Aztec WarfareAztec Warfare

The Aztecs were a powerful The Aztecs were a powerful war society. war society. 

From the moment in From the moment in which you were born, which you were born, you were a potential you were a potential warrior.  warrior. 

All of the soldiers that All of the soldiers that made up the military made up the military were ordinary people.were ordinary people.

Once that child turns Once that child turns to the age of about six to the age of about six or seven, he would be or seven, he would be sent off to a military sent off to a military school for the Aztecs.  school for the Aztecs. 

A boy would become a man only A boy would become a man only after he captured his first after he captured his first

prisoner.prisoner. After all of the After all of the extensive training extensive training that the future that the future warrior would go warrior would go through, he would through, he would then be sent out to then be sent out to fight in his first fight in his first battle in order to battle in order to capture his first capture his first man after becoming man after becoming a  warrior. a  warrior. 

The Aztec's courage and strength The Aztec's courage and strength helped them build their empire helped them build their empire

and establish themselves as the fiercest and establish themselves as the fiercest of all the tribes in the Valley of Mexico. of all the tribes in the Valley of Mexico.

They easily defeated attacks from They easily defeated attacks from neighboring tribes.neighboring tribes.

Declarations of war were greeted with Declarations of war were greeted with joyjoy it was seen by Aztec warriors as a time to it was seen by Aztec warriors as a time to

show their skills in battle. show their skills in battle.

Soldiers dressed in Soldiers dressed in costumes designed to scare costumes designed to scare

their enemiestheir enemies such as the jaguar warriors such as the jaguar warriors

who wore ocelot skins who wore ocelot skins

and eagle warriors who and eagle warriors who wore a helmet shaped like wore a helmet shaped like the beak of a bird of prey. the beak of a bird of prey.

Aztec jaguar and eagle Aztec jaguar and eagle warriors were members of warriors were members of

the nobility.the nobility.

Their elaborate costumes were worn to show the wearer's Their elaborate costumes were worn to show the wearer's strength and importance in the Aztec society. strength and importance in the Aztec society.

The warrior's leather or wooden shield was decorated with The warrior's leather or wooden shield was decorated with brightly colored feathers. brightly colored feathers.

Below the warrior's shield hung leather strips to protect his legs. Below the warrior's shield hung leather strips to protect his legs. Their wooden clubs were edged with extremely sharp blades of Their wooden clubs were edged with extremely sharp blades of

obsidian. obsidian.

The Aztecs and their enemies used The Aztecs and their enemies used spears, slings, bows, and arrows to spears, slings, bows, and arrows to

fight at close range.fight at close range.

Razor sharp blades were chipped from obsidian and Razor sharp blades were chipped from obsidian and mounted on weapons. mounted on weapons.

A freshly made obsidian blade was sharper than the A freshly made obsidian blade was sharper than the Spaniards steel swords. Spaniards steel swords.

But, obsidian blades soon lost their edge and were But, obsidian blades soon lost their edge and were easily broken. easily broken.

The Aztecs wore close-fitting The Aztecs wore close-fitting cotton breastplates and used cotton breastplates and used

wooden shields for protection.wooden shields for protection.

The Spaniards used steel swords, The Spaniards used steel swords, guns, and cannons that could take guns, and cannons that could take

out many Aztecs at a time.out many Aztecs at a time.

TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

Chinampa, also called floating garden,  small, stationary, artificial island built on a freshwater lake for agricultural purposes.

Incan CivilizationIncan Civilization

Incan RoadsIncan Roads

Possessing neither Possessing neither horses, wheeled horses, wheeled vehicles, nor a vehicles, nor a system of writing, system of writing, authorities authorities nevertheless nevertheless managed to keep in managed to keep in extremely close extremely close touch with touch with developments developments throughout the throughout the empire. empire.

