Transcript South American Empires

Bell Ringer
• List as many possible ways you eat potatoes
(at least 10)
• Where do you think the Europeans first got
potatoes?
• List as many possible ways you can eat corn
(at least 5)
• Where do you think the Europeans first got
corn?
Bell Ringer
1. Locate the Mughal Empire on your map.
What country is it in?
2. Locate where the Shogun lived. What
country is this?
3. Locate the country that used foreign
enclaves to control trade. What country is
this?
Today in class…
We will…
• Learn about the major empires in Latin America at the start of 1500: Mayan,
Aztec and Incan.
You will be able
to… Social Studies
• Locate and describe the
major empires of:
• Mayan
• Aztec
• Incan
Language
• Explain in writing why you
find one of the Latin
American empires
especially interesting.
NEXT TIME/SOON: OMCJ Take home Quiz
Empires of 1500:
Mayan, Aztec, and Incan
The Mayans
• From 2000 B.C.E. to
1500 C.E.
• Famous for the most
complex writing system
in the New World.
• Descended from the
Olmec people who also
lived in the jungles of
Mexico.
300-900 C.E.
• Height of the empire
• Cities in:
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Mexico
Belize
Guatemala
Honduras
El Salvador
Yucatan Peninsula
Mayan Civilization
• Government: citystates ruled by a
king
• Economy:
Agriculture and
trade
• Religion:
Polytheistic and
built pyramids
Accomplishments
• Hieroglyphic writing
• Buildings:
– Public buildings for
government or religious
purposes
• Studied the moon,
stars, and planets.
• Mayan Calendar was
based on the planets.
Collapse
• Around 1500
• Declined for unknown reasons
–
–
–
–
over-population?
warfare?
revolt of farmers & laborers?
devastating natural disaster?
Arrival of the Aztecs
The Aztecs built their home in Tenochtitlan
after seeing an eagle perched on a great
cactus with his wings stretched toward the
sun. In its beak was a long snake.
Mexican Flag
Tenochtitlan
• Tenochtitlan: “the place of the fruit of the
prickly pear cactus.”
• Island city became the center of the Aztec
Empire.
• Apocalypto Part 7.mp4 - YouTube
Aztec Society
• Government: ruled by
an emperor.
• Economy: agriculture
• Religion: polytheistic
and built pyramids for
human sacrifices to
their gods.
• No written language.
The Aztec Empire
• Payments (tribute) were
collected from the groups
they conquered.
– Collecting tribute was the
empire’s most important
business.
• War was the center of
Aztec life
– Successful battles = more
tribute
– Successful battles = more
sacrifices for the gods
– All men were soldiers
Ball Game
• Ball Game: tlachtli
– Small ring on the wall
– Object of the game
was to get a rubber
ball through ring
– Can only use elbows,
knees, or hips!
– If you LOST you
were killed!
Collapse of the Aztecs
• Aztec Empire grew between 1428 and 1519
• Destroyed by invaders from Spain
(conquistadors)
• The Sport of Life and Death
Incan Empire
• Developed in the
Andes Mountains
of South America
and lasted from the
1400s to 1532.
• Center of the Inca
Empire was the
capital city of
Cuzco.
Incan Society
• Government: ruled by emperor
• Economy: agriculture in high altitudes—used
terracing
• Religion:
polytheistic
• Major City:
Machu Picchu
Religious Beliefs
• Gods who controlled
various aspects of
nature.
• Most important god was
Inti, the god of sun and
agriculture.
– Emperor’s family was a
descendent of Inti
– Agriculture was a basis
of Inca life
Roads and Messengers
• Road System was used
for communication!
– 15,000 miles of road
• Chasquis, or messengers,
carried messages from
the Emperor.
– They had no written
language, but used a
system of knots on a cord
to record information—
called quipu.
Closing
In your journal complete the following prompt:
I think the _____________ Empire is the most
interesting because …
Write at least 3 complete sentences!
Closing
• OMCJ: Take Home Quiz
• Complete the take home quiz using your class
notes.
• This is individual work – do not copy – you
have ALL the answers in your notes!
• Turn this quiz in at the beginning of the next
block for a HW grade.
• Late quizzes will not be accepted!