Ancient Civilizations of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca’s

Aztecs arrival date

1100 CE

Capital city established by the Aztecs

Tenochtitlan

Year Aztecs settled on Lake Texcoco

1325

Event leading to the defeat of the Aztecs

The Spanish conquest led by Cortes, aided by smallpox in 1521

Type of government of the Aztecs

One emperor ruled all, with nobles helping to govern smaller cities.

Consequence of breaking laws in Aztec society

Harsh laws could result in death, although there was a one-time forgiveness law.

Role of tribute or tax in the Aztec empire

It was collected from everyone to help run the empire.

Popular sports and games among the Aztecs

They loved ball games and the flying bird Volador.

Description of the Volador performance

Men in feathered costumes jump off a 60-90 ft pole holding a rope with their feet.

View of athletes in Aztec society

Athletes were treated like superstars, but injuries and deaths were common.

Social structure of Aztec daily life

It was a class society with nobles and poor farmers.

Differences between nobles and poor in Aztec society

Nobles bathed daily and wore colorful feathered garments, while poor farmers lived in huts with little furniture.

Significance of feathers in Aztec culture

Feathers were a status symbol.

Educational system for the Aztecs

They set up free education for everyone.

Chinampas

They were floating gardens built by the Aztecs for agriculture.

Aztec belief system regarding gods

They believed in many gods who had families and required daily worship and human sacrifices.

Role of priests in Aztec religion

Priests were very important and led celebrations to please the gods.

Accomplishments of the Aztecs

Built a huge capital city on swampy ground in the middle of Lake Texcoco, collected tribute from everyone to create a rich empire, provided free education for all people, created medicine from plants, practiced dentistry, and set broken bones.

Maya civilization timeline

Maya was around in 250 C.E to 900 C.E.

Location of the Maya

Maya lived in rainforest at the Yucatan Peninsula.

Year Maya disappeared

900 C.E.

How the Maya disappeared

Mysteriously.

Major part of daily life for the Maya

Religion: sun, sky, moon gods

Farming methods of the Maya

Hunted, fished, farmed.

Crops farmed by the Maya

Maize, corn, squash, beans.

Roles of women in Maya society

Women did the harvesting, cooking, ran the house, and traded crops for goods at the marketplace.

Roles of men in Maya society

Men did the farming, fighting, and built city buildings using tools made of stone, wood, and shell.

City layout of the Maya

All cities set up a Central Plaza surrounded by temples, ball courts, and pyramids.

Mayan Good roads

How the cities were connected.

Mayan Temples

Where priests lived.

Mayan Pyramids

Built high towards the heavens and hold tombs.

City governance

No central government; each city governed themselves.

Mayan Government

Individual city rule but thought of as one empire.

Noble family rule

Noble family ruled city; power was passed down from father to son.

Mayan Class society

Priests/nobles were the highest, farmers were the lowest.

City alliances

Cities teamed up to fight other cities.

Glyphs

700 glyphs that stood for sounds.

Written language

Used glyphs to form written language.

Codex

Created books called Codex.

Spaniards and Codex

Spaniards thought Codex were evil so they burned them.

Stela

Huge stone slabs or columns with important stories written on them.

Accurate calendar

Invented accurate calendar.

Mayan Concept of zero

Invented concept of zero.

Mayan Religion

Believed in many gods; could help or hurt; was the center of everything.

Mayan Underworld

Place of Awe where demons lived.

Mayan Priests' costumes

Priests wore masks/costumes to scare demons.

Mayan Mirrors and women

Women never looked in mirrors for fear demon would pull them through.

Mayan Mirrors and men

Men would never look in mirrors as a sign of courage.

Mayan Burial practices

Rich/nobles would bury the dead in tombs; poor would bury them under their home.

Inca government

The Inca government was called Four Parts Together.

Census

Each noble conducted a census of their area. which basically was a count of everyone for taxes.

Taxation

Taxed the citizens; took 2/3rds of each citizen's crop as tax.

Inca timeline

The Inca were there from 1100 C.E. till 1521.

Inca Captital?

1200 Cuzco became capital city in present-day Peru.

Farming

Most Incas were farmers who grew maize.

Terraced gardens

Farms were on terraced gardens.

Quipus

Main cord with colored strings attached; each color represented a different item.

Great builders

Built 14,000 miles of roads, rope bridges, and aqueducts.

Sun god

Most important god worshipped by the Incas.

Accomplishment

Built stone buildings without cement that fit together tightly.

Accomplishment

Buildings were designed to be earthquake proof.

Accomplishment

Built rope bridges over deep valleys.