MAYAMAYAENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT – forest of Yucatan, – forest of Yucatan, dense jungles of southwest Mexico & dense jungles of southwest Mexico & northern Guatemalanorthern GuatemalaURBAN CENTERSURBAN CENTERS – city-states, each – city-states, each ruled by a god-king, central city with ruled by a god-king, central city with giant pyramids, temples, palaces, giant pyramids, temples, palaces, stone carvings, religious ceremonies stone carvings, religious ceremonies & trade& tradeECONOMYECONOMY – based on trade & – based on trade & farming, terrace farming grew farming, terrace farming grew maize, beans & squashmaize, beans & squash

MAYAMAYA

SOCIAL STRUCTURESOCIAL STRUCTURE – 3 social classes – – 3 social classes – nobles, consisting of priests & warriors; nobles, consisting of priests & warriors; middle class of merchants & artisans & middle class of merchants & artisans &

lower class peasants headed by a Maya lower class peasants headed by a Maya king seen as a holy figureking seen as a holy figure

RELIGIONRELIGION – Polytheistic, prayed & offered – Polytheistic, prayed & offered gods food, blood & human sacrificegods food, blood & human sacrificeACHIEVEMENTS ACHIEVEMENTS – developed calendar, – developed calendar, math, astronomy & writing systemmath, astronomy & writing system

AZTECSAZTECS1. THE AZTECS FIRST WORKED FOR 1. THE AZTECS FIRST WORKED FOR

RULERS AS SOLDIERS-FOR-HIRERULERS AS SOLDIERS-FOR-HIRE

In order to succeed, these poorIn order to succeed, these poor

nomads had to adapt to the war nomads had to adapt to the war

like ways of the city-stateslike ways of the city-states

2. THE AZTECS JOINED TWO OTHER2. THE AZTECS JOINED TWO OTHER

CITY-STATES TO FORM A TRIPLE CITY-STATES TO FORM A TRIPLE ALLIANCEALLIANCE

They waged war to gain control over They waged war to gain control over neighboring regions neighboring regions

AZTECSAZTECS3. IN TENOCHTITLAN, THE AZTEC CAPITAL,3. IN TENOCHTITLAN, THE AZTEC CAPITAL,THE AZTECS BUILT HUNDREDS OFTHE AZTECS BUILT HUNDREDS OFTEMPLES & RELIGIOUS STRUCTURESTEMPLES & RELIGIOUS STRUCTURESDEDICATED TO THE GODSDEDICATED TO THE GODSThey worshiped many gods becauseThey worshiped many gods becausereligion played a major role in their societyreligion played a major role in their society4. AZTEC ENGINEERS BUILT 3 CAUSEWAYS4. AZTEC ENGINEERS BUILT 3 CAUSEWAYSOVER WATER & MARSHLANDOVER WATER & MARSHLANDThey needed to connect the island site toThey needed to connect the island site tothe mainlandthe mainland

AZTECAZTEC5. AZTEC PRIESTS SACRIFICED HUMANS5. AZTEC PRIESTS SACRIFICED HUMANS

ATOP THE GREAT TEMPLEATOP THE GREAT TEMPLE

They believed that without regularThey believed that without regular

offerings of blood, the sun god would notofferings of blood, the sun god would not

make the sun rise & all life would endmake the sun rise & all life would end

6. THE AZTECS BUILT A CALENDAR IN THE6. THE AZTECS BUILT A CALENDAR IN THE

MAIN CEREMONIAL PLAZA OFMAIN CEREMONIAL PLAZA OF

TENOCHTITLANTENOCHTITLAN

They needed to keep track of when they had They needed to keep track of when they had toto

perform the religious ceremonies for the perform the religious ceremonies for the godsgods

AZTECAZTEC7. SOME OF THE CONQUERED PROVINCES7. SOME OF THE CONQUERED PROVINCESREBELLED AGAINST AZTEC RULEREBELLED AGAINST AZTEC RULEThey needed more sacrificial victims &They needed more sacrificial victims &were taking them from these provinces towere taking them from these provinces tomeet the demandmeet the demand8. MONTEZUMA II REDUCED THE NUMBER8. MONTEZUMA II REDUCED THE NUMBEROF PUBLIC OFFICIALSOF PUBLIC OFFICIALSHe tried to reduce pressure on theHe tried to reduce pressure on theprovinces that had been forced to payprovinces that had been forced to payhigher tributes higher tributes