Mayas, Incas, Aztecs - SS 9

What was the geography of Tenochtitlan like?

Completely surrounded by water and was built entirely on water Water erodes structures and floods city as water level changes frequently They lived there because they wanted to have a new place to live (their god prophesied that an eagle would be eating a snake on a cactus and this would be where they should live) and they saw an eagle doing this at Lake texcoco so they decided to live there Land was bad though and very soft and wet and kept sinking all of the old buildings - they kept building on top of the buildings that were sinking until they finally ran out of room to sink and the buildings stayed above land - this became Mexico City

How did the Aztecs gain power?

Created alliances with neighboring cities like Texcoco and Tlacopan Their chiefs married Toltec princesses who were descendants of Quetzalcoatl, which would make them inherit the divine right to rule (makes only certain people in leadership system) Inhabitants of the 3 cities pay taxes on specified dates according to the Aztec calendar (Some were paid once a year, others twice, and others four times per year) The taxes were collected by professional tax collectors and recorded in tax rolls. Land tax: Calpolli paid taxes in the form of cotton mantas, cacao beans, firework, and foodstuffs based on the amount of land they farmed- kept most of their crop but had to send some of it to the king as tax All young males had to serve in the military, which made it so that their military was very large and powerful, overwhelming people and places they attempted to take over

Describe two ways in which the Inca united their empire.

Two ways the inca united their empire were their language (Quechua) and their religion.

Although the Inca did not have a written language, how did they record important information?

Used quipus (strings tied into different types of knots representing numbers) to record information.

How did Pachacuti organize the empire politically?

4 divisions ruled by governors reporting to the king.

What is a chinampa?

A floating garden used by Aztecs

How did these geographic features affect the way of life for Inca?

Due to the mountainous terrain, this meant that the Inca had to deal with transport across extreme and varied elevation, how to cross barriers like ravines, and how to farm on inclines.

How did these geographic features impact the way of life for Aztecs?

Due to the terrain being fully water, this meant that the Aztecs had to deal with transport across water, how to farm when the land is underwater, and how to protect the buildings when they sink or can get flooded very quickly.

How did the Aztecs conquer their empire?

During the 1400s, the Aztecs greatly expanded their territory through a combination of conquests and alliances. They spread their rule across most of Mexico, from the gulf of mexico in the east to the Pacific Ocean By 1500, the aztec empire numbered an estimated 30 million people The Aztec Empire gained a lot of its immense wealth and power through war and tribute (payment from conquered people) To help with this, the Aztecs had an aggressive military and they required every young man to serve in the army (similar to the spartans, called mandatory conscription) They believed that war and conquest were necessary to make a nation stronger They also believed that the group was much more important than the individuals within the group, so Aztecs were encouraged to sacrifice their own life for the good of the group as a whole if necessary

For the average Inca, what might be the benefits of the absolute rule of the Sapa Inca? What might be the disadvantages?

For the average Inca, there are benefits and drawbacks of the Sapa Inca's rule. Some benefits were protection from any enemies, unity, and job opportunities. Drawbacks to this rule were the inability to use the roads, many people with more power than you, taxes, and human sacrifice to the gods. You also have to farm for the Sapa Inca, which you might think is unfair.

What were some elements of daily life for the Inca?

In their ayllus (community), common people did whatever government order the leader of the ayllus told them to do. Each family had their own job to do and the community was organized to farm and work the land. To ensure the future generations, marriages were arranged by the government.

What do Inca adaptations to their environment suggest about the level of government and learning among the Inca?

Inca adaptations to their environment suggest that the level of government and learning among the Inca was high. For these people to be able to adapt to their environment and come up with new inventions to allow them to live proves that they were smart individuals. Also, it shows job specialization (stone workers, farmers, government officials, and more), which proves that they were advanced.

How does The Incan terrace farming compare to the types of farming methods used by the Aztecs?

Incan terrace farming used channeling to move rainwater and built aqueducts to carry water, rather than just letting the rainwater run down the mountain. 4 parts - field of sun god (used for religion), field of sick/orphans/widows (for poor), field of the individual families, and field of inca (for state and community). However, both types of farms are adaptations to allow them to farm in a traditionally non farmable location (middle of water, mountain).

