Americas on the Eve of Invasion

Ch 11

I. Toltec CultureNomads took advantage of the fall of

Teotihuacan City in central Mexico/ part of American classical

periodToltec people were very militaristic

Copied a lot from TeotihuacanSet up a capital in Tula in 968

I. Toltec Culture Topiltzin

Toltec priest/leader Followed Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent) Exiled to the Yucatan Peninsula

Toltecs spread as far as Guatemala Conquered Mayan cities Ohio and Mississippi valleys?

Mined Obsidian an turquoise Obsidian- knives and weapons Turquoise- traded/ currency

Destroyed by nomadic invaders 1150AD

II. AztecsAka Mexica

Came to power after the fall of the Toltecs Very rapidly (originally around 10,000) Believed Eagle with snake on cactus was a sign

Centered around Lake Texcoco Tenochtitlan founded 1325

Conquered people Paid tributes, surrendered land and gave military

service Conquered people were sacrificed to the gods

II. AztecsReligion

Incorporated aspects from other culturesDeities for Fire, Rain, Water, Corn, Sky, Sun etc.

Tlaloc- god of rainFemale forms of each

Festivals based on cyclic calendarSacrificed blood and human hearts to feed sun god

Religious or political?

II. AztecsTenochitlan

Built on island in middle of Lake TexcocoFour bridges connected to mainland Canoe traffic

Adobe brick housesCity wards ruled by Calpulli (kin groups)Surrounded by Chinampas

Floating agricultural islands20,000 acres

Traded cacao beans/goldDistribution of wealth (nobility)

II. AztecsSociety

Military focusLeadership based on capturing sacrifices

Ritual warfare

Organized in regiments with different uniforms Jaguar and Eagle knights

Pochteca- merchant classEconomy was very heavily regulated

Scribes, artisans, healers and nobilityGrowth resulted in loss of egalitarianism

II. AztecsRole of women

Peasant womenRaised children, helped in fields & cared for

householdPeasants were monogamous

Women could inherit property- still subordinate to men

Spent up to 6 hours grinding corn by hand

III. TwantinsuyuAKA Incas (name for rulers)

Highly centralized rule with a deified ruler 3000 miles in extent in the Andean highlands 11-13 million

Created roads, bridges and irrigation

Focused aroud Cuzco Started conquest under Pachacuti (1438-1471)

Topac Yupanqui- Pachacuti’s successor greatly expanded territory

Huayna Capac (1493-1527)- territory stretched from Colombia to Chile

Correct- Topac Yupanqui

Incorrect: Tupac Shakur

III. Twantinsuyu Religion

Cult of ancestorsMummified dead rulers

Consulted oraclesTemple of the SunHoly shrines/Huacas- mountains, caves, rivers etc.

ConquestSplit inheritance

Caused the need to conquer for land and wealth

III. Twantinsuyu Government/Culture

Inca ruled from CuzcoAllowed local rulers (curacas) to rule smaller regions

Rewarded for loyaltyUsed roads to connect regions and had about 10,000

tambosSocialist type of rule

Divided up landRequired mita (labor turns) for public works

Yanas- permanent servants, artisans and workers for ruling class

Ayllu- peasants

III. Twantinsuyu Government/cultures

Infastructure2500 miles of roadsTerraced agriculture

No writing system or wheelVery mathematical

Quipu- knotted strings (abacus?) used to keep financial and census records

IV. The othersArawaks- On Hispanola (Haiti/DR) ran into Columbus

Chiefdom/tribal societiesLived on Manioc/ Yuca

North American Tribes 200 separate languages Greatly helped by the introduction of horse (plains

people) Hunters and gatherers

Americas had between 67-72 million people China and India-75-100 million Europe- 60-70 million