Global chapter 12,13,14

Nahuatl

language spoken by the Toltecs and Aztecs

main features of the Aztec society

city state organization, had mercenaries, exiled to remote areas under earlier empire, political units claimed descent from the Toltecs

main features of the Toltec society

strong military ethics, cult of sacrifice and war, mother culture/basis for later cultures of Mesoamerica

chinampas

beds of aquatic weeds, mud, and earth placed in frames made of cane and rooted in lakes to create "floating islands"; system of irrigated agriculture utilized by Aztecs

pochteca

special merchant class in Aztec society; specialized in long-distance trade in luxury items

1428

Aztecs emerge as an independent power, served as mercenaries and made alliances

Aztec subject peoples

paid tribute, surrendered land, gave military service

calpulli

clans in Aztec society, later expanded to include residential groups that distributed land and provided labor and warriors

Toltec culture

succeeded Teotihuacan culture in central Mexico; strongly militaristic ethic including human sacrifice; influenced large territory after 1000 C.E.; declined after 1200 C.E.

Quetzalcoatl

Toltec deity; feathered serpent; adopted by Aztecs as a major god

Tenochtitlan

founded c. 1325 on marshy island in Lake Texcoco; became center of Aztec power; joined with Tlacopan and Texcoco in 1434 to form a triple alliance that controlled most of central plateau of Mesoamerica

Tlaloc

major god of Aztecs; associated with fertility and the agricultural cycle; god of rain

Huitzilopochtli

Aztec tribal patron god; central figure of cult of human sacrifice and warfare; identified with old sun god

Indians

misnomer created by Columbus referring to indigenous peoples of New World; implies social and ethnic commonality among Native Americans that did not exist; still used to apply to Native Americans

tambos

way stations used by Incas as inns and storehouses; supply centers for Inca armies on move; relay points for system of runners used to carry messages **extensive road system

Quechua

Inca language spread intentionally by speakers: settled and spread as an example - unified empire with the language

Inca government

state bureaucracy - empire divided into four provinces with rulers, and divided again under curacas

curacas

local rulers who the Inca left in office in return for loyalty

mita

labor extracted for lands assigned to the state and the religion; all communities were expected to contribute; an essential aspect of Inca imperial control

yanas

a class of people within Inca society removed from their ayllus to serve permanently as servants, artisans, or workers for the Inca or the Inca nobility

ayllus

in Incan society, small Quechua speaking clans/communities based on the idea of communal work

Pachacuti

(1428-1471) launched a series of military alliances/campaigns

Inca empire extent

from Ecuador to Chile

Inca reason for conquest

to please the cult of ancestors -\> more past ancestors = need for more labor, lands, and tribute; dead rulers were mummified and consulted in important decisions/paraded around

Inca socialism

a view created by Spanish authors to describe Inca society as a type of utopia; image of the Inca Empire as a carefully organized system in which every community collectively contributed to the whole

split inheritance

Inca practice of descent; all titles and political power went to successor, but wealth and land remained in hands of male descendants for support of cult of dead Inca's mummy

quipu

a system of knotted strings used by the Inca people for keeping records - in place of written records (no other *found* written records)

Temple of the Sun

Inca religious center located at Cuzco; center of state religion; held mummies of past Incas

Inca cultural achievements

beautiful pottery, extensive roads, irrigation, impressive textiles

Aztec differences

writing system (pictograms), violent/bloody human sacrifice, empire smaller and swampy

Inca differences

record keeping system of string (quipu) rather than writing, drugged human sacrifice (less violent), bigger/very widespread empire and in the mountains

Aztec and Inca similarites

- agricultural organized: surplus production with state control of circulating goods, no wheel/machinery and no large domestic animals (hindered by these things)

- clan based societies: older kinship based institutions (ayllus and calpulli)

-polytheistic: sun god very important, sacrificed humans to please the gods

Sui years

589-618

Tang years

618-907 **Tang Taizong extends China into Vietnam and Manchuria

Song years

960-1279 **only civil official governors, no military commanders seize power **weaker than Tang

Wendi

first emperor, strong noble who laid political unification for first time in 3.5 centuries and created prosperous economy

Yangdi

second member of Sui dynasty; murdered his father to gain throne; restored Confucian examination system; responsible for construction of Chinese canal system; assassinated in 618 **last emperor of the Sui

Grand canal

built by the Sui in the 600s

decline of Sui

northern invaders, peasant revolts because of labor and taxes, unsuccessful wars attempting to bring Korea under Chinese rule

Li Yuan

also known as Duke of Tang; minister for Yangdi; took over empire following assassination of Yangdi; first emperor of Tang dynasty; took imperial title of Gaozu

Tang rulers

loyal and well educated/qualified rulers to govern **had bureau of censors to keep track of all officials at all levels and report back

Chang'an

capital of Tang dynasty; population of 2 million, larger than any other city in the world at that time

meritocracy

a system in which promotion is based on individual ability or achievement - earn your way into power -\> scholar-gentry increased, examination system increased, pattern of increase in civil service

jinshi

title granted to students who passed the most difficult Chinese examination on all of Chinese literature; became immediate dignitaries and eligible for high office

pure-land Buddhism

emphasized salvationist aspects of Chinese Buddhism; popular among masses of Chinese society

Chan Buddhism

known as Zen in Japan; stressed meditation and appreciation of natural and artistic beauty; popular with members of elite Chinese society

Buddhist influence

after fall of Han - 220-589 - Buddhism = strong social, economic, and political force, 50,000 monasteries built

Empress Wu

Tang ruler 690-705 CE in China; supported Buddhist establishment; tried to elevate Buddhism to state religion; had multistory statues of Buddha created

Wuzong

(841-847) Chinese emperor of Tang dynasty who *openly persecuted Buddhism* by destroying monasteries in 840s; reduced influence of Chinese Buddhism in favor of Confucian ideology