Pre-Colombian Civilization!

Unit II600-1450 C.E.

Maya

•300 B.C.E.-900 C.E.

•Golden Age 500-850 C.E.

•Classical civilization

•Southern Mexico (Yucatan Peninsula), Central America

–Tikal

Maya - Political

• City-states– Relatively autonomous, but united under

one king

• Warfare– Religious– Slaves

• Geography

Maya – Social, Cultural

• Social structure– Kings, priests, nobility– Merchants– Peasants, slaves

• Gender– Traditional roles for women– Inherit land

Maya - Religious

• Three-part world view

• Maize• Sacrifices• Pyramids• Calendar

– Zero (Gupta!)

Maya - Economic

• Agricultural– Slash and burn– Terrace, ridge field– Maize, cotton

Maya - Decline

• Disease, drought, internal unrest

• Remaining peoples– Rigoberta Menchú

Aztecs

• 1150 C.E.- 1450 C.E.• Central Mexico• Tenochtitlan

– Quetzalcoatl

Aztecs - Political

• Expansionist, militant– Professional army– Sacrifices– Autonomy, taxes (no bureaucracy)– Roads

• Inter-territorial trade

– Guerras floridas

Aztecs – Social, Cultural

• Social Structure– Warrior elite– Maya

• Gender– Women subordinate– Inherit property– Commerce

• Religion– Military and religion– Sacrifices

Inca

• Early 13th century- 1450 C.E.

• Peruvian Andes• Cuzco

Inca - Political

• Expansionist– Inti– Professional standing army

• Most united empire!– 1. bureaucracy– 2. unified spoken language (Quechua)– 3. roads

• Chasquis and quipus

Inca – Social, Cultural• Gender

– Women subordinate– Inherit property– Commerce (weaving)– More religious roles

• Religion– Inti: sun god, owns all

• No private property• El Inca

– Smaller-scale sacrifice– Morality– Machu Picchu

Comparison - Politically

• Motivations for expansion– Maya: slaves– Aztec: territory, sacrifices– Inca: religious

• Centralization– Aztec and Maya: city-state autonomy– Inca: most centralized

• Bureaucracy• Unified language (Quechua)• Roads

Comparison - Socially

• All– Peasant majority– Slavery of conquered peoples– Women subordinate except

• Inherit land• Commerce

• Maya: Merchant class• Aztec: Warrior elite• Inca: Religious elite, god-king (el Inca)

Compare Aztecs to Romans

• 1. roads• 2. autonomy but tribute• 3. adapted ideas from conquered

peoples• 4. polytheistic

vs

AP Essays

• Mesoamerican civilization= Mayas, Aztecs

• Andean civilization= Incas• Be able to compare Mayas to Unit I

classical civilizations• Understand how religion

contextualized expansion (Unit II!)