#11: AZTECS & INCAS
Aztecs/Incas got there start almost at the same time, got their peak same time…
—> BUT DID NOT KNOW EACH OTHER
How did they get their start? how conquered empires…why so successful?
island: soil fertile…water…easily to defend…soil to expand land mass….get around by boats
Spanish attacked from all sides —> trapped them….food from empire…died of dieases
The Aztecs: arose in Mexico —> Mesoamerica
1) Mesoamerica
a) Teotihuacan —> around for a while but…collapsed around the same time as the Maya collapse —> possible due to same reasons..
ruins of city-inspired Aztecs build/make art…
Teotihuacan impacted Aztec civilization
b) Toltecs; capital at Tula, empire stretching across Mexico to the Yucatan
internal/external forces
c) Toltec collapse, Tula destroyed; great upheaval leads to massive migrations of Toltecs and others
WHAT CITY HAD COLLAPSED THAT INSPIRED AZTEC ARCHITECTURE?
WHAT WAS THE MASSIVE MIGRATION?
2) Origins
a) Aztlan Island —> believed ancestors lived here
dunno where the lake is tho…
b) prophecy of Huitzilopochtli —> chief god
—> told Aztecs to leave island/find new home…they would “know” due to “signs”
—>“eagle sitting on cactus eating a snake”—> the sign
Mexica/Aztecs begin wandering south
“part of divine plan”
WHAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF THE AZTECS? WHAT PROPHECY? WHAT GOD?
3) The Valley of Mