamerica:Mesoamerica: TeotihuacanTeotihuacan OlmecOlmec ToltecToltecMayaMaya

Maya, Aztec, and Inca Maya, Aztec, and Inca EmpiresEmpires

were the civilizations of were the civilizations of Mesoamerica and Andean Mesoamerica and Andean

South America that “get the South America that “get the most ink” in general histories most ink” in general histories

of the world.of the world.

Mayan CivilizationMayan Civilization

– Mayan HieroglyphsMayan Hieroglyphs

Mayan 365 day calendar with 260 day calendar added

Aztec and Inca are written about the Aztec and Inca are written about the most becausemost because

Aztec and Inca Empires . . .Aztec and Inca Empires . . . represent a culmination of earlier represent a culmination of earlier

civilizations. civilizations. were the last indigenous empires of were the last indigenous empires of

the Americas (before European the Americas (before European conquest).conquest).

and there are more written sources and there are more written sources on these civilizations.on these civilizations.

TENOCHTITLAN – The Aztec Capital City

Machu Pichu – Inca Ceremonial Center

Whose point of view dominates Whose point of view dominates the earliest sources on early the earliest sources on early

civilizations of the Americas?civilizations of the Americas? Spanish military officers writing Spanish military officers writing

after the 1500safter the 1500s Spanish Roman Catholic priestsSpanish Roman Catholic priests Some natives who interacted with Some natives who interacted with

Europeans.Europeans.

THE AZTEC (or Mexica) THE AZTEC (or Mexica) EMPIREEMPIRE

An Empire that was the most An Empire that was the most advanced in the Americas?advanced in the Americas?

OROR

A political system built on A political system built on systematic terror tactics and systematic terror tactics and

brutality?brutality?

TENOCHTITLAN – The Aztec Capital City

Aztec human sacrifice - on a greater scale than anywhere or any time in human history.

Quote of the Day 11-10Quote of the Day 11-10““the Aztecs may appear irrational, the Aztecs may appear irrational,

terrifying, & murderous; yet . . . terrifying, & murderous; yet . . . we [the US] have been just as we [the US] have been just as addicted to killing, even in our addicted to killing, even in our own century.” own century.”

Michael WoodMichael Wood

Another interpretation:Another interpretation:

““In this world, torn with hate and In this world, torn with hate and war, we may well consider their war, we may well consider their [the Aztecs'] example. The [the Aztecs'] example. The Indians worked together for their Indians worked together for their common good, and no sacrifice common good, and no sacrifice was too great for their corporate was too great for their corporate well-being' well-being' George C. VaillantGeorge C. Vaillant ('The ('The Aztecs of Mexico')Aztecs of Mexico')

Another interpretation:Another interpretation:

““[The Aztecs were] perhaps the [The Aztecs were] perhaps the most successful regime of terror most successful regime of terror the world has ever seen; [they the world has ever seen; [they carried out] mass murder... carried out] mass murder... staged as an exultant feat of staged as an exultant feat of human butchery; [they] recorded human butchery; [they] recorded the slaughter ... [in] an orgy of the slaughter ... [in] an orgy of death imagery.”death imagery.”

Dr Nigel SpiveyDr Nigel Spivey (How Art Made The (How Art Made The World' (BBC TV and book)World' (BBC TV and book)

Another interpretation:Another interpretation:““Nothing caused me so much Nothing caused me so much

admiration and seems to me more admiration and seems to me more worthy of praise and remembering worthy of praise and remembering than the care and discipline with than the care and discipline with which the Aztecs raised their which the Aztecs raised their children. In effect, it would be quite children. In effect, it would be quite difficult to find a nation which in its difficult to find a nation which in its times of paganism gave more times of paganism gave more attention to this element of highest attention to this element of highest importance to the state.”importance to the state.”

Father José de AcostaFather José de Acosta