Other remarkable achievements in Other remarkable achievements in engineering included the construction of rope engineering included the construction of rope

suspension bridges suspension bridges

Some nearly 328 ft in Some nearly 328 ft in length length

Among the most impressive features of Incan Among the most impressive features of Incan civilization were vast temples, palaces, civilization were vast temples, palaces,

fortresses, and public worksfortresses, and public works

Machu PicchuMachu Picchu

Machu Picchu was most Machu Picchu was most likely a royal estate and likely a royal estate and

religious retreat. religious retreat.

The houses had steep The houses had steep thatched roofs and thatched roofs and

trapezoidal doors; windows trapezoidal doors; windows were unusual. were unusual.

The houses, in groups of up to ten The houses, in groups of up to ten gathered around a communal gathered around a communal

courtyard, or aligned on narrow courtyard, or aligned on narrow terraces, were connected by narrow terraces, were connected by narrow

alleys.alleys.

At the center were large open squares; At the center were large open squares; livestock enclosures and terraces for livestock enclosures and terraces for

growing maizegrowing maize

The terraces stretched around the The terraces stretched around the edge of the city.edge of the city.

The MayaThe Maya

Of the many pre-Columbian civilizations of the Of the many pre-Columbian civilizations of the western hemisphere, the Maya civilization western hemisphere, the Maya civilization

alone developed a writing systemalone developed a writing system

they are the only they are the only indigenous people of the indigenous people of the Americas with a written Americas with a written history. history.

While only four of their While only four of their folding-bark books folding-bark books survived the fanatical survived the fanatical purges of the Spanish purges of the Spanish priests, their writings in priests, their writings in stucco, stone and stucco, stone and pottery remain.pottery remain.

But the voices of the But the voices of the ancient Maya stood ancient Maya stood silent for centuries, silent for centuries, waiting for the advances waiting for the advances in decipherment made in decipherment made in the past three in the past three decades.decades.

In addition to their writing system, In addition to their writing system, they had a calendar systemthey had a calendar system

that consisted of a Long Count divided into that consisted of a Long Count divided into

five cyclesfive cycles

along with a 260 day ritual along with a 260 day ritual calendarcalendar

365 day solar calendar. 365 day solar calendar.

The Mayans developed The Mayans developed impressive citiesimpressive cities

Many with huge templesMany with huge temples

300 AD and 800 AD, the 300 AD and 800 AD, the Maya flourished Maya flourished

Then the great Maya centers Then the great Maya centers

fell into ruinfell into ruin

abandoned and left to be abandoned and left to be reclaimed by the reclaimed by the

surrounding rainforest. surrounding rainforest.

But What Happened?But What Happened?

By the time of the Spanish By the time of the Spanish ConquestConquest

the Maya civilization had reverted to scattered city-the Maya civilization had reverted to scattered city-states.states.

It was this lack of cohesion that would thwart It was this lack of cohesion that would thwart the Spaniard's attempts to conquer the Maya. the Spaniard's attempts to conquer the Maya.

Contrary to the "Divide and Conquer" maxim, it was Contrary to the "Divide and Conquer" maxim, it was the Maya’s fractured political structure that thwarted the Maya’s fractured political structure that thwarted attempts by the Conquistadors to conquer them. attempts by the Conquistadors to conquer them.

Cortez could take down the entire Aztec Cortez could take down the entire Aztec Empire, by simply toppling Tenochttilan. Empire, by simply toppling Tenochttilan.

But conquest of the Maya would require winning But conquest of the Maya would require winning battles with hundreds of individual clans scattered battles with hundreds of individual clans scattered throughout the Yucatan.throughout the Yucatan.

The Spanish easily overcame the major Mayan groups, The Spanish easily overcame the major Mayan groups, although the Mexican government did not subdue the last although the Mexican government did not subdue the last

independent communities until 1901.independent communities until 1901.

What could have What could have happened?happened?

Theories Include:Theories Include:

over-population, over-population,

extensive warfare, extensive warfare, revolt of the revolt of the

farmer/laborer class, farmer/laborer class, or any number of or any number of

devastating natural devastating natural disasters.disasters.

We may never know what We may never know what happened. happened.