Transcript Ancient Cultures of Central and South America: The Maya, Aztec

 The
culture's beginnings have been
traced back to 1500 BC.
 The Height of Mayan civilization was
between 600 and 900 AD.
 Priests
were also the role of rulers in the
Mayan Government.
 Why would it be significant that Priests
were also rulers….
1)Positives
2) Negatives
 devised
a complex
style of hieroglyphic
writing that has yet to
be fully deciphered.
 Maya words are
formed from various
combinations of
nearly 800 signs.
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The Maya, for example,
were so advanced in
mathematics and
astronomy that their
calendar was the world's
most accurate until this
century. They could also
predict solar and lunar
eclipses.
The Maya calendar was
adopted by the other
Mesoamerican nations,
such as the Aztecs and
the Toltec.
The pyramid was used as a calendar:
four stairways, each with 91 steps and a
platform at the top, making a total of 365,
equivalent to the number of days in a
calendar year.
 The
basis of the culture was farming,
which included not only the cultivation of
maize, beans, squash, and chili peppers,
but also "cash crops" of cotton and cacao.
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The Maya participated in long distance trade with many
of the Mesoamerican cultures, including Teotihuacan, the
Zapotec, and other groups in central and gulf-coast
México, the Caribbean islands and down up to Colombia,
as well as inter-site commerce.
Maya farmers transported their cocoa beans to market
by canoe or in large baskets strapped to their backs,
Wealthy merchants traveled further, employing porters,
as there were no horses, pack animals or wheeled carts
in Central America at that time (They are introduced with
the Columbian Exchange).
Merchants and those surrounding trade become a
middle class.
 The
most revered deities (Gods) were
Itzamna and Ix Chel, father and mother of
all other gods, and the rain god Chac.
Kukulcan was the Mayan name for the
feathered serpent, god of the ruling
caste.
 Insufficient
food supply, earthquakes,
pestilence, invasion by outsiders, internal
rebellion or a combination of these
factors have all been suggested as
possible causes for the fall of the Mayan
eminence. What appears certain is that
by 900 AD the Maya's numerous
ceremonial centers had been
abandoned.
 Prior
to the 15th century, the Aztecs were
a marginal tribe living on the edge of
Lake Texcoco, the site of present day
Mexico City
 Leading a highly codified government
was an all-powerful emperor who
exacted taxes from the conquered and
distributed land to his people, especially
the warriors.
 The
Aztecs has established laws and a
emperor. But, they were not a
conventional empire, because they
allowed conquered people to maintain a
level of independence. They just needed
to pay their taxes (Tribute) to the Aztecs.
 By
1473, after subjugating neighboring
tribes, they ruled the largest empire
Mexico had ever seen. Their capital of
Tenochtitlan, set in the lake, was a
picturesque city of pyramids, mile-long
floating roads, aqueducts, animated
marketplaces, and one hundred thousand
residents.
Use Of Money In Aztec Economy
The Aztecs were definitely an advanced people since they knew
about the value of money. Several kinds of money were used by
the Aztecs and the cacao bean was one of the regular money used
by the Aztecs. For example, a small rabbit would cost a person
around thirty cacao beans
There are many other markets in Tenochtitlan but the one called
Tlatelco (which is the main marketplace for the Aztec people) was
where almost everyone went because of the large selection. Many
farmers, merchants, potters and so on came to this market to sell
their produce or their products.
-The Aztecs used a Calendar similar to
The Mayans. It had a 365 day a year
Calendar.
-In the mythology of the Aztecs, the
first age of mankind ended with the
animals devouring humans. The
second age was finished by wind, the
third by fire, and the fourth by water.
The present fifth epoch is called
Nahui-Olin (Sun of Earthquake), which
began in 3113 BC and will end on
December 24, 2011. It will be the last
destruction of human existence on Earth.
 The
Aztec Language
was based on
symbols representing
writing.
 They would combine
symbols to create
sentences.
 According
to an
Aztec myth, the
white-faced
Quetzacuatl - their
most important god.
 He is the god of
intelligence and the
god of creation.
 Between
1200 and 1535 AD, the Inca
population lived in the part of South
America extending from the Equator to
the Pacific coast of Chile.
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The Inca society was arranged by a strict hierarchical
structure.
The Highest Level the Sapa, high priest or ruler, and the
army commander at the top.
The temple priests, architects and regional army
commanders were next.
The two lowest classes consisted of artisans, army
captains, farmers, and herders.
Farmers provided most of the food for the rest of the
population. They had to pay tax in the form of gold,
which were distributed to the higher classes.
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The main resources available to the Inca Empire were agricultural
land and labor, mines (producing precious and prestigious metals
such as gold, silver or copper), and fresh water, abundant
everywhere except along the desert coast. With careful
manipulation of these resources, the Incas managed to keep things
moving the way they wanted. Tribute in the form of service (mita)
played a crucial role in maintaining the empire and pressurizing
its subjects into ambitious building and irrigation projects.
 The
Inca developed drainage systems and
canals to expand their crop resources. Potatoes,
tomatoes, cotton, peanuts and coca were
among the many crops grown by the Inca.
 Llama were used for meat and transportation.
There was more than enough resources
available for everyone. Increased subsistence
levels led to a growth in the Inca population.
 The
Incas had an incredible system of roads.
One road ran almost the entire length of the
South American Pacific coast.
 Since the Incas lived in the Andes Mountains,
the roads took great engineering and
architectural skill to build.
 On the coast, the roads were not surfaced.
 The Incas paved their highland roads with flat
stones and built stone walls to prevent travelers
from falling off cliffs.