Transcript Social Studies powerpoint Lauren

Conquistadors and
Pre-Columbian Civilizations
By: Lauren Seigal
Standards
• 5.2 Identify the three major pre-Columbian civilizations
that existed in Central and South America (Maya, Aztec,
and Inca) and their locations. Describe their political
structures, religious practices, and use of slaves.
• 5.4 Explain why the Aztec and Inca civilizations declined
in the 16th century.
• A. the encounters between Cortez and Montezuma
• B. the encounters between Pizarro and the Incas
• C. the goals of the Spanish conquistadors
• D. the effects of European diseases, particularly
smallpox, throughout the Western hemisphere
Aztecs
• Aztecs were polytheistic. Think
polytheistic
• Poly = many
• Theo = god
• The Aztecs city was
Tenochtitlan( a city built in the
center of a lake), or what is
today Mexico City.
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• The Aztecs leader was
Montezuma, their most
powerful head of power.
• The Aztecs thought that
sacrifice was very important.
• The Aztecs sacrificed more
than 1,000 people a year.
Mayas
• The Mayas were located on the Mexican Coast in the Yucatan
Peninsula.
• They did not have just one Capital City so it was difficult for the
Spanish Conquistadors to take them over entirely.
• The region did not contain as much gold as all the other civilizations.
• As well as the Aztecs the Mayans were poly=many
Theo =gods poly theistic.
• The Mayans had slaves who in some circumstances could gain their
freedom back.
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• The Incas were located in
South America, in the
Andes Mountains in Peru.
• Their Capital city was
known as Cuzco.
• The Incas had no written
down language, although
they still had a spoken
language. They also used
knots on string for
speaking.
• The Incas had an empire
of 20 million people.
• As well as The Mayas
and Aztecs the Incas
were polytheistic. The
Incas rarely sacrificed
human people, they
sacrificed animals.
• They sacrificed human
children for their sacrifice,
not adults.
Incas
• The Incas rarely
sacrificed human
people, they
sacrificed
animals.
• The animals they
sacrificed were
their llamas that
they used for
mostly
everything.
• Only on special
occasions the
Incas sacrificed
human.
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Cortez
• Cortez was the conquistador to take over
The Aztec civilization.
• The Aztecs thought that Cortez was
Quetzacoatl their pale skinned god.
• Their prophecies had said that their god
would come in 1513 the same year that
Cortez captured the Aztec capital.
• Cortez was not a god although the Aztecs
thought he was.
Pizzaro
• Pizzaro was an explorer and conquistador that was the
man to take over the Incas civilization in Peru.
• The Incas were very accessible to the Spanish because
in 1531 they were fighting in a civil war. (civil war when
the same country is fighting with each other.)
• When Atahualpa was held for ransom with Pizzaro for
gold and silver, the Incas gave gold as well as the silver.
• Yet they still killed Atahualpa.
Conclusion
How did the Spanish explorers and conquistadors change
Central and South America forever?
The Spanish changed Central and South America forever
because now most of Central and South America speak
complete Spanish.
Also another way is that now the maximum of the people
believe in Christianity and no longer prey to their personal and
native gods.
Now all the Aztec, Mayan, and Inca celebrations and culture are
now completely abandoned forever.