How did the Mayans prosper and stay stable?

Independent city states, connected to one another through trade (very similar to greece) Rulers were thought to be God-like (had ultimate power over their city-state) Right to rule was passed down through families (hereditary) Men normally rule but in some circumstances, women can rule too Trade items included slaves, salt, honey and precious goods such as metals, feathers, and shells (whatever each city state was lacking was what they traded)

How did paper and the invention of the Gutenberg Printing Press lead to a more interconnected world? Was the interconnected world created by new paper and printing technology a better one? For whom?

It allowed for the spread of information and made books more accessible and cheap. This made it so that more people could become literate and educated. This invention was also a huge factor in the Renaissance and the Reformation. The connected world created by new paper and printing technology was a better one for the common individual. People who were rich or powerful (like the church) might not have liked it because it provided one step for the common person to be able to gain some mobility in society. It allowed more people to be educated and form opinions for themselves. However, it also did not help the Inca and Aztecs because the press brought Europe into the Renaissance which led to the Age of Exploration (killing them).

Why did the Mayans bind the heads of their infants? Why wasn't it harmful?

Mayans bound the heads of their infants to try to make their kids' heads resemble an ear of corn, the main Mayan crop. The god of corn had a head like this, so this was another reason to bind the head. The reshaping of the head was not harmful because the brain has a large deal of plasticity in infancy, and the head would just accommodate itself to the shape of the boards.

How did the Mayans have music, philosophy, and literature?

Mesoamerican ballgame (so important, every major city has several courts) 7 vs 7, get a stone ball through the hoop on the wall without using hands or feet Gods played the ballgame as well, and human sacrifice (winner or loser it is not known) comes from the players of the game (suggested that the winners get sacrificed because Mayan believed their souls would go on to paradise because they died as sacrifices and victors) The pyramids were used for religious ceremonies where offerings were made to the gods and they were tombs for rulers, sacrifices, and valuable goods Used hieroglyphics that represented words sounds and ideas When the spanish took over this region, they banned the usage of this system because it was "unchristian"

What is one significant difference between the economies of the Inca and the Aztecs? Why is this difference significant?

One significant difference between the economies of the Inca and the Aztecs were the modes of transportation of goods. The Inca used llamas and alpacas to carry loads over mountain roads, while the Aztecs transported goods by canoe or slaves. Also, the Aztecs mostly traded farm goods while the Incans traded mostly gold and metals. Also, Incas use very valuable materials for currency while the Aztecs use products rather than money. This difference is significant because it reveals the adaptations each empire had to make in order to effectively trade in their environment. The maintenance of a boat is much easier than the maintenance of an animal. You can carry more on a boat and you don't even have to feed the boat or let it sleep. Also, the difference in goods traded reflects the goods they were able to obtain in their area. However, the Incas were targeted more because their goods were seen as more valuable. Also, it sends the message to countries overseas that there are lots of valuable resources in the new world (they will be invaded).

What is one significant difference between the government of the Inca and the Aztecs? Explain why it is significant in your response.

One significant difference between the government of the Inca and the Aztecs is that the Aztecs had no elaborate bureaucracy or administration, while the Inca had parts of the empire governed by a hierarchy of people. This is significant because the system of having the territory divided up between smaller leaders that all obey the king allows the government to keep the people monitored and under control to stop rebellions. The Aztecs would not have this sort of system, so they might be more susceptible to rebellion. They both collected taxes but in different ways. The Inca collected the tax in work AND products while the Aztecs collected it in payment (products, not work).

What is one significant similarity between the government of the Inca and the Aztecs? Explain why it is significant in your response.

One significant similarity between the government of the Inca and the Aztecs is that the single supreme ruler is seen as a god. This is significant because the people are all very religious and will do what the emperor says in order to reach paradise (they will not disobey a god). Also, the people will not object to the rule of the ruler because he is a god, which allows the same ruling family to stay in power for a long time. A second similarity is that both civilizations collected money from their conquered people.

