Americas - Aztec and Inca

Explain the key social and political features of the Aztec Civilization?

Triple Alliance - ruled out of Tenochtitlan - used military to enforce policies

people had to pay tributes - gold, maize, cacao bean, currency, PEOPLE

classes - noble, merchant elite, commoners, and enslaved people

Describe the key achievements of the Aztecs?

High population

engineering: canals, aqueducts, chinampas, causeways, piling

practice human sacrifice- captives, enslaved, tributes - believed that the Sun God needed human blood to keep the world spinning

advanced in math: total of 365 days - 360 normal days and 5 bad days

Identify factors that led to the decline of the Aztecs?

Montezuma II - increased tribute - weakened empire which led to a period of unrest and rebellion began

military strategy shifted: told not to kill ONLY CAPTURE - started to instigate conflict - led to more deaths and weakened the empire

Teotihuacan?

An ancient Mesoamerican city known for its monumental architecture, including the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. It was a major cultural and economic center that influenced later civilizations, including the Aztecs.

Triple Alliance?

Expanded control over regions - ruled out of Tenochtitlan - 38 provinces - population 5 - 15 million

gained power based on conquest and tributes - allowed local rulers to continue govern - had to pay tribute to stay in power

Religion?

Polytheistic, worshiping multiple gods of nature and agriculture.

Rituals - human sacrifice, were performed to appease gods and secure favor for the community.

Chinampas?

Artificial islands created for agriculture in the shallow lakes of the Valley of Mexico. used by the Aztecs to grow crops like maize, beans, and squash.

Tenochtitlan?

Capital city of the Aztec Empire (early 1500’s), located on an island in Lake Texcoco, population 200,000 - 400,000.

Pilings?

Multiple stakes of wood all connect, helping to elevate the farming plots above the water.

Geographic Challenges?

The difficult terrain and varying climate conditions affected agricultural practices in the Aztec - located in a middle of a lake - for a period of time did not have a good clean water source.

Explain the key social and political features of the Inca Civilization?

Society was highly organized- communal labor systems like the Mita and Ayllu, and extensive road networks for communication and trade across their vast empire. Used bureaucracy to rule - had efficient economy - had official language - a school system - taught the official language and customs to new cities they conquered.

Describe the key achievements of the Inca?

The Inca had advanced agricultural techniques - Terrace farming, irrigation.They built extensive road system, established a centralized economy, and created impressive architectural structures such as Machu Picchu. They also developed a system of record keeping using quipu, enhanced metalworking techniques, and practiced advanced surgery in medicine.

Identify factors that led to the decline of the Inca?

the Sapa Inca (ruler) dies from unknown disease - his sons fight a civil to become empire which leads to loss of resources ( weapons, people, supplies) a destruction of Ayllu and the Mita system - and the subsequent arrival of Spanish conquistadors, who exploited the weakened state of the empire and led to its eventual conquest.

Pachacuti?

A prominent Inca ruler who expanded the empire significantly - He established the administrative and military framework that allowed the Incas to control a vast territory.

Ayllu?

A traditional Inca social unit, consisting of a group of families of 10 that were a chain of command that shared land and resources. The Ayllu played a crucial role in the organization of labor and community responsibilities.

Mita?

A system of labor in the Inca Empire that required community members to work on state projects and agricultural lands for a certain period each year, serving as a form of tribute.

elderly or unwell were supported by government - all extra resources were saved and shared

Roads + Bridges?

Roads: A vast network built by the Inca to connect their empire, facilitating trade, communication, and military movement. had guest housing for messages and military.

Bridges: Innovative structures that allowed for crossing deep ravines and rivers, essential for maintaining the extensive Inca road system. made out of weaved grass - had to be replaced every 1-2 years - had workers that watched over them.

Terrace Farming?

A method of agriculture used by the Incas to cultivate crops on mountainsides. This technique involved creating flat areas on the hillsides, reducing soil erosion and trapped heat so the plants would not freeze at night. allowed for more crops to be made and healthier diets.

Quipu?

A record system made of different colored rope.

Had no writing system

Geographic Challenges?

on mountains, desert, and rain forest which made communication and agriculture difficult.

weather was unpredictable and often led to crop failure.