6.2 Aztecs & Incas

What was the capital city of the Aztec Empire?

Tenochtitlan

What was the primary agricultural technique used by the Aztecs?

Floating Gardens

What type of government did the Aztecs have?

A theocracy with an emperor who had divine right.

What was the purpose of the Flower Wars in Aztec society?

To capture sacrifices and resources rather than for direct conquest.

What type of sacrifices did Aztec Gods demand?

Human sacrifices as a form of repentance for human sin.

What was the main god of the Aztecs associated with war and the sun?

Huitzilopochtli

What was the Incan Empire's capital city?

Cuzco

Who was the Sapa Inca responsible for elevating the chiefdom into the Incan Empire?

Pachacuti, known as 'the Earthshaker.'

What does the term 'Tawantinsuyu' mean?

Land of the four [mountain] ranges.

What labor system did the Incas use instead of traditional taxation?

The Mit'a System.

What advanced agricultural technique did the Incas develop?

Terrace Farming.

What is a Quipu?

A record-keeping device using knots on fiber strings for administration.

What was the primary animal used for labor by the Incas?

Alpacas.

What major infrastructure project connected the Inca Empire?

The Imperial Highway.

What was the population of Tenochtitlan at its height?

Approximately 400,000.

What was the Aztec approach to warfare compared to European methods?

Aztec warfare was ritualistic and aimed at capturing prisoners rather than causing casualties.

What is Machu Picchu theorized to be?

Either the imperial palace of Pachacuti or a religious temple.

What was a significant difference in the availability of animals between the Aztecs and Incas?

The Incas had access to alpacas, while the Aztecs had no domesticated animals.

What was the Aztec religious structure centered around?

A polytheistic pantheon of gods requiring human sacrifices.

What was the geographical feature that dominated South America?

The Andes Mountains.

What was the misconception that Christopher Columbus had upon reaching the Caribbean?

He thought he had reached the East Indies and referred to the native people as 'Indians.'

What cultural sphere did the Incas belong to?

The Indosphere.

What was the primary economic reliance of the Aztecs?

Agricultural yields due to lack of access to hunted meat.

What was the significance of the Templo Mayor in Aztec society?

It was the center of religious life and a place for rituals and sacrifices.