Post on 24-Dec-2015
transcript
Aztec & Incas
Lake Texcoco
Capital: Tenochtitlan
Aztec Politics• Emperor had absolute power
• Claimed he was a descendent of God
• Formed Triple Alliance with two other city-states & created a large empire
• Conquered cities paid tribute but they had independence
Aztec Religion• Aztec ruler claimed he was
a descendent of God
• Believed in many Gods (over 1,000) – Supreme God = Ometeotl
– Sun God = Huitzilopochtli
– Rain God = Tlaloc
– Quetzalcoatl = creation, virtue & learning
Aztec Religion: SacrificeReligion based on a
belief:World was an unending struggle between the forces of good and evil
Led to the destruction of four worlds or suns
Aztec Military
• Outstanding warriors- tried to bring surrounding cities under control
Aztec Education• Built temples, other public
buildings, houses
• Built three main causeways (raised roads)
• Built an aqueduct to bring water from spring 4 miles away
• Tenochtitlan = an urban center built on marsh land
Aztec Education“Floating gardens” – chinampas- farm
plots built on the fringe of the lake
Aztec Education
Aztec
Calendar
Aztec Relationship with Foreigners
• Cortes marched to Tenochtitlan with 500 soldiers and 16 horses
• As he went, he made alliances with city states that were sick of Aztec rule
• Received warm welcome from Moctezuma
• Spanish held Moctezuma hostage and pillaged the city
• In 1520- the locals revolted and drove the Spanish from the city
• Cortes received fresh soldiers from allies- 50,000 alone from Tlaxcala
Incan Empire
Incan Empire
Incan Politics• A highly centralized state – capital Cuzco• Boundaries extended from Ecuador,
central Chile and the edge of the Amazon basin (12 million people)
• Divided the empire into 4 quarters- each ruled by a governor
• These were divided into provinces- each also ruled by a governor (governors were usually related to the royal family)
• At the top of the system= emperor
Incan Religion• Believed emperor was a direct descendent
of the sun
• Had less Gods than the Aztecs
Incan Military• Under the leadership of Pachakuti- the Incas
launched a campaign of conquest that brought all under their control
• Built 24,800 miles of roads- for official and military purposes
• All young men required to serve in the 200,000 person Incan army
• Incan state built on war• Local leaders could keep posts as long as they
were loyal to the Incan emperor• To encourage loyalty- children of local leaders
taken hostage
Incan Education• Quechua = language• Had no writing
system but kept records using a series of knotted strings called quipu
• Developed court theater
• Poetry recited
Incan Relationships with Foreigners
• Dec. 1530 Francisco Pizarro landed with 180 men and firearms
• Incans fell victim to small pox• When emperor died- his two sons claimed
the throne = civil war• When one son (Atahualpa) defeated his
brother, Pizarro captured Atahualpa• By 1535 Pizarro established a new capital
@ Lima