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Post-Classical Mesoamerican Post-Classical Mesoamerican SocietiesSocieties
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QuestionQuestion
• What do we mean by the term “Mesoamerica”?• From Central Mexico to Honduras and
Nicaragua
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Mesoamerican Post-Classical Mesoamerican Post-Classical Societies Societies
• Mayans (Pre-classical - 8th c.)
• Toltecs (8th c. - 1150 CE)
• Aztecs (1325-1521): defeated by Hernan Cortes & local tribes
• Incas (1438 - 1532) : defeated by Francisco Pizarro & local tribes
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Areas of the Aztec and Mayan Empires
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Aztecs: Culture/Gov’tAztecs: Culture/Gov’t
• Advanced Cities - Tenochtitlan• Advanced Agriculture - Chinampas• Religion - polytheistic; male and female deities;
creator gods, fertility gods and gods of warfare and sacrifice
• Treatment of Conquered Territories - take land and pay taxes through food
• State-controlled economy
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Aztecs: Social StructureAztecs: Social Structure
• Social Structure - more hierarchical over time
• Status of Women - work in fields; keep the household; weaving; elders trained younger girls; arranged marriages; could inherit property
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The IncaThe Inca
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The IncasThe Incas
• Origins - one of many tribes fighting for power in the Andes Mtns
• Empire known as “Twantinsuyu”
• 9-13 million people
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The IncasThe Incas
• Conquest– Economic Gain– Political Power
• Religion– Ancestor Worship– Mummification
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Government and PoliticsGovernment and Politics
• Leader considered a god - Theocratic• Self Sufficient communities• Four provinces ruled by governor• Nobles in bureaucracy
– Local rulers could keep power if they were loyal– Curacas
• Unified language (not written)• Public works - roads, Irrigation• Split Inheritance
– All political power and titles of the ruler went to his successor
– Palaces, wealth is divided amongst male descendants
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Cultural Cultural AchievementsAchievements
• Art – Metallurgy (bronze, gold, silver), pottery
• Math – counting system (quipo)
• Infrastructure was greatest achievement– Roads– Public buildings– Terraced farming
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Aztecs v. IncasAztecs v. Incas• Similar
– Intensive Agriculture– State Controlled Economy– Strong Imperial Militaries– More complicated social
system develops over time– Bureaucracy of Nobility
(family-controlled)– Recognize local ethnic groups– Both were established by
conquering settled agricultural societies
– Both engaged in human sacrifice
• Different– Geography (Mesoamerica v.
Andes Mountains)– Aztec – more developed trade – Writing systems, use for metal
differed– Aztec - lasted longer– Incas had a very diverse
culture (more than 500 languages)
– Incas were highly organized/centralized
Summary: While there are some differences, there are many similarities, origins, political development
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Aztec/Inca QuestionsAztec/Inca Questions• 1). How does the geography of the Aztec world impact its
development?• 2). Which of the two societies would you say is more
warlike? Why?• 3). How does the geography of the Incan world impact its
development?• 4). Explain three of the advances made by the
Amerindian societies.• 5). Explain the fall of either the Incan or Aztec society.
What are two causes of the fall and what was the final blow to the society that brought its destruction?