Reading Quiz• 1. Why was contact with the Toltec people

important?

• 2. What did Aztecs do with cities they conquered?

• 3. What did the Aztec do w/ prisoners of War?

• 4. How many people lived in Tenochtitlan?

• 5. Chinampas-

• 6. T/F Tenochtitlan was largest city in world at the time.

The Splendor of ancient Mexico and Peru

Aztec

• AD 900 Toltecs come to power in central Mexico.

• The Aztecs (Mexicans) arrived about 1300 from the North.

• Obsidian- green/black volcanic glass- for spears/arrows

• Built city-state on small island in Lake Texcoco in Valley of Mexico

Aztec Throne

Aztec

• Tenochtitlan- 200,000-400,000 people, larger than any European city. Streets and canals led to the city center- pyramid dedicated to the sun god

• Chinampas- “floating garden”- very productive

• Empire covered 80,000 square miles and stretched from the Atlantic/Pacific- 5-15 million people

Aztec

• Ruler had absolute power. Nobles were military leaders, priests, gov’t officials. They had vast estates. Commoners were soldiers, merchants, farmers. Slaves were the lowest class.

• Aztec calendar based on Maya calendar- 18 months, 20 days each.

• Aztecs practiced human sacrifice. Sun god had to battle evil every night to bring the day back- required human blood. Thousands had their hearts cut out each year.

Tlaloc- Rain God

Inca

• Inca means “Children of the Sun”

• The Inca empire stretched 2,500 miles over what is today Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Chile. The capital was Cuzco, in Peru

• They built complex irrigation systems that channeled mountain streams to dry lowlands. Also terraced mountain sides.

• The road system allowed the Inca to send messages across the Empire. Chasquis, or runners, were stationed every 3 miles to relay messages. 200 miles/day

• Sometimes Chasquis carried quipus – knotted strings that kept records and accounts.

• The Incan social system was called Ayllu- a form of community cooperation that did jobs too big for a single family

• Inca demanded tribute from conquered peoples called mita- labor for the state. Everyone was required to work for the state a certain number of days per year. In return, the state cared for the old and disabled, and made sure people did not starve when there were bad harvests.- state socialism

• Incans built walls from carved stone blocks that fit together so well a piece of paper could not fit between them. They survive frequent earthquakes