How did the Mayans excel in arts and architecture?

Pyramids were positioned so that twice a year the sun projects a shadow of the nine level to create a snake's body on the sides of the stairways that end at a serpent's head sculpted at the bottom. Pyramids have 9 levels and 365 steps, used for religious ceremonies and sacrifices (using science, tech, and astronomy and religion to make their buildings)

What environmental challenges did Aztec farmers face?

Since they built directly on water, they faced dangers of frequent flooding (washes away the crops as well as kills it because the water is salty) as well as unsteady land since it's floating on water.

How did geography pose a challenge to the Inca as they built their empire? How did they meet this challenge?

Since they lived in a very mountainous environment (Andes mountains), farming was difficult. To meet this challenge, the Incas expanded step terraces built by earlier people and (on steep hills) carved out strips of land supported by stone walls. These terraces protected the soil from the rain washing it away and made it possible for the Inca to farm in a place where flat land was scarce.

How did the Aztecs lose power?

Spanish came and had to fight off disease (smallpox) that those europeans brought Conquested people who feared being sacrificed to the Aztec religion joined side fighting the Aztecs (conquistadors) Aztecs do not have active immunity to smallpox (its common in europe, not america) Europeans Superior weaponry like guns that the Aztecs did not have Spanish also bring horses and other animals that allow them to travel quickly and use their technology more effectively

What factors contributed to the end of the Inca and other native populations in the Americas?

Spanish conquistadors brought diseases that killed so many people since the natives had no immunity (including the king and his heir). This caused a civil war between the two remaining sons of the late king to see who would be ruler, which killed lots of the few remaining people. Guns and horses (even though there were far few Europeans compared to the Inca) stunned the natives from the Europeans and they lost. Civil war and disease destroyed them, brought by the Europeans.

How did the Aztecs consolidate and maintain power?

Strong social classes as well as a bureaucracy Built temples and sacrificed captives from places they conquered (establishes society of fear and unites people behind a common belief system - they like NOT being sacrificed) Gov is mainly led by ruler of tenochtitlan, who then takes some suggestions from the executive councils of Texcoco, tenochtitlan, and Tlacopan (made up of 4 people from city council), next in power is city council made up of leaders of calpulli (holds quite a bit of power), last in power is the calpullis, which were groups of families sharing land that were responsible for collecting taxes, making schools, and meeting needs of people cacao beans and cotton mantas (woven cloth), that the Aztecs used for money, were used to pay for taxes (other goods too based on regional goods, but mostly those 2) Public works corve: Calpolli gave the labor of their members up to assist with building projects directed by the Aztec government like building aqueducts or temples Rotational labor: Calpolli members were required to work for the king or nobles. Women spun and wove textiles while men often supplied firewood, swept, and carried water Market tax: Government officials waited in guard huts at the market and took a portion of the goods as tax for being allowed to sell goods in the market. Had conquest states and non conquest states (forced conscription) Conquest states: Allowed to be rule themselves as they had before in exchange for military loyalty and taxes, lets the Aztecs gain money while allowing the culture of others to flourish Nonconquest states: received military support from the Aztecs in return for gifts Very structured and clear tax system that allows them to collect money to create public works projects like temples and aqueducts

How did the Crusades lead to a more interconnected world? Was the interconnected world created by the Crusades a better one? For whom?

The Crusades allowed the Europeans to see that other cultures and countries existed with different products, inventions, and knowledge. The Europeans began to want to be advanced like them, which led to the Renaissance. The world was better for the Europeans (but not the Islamic people or the Natives in the Americas). The Europeans were able to advance out of the dark ages, but killed people they considered heretics (Islamic people) in order to claim Jerusalem. Also, when the Europeans began to explore after the renaissance, they invaded and killed the Aztecs and Incas along with destroying and stealing their culture.

Based on your knowledge of the Incan and Aztec Empires, how did the geographic features in their natural environments differ? (Be specific.)

The Inca lived high up on the Andes mountains, while the Aztecs lived on the actual surface of Lake Texcoco.

Where was the Incan Empire in relation to the Aztec Empire?

The Incan Empire was on South America, while the Aztec Empire was on the bridge between North and South America (Central America).

Where did the Maya live?

The Maya lived in the rainforests of present day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras, along the Yucatan Peninsula.

Why did the Maya need to develop innovative ways to manage water?

The Maya needed to develop innovative ways to manage water because there were no springs, rivers, or lakes in the immediate vicinity of the Mayan empire. There aren't many rivers and rainfall is highly seasonal, with torrential downpours during the unpredictable wet season and a long dry season. They needed non natural ways to get water to so many people, so they had to create advancements like reservoirs to get water from the rain and aqueducts to move water over long distances. They cannot get water from a river and the soil is too poor and water too deep to get from there.

Why did they lose power?

The Mayans lost power because people began to leave the mayan cities and settle in more rural areas, which caused the cities to decay and crumble. Additionally, environmental changes resulting in a drought also made their power decline.

What is the legend of the origin of the Inca? Why did Ayar Manco and his siblings choose the Cuzco Valley as the location for their civilization?

The ancestors of inca rulers were created by sun god and were led by ayar mango to find a place his staff would sink into the ground for fertile soil to know where they should live. Manco's staff had to sink into the ground in order for them to live there (soft soil and fertile soil).

Based on what you have learned so far about the Aztecs and the Incas, what are some similarities you found between these two Mesoamerican civilizations? What are some differences?

They both made agricultural inventions (chinampa, terrace farming) in order to be able to farm in an otherwise unfarmable place. However, the Aztecs lived on water whereas the Incas lived high in the mountains. They also both had the concept of 0 (Aztecs have the number but Incas did not have the physical number since they had no written language). They also both had their civilizations decline due to the arrival of the conquistadors. Also, they both had a supreme ruler somehow related to the gods.

What was the quipu and how was it used?

The quipu was a group of knotted and colored rope to count, keep records, track crops, and send messages. It was passed to different places by a network of messengers called chasquis.

How is the religion of the Aztecs and Inca different from the religions of other medieval and early modern civilizations we've studied?

The religion of the Aztecs and Inca is different from the other religions of this time period because they were polytheisitic. They both did have a main god, which is similar to other religions. However, they believed in gods of the sun and wind and war. Also, they both made human sacrifices (Incans only used women and children in disasters) - but the Incans mostly used animals. They also both had religious calendars long before other places knew days

How did the roads and bridges help the Inca consolidate and maintain power?

The roads and bridges allowed them to connect the very far parts of their empire together to manage the people living there and do trade. The roads and bridges also allow them to carry messages and mail around the empire to connect the people themselves. It also helped them transport goods and people to other parts of the empire. It also helps improve trade. It helps them manage their conquered areas effectively. People are united through these methods.

Compare the Mayan idea of beauty to that of Chinese women during the medieval period. How are they similar? How are they different?

The similar idea is that beauty comes at the price of a lot of pain. The bound feet of the Chinese women made them hurt a lot, just as filing and drilling teeth hurt the women of the Maya. A tattoo, which was a sign of beauty in Mayan women, was a sign of personal bravery and mostly a choice (given that there were other ways to be beautiful). Bound feet for Chinese women was absolutely mandatory.

How did the trade routes of the Islamic World lead to a more interconnected world? Was the interconnected world created by Muslim traders a better one? For whom?

The trade routes of the Islamic world allowed them to educate Europeans with the printing press and allowed them to spread their goods all over the world. Also, they were at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe, so they could control trade coming in through these three places. Yes, for everyone. The muslim traders spread their inventions, goods, and even knowledge (both developed by them and by past Romans) all over the world, pulling even Europe out of the dark ages.

What was the religion of the Mayas like?

They believed that after death a person's soul traveled through nine levels of Xibalba (hell), and then up thirteen more levels through the Tree of Life to a mountain top paradise, called Tamoanchan (paradise). The journey was long and full of challenges. You could skip the journey and go straight to paradise if you died in childbirth, as a sacrifice to the gods or ruler, as a soldier in war, on the ball court, or by suicide to help the kingdom (if you serve rulers/gods you go to heaven - keeps power in check)

Why are chinampas so significant?

They could plant crops on a lake. Lakes do not have dirt on the top for planting, so the creation of a floating island to allow for crops to be planted is amazing. This also allowed them to provide food and trading materials to keep the people alive and have lots of products.

Why is the quipu so significant?

They could spread information from place to place in their large empire without using a written language.

How did chinampas help them overcome these challenges? How did engineering make them more effective?

They created a dike which protected them from the salty water and flooding. They also had huejotes, which were stakes that they dug into the ground to stabilize the chinampas.

What was Mayan science, math, and technology like?

They developed their own number system which included the concept of zero (rare in ancient times - similar to indians, arabs, actually advanced people, etc) The Maya used two calendars together to create an accurate way to measure the passage of time To construct these calendars the Maya needed advanced knowledge of astronomy that helped them predict the movements of the planets and the rotation of earth around the sun There was also a long calendar that measured time over the course of hundreds of years The calendars are used together in a calendar round which lasted 52 years. Pyramid has 91 steps on each side of the pyramid, which when added together with the final step of the temple platform equals 365, the number of days in every year on the Mayan calendar (shows advancements in that they knew the number of days in a year long before the other calendars were created Disproves the view of the europeans being superior

What inventions and developments did the Inca use to help them adapt agriculture to their mountainous environment and supply their people with food throughout the year?

They had storehouses to hold food to supply the people at various times of year. They had terrace farms in order to farm on mountainous terrain. They also had irrigation systems.

In what areas did they make great achievements during the Classical Period?

They made achievements in the areas of large city building, new types of art and architecture, mathematics and astronomy. Mayan pyramids were the tallest (very steep) structures in the Americas until the Flatiron building in 1903 (NYC). Population of Tikal (a large city) had close to a million people. They also knew how many days were in a year and used the architecture in the pyramid (365 stairs) to show this. To build such huge pyramids, they need architects, scientists, mathematicians, and astronomists. They used the sport of grand ball in order to settle arguments between city states.

Describe two ways that the Maya changed their environment to meet their needs.

They purified their water in their 10 reservoirs using quartz and zeolite- two minerals known for their ability to remove sediment and toxins (way ahead of their time). They had no source of water near them, so they collected and purified rainwater through reservoirs. Also, they built cisterns to capture rainwater and canals to connect reservoirs to the central ceremonial complex. They were able to collect 2 million cubic meters of water from runoff. They also built aqueducts, dams, channels, drains and a bridge to control flooding caused by streams that fed the empire.

How did the establishment of the Mongol Empire lead to a more interconnected world? Was the interconnected world created by the Mongols a better one? For whom?

They took control of most of Asia, spreading all the way from the western side of Europe to the Pacific Ocean. They connected all the places in between with roads and trading routes. These places, who might not have had anything in common and thus did not interact, might now interact with each other. The interconnected world created by the Mongols was better for the mongols and that is it. They conquered, killed, and destroyed many civilizations to connect the parts of their empire. That did not help the people who wanted to keep their own culture. The only people their conquests helped were themselves - they gained wealth, territory, and destroyed the culture of others.

What was Machu Picchu like?

believed to be an estate for Pachacuti (inca emperor) built around 1450 structures built without mortar to hold bricks/stones together unknown to outside world until 1911 - due to its isolation high up

Chart about Maya, Aztec, Inca

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VKx6L-5t8r7QHKjAGMHheKsEOf6L4DFENcu92u5jT0M/edit

What were Inca roads like?

no wheel so inca used animals to transport goods commoners built roads and bridges for messengers and traders (w llama and alpacas) commoners couldn't use roads unless they had special permission from the government if a commoner was caught on a road without permission he was thrown off mountain (helps the rulers maintain power and fear so people don't rebel against them or their rules)

What were the accomplishments of the Inca?

roads hanging suspension bridges machu picchu terrace farming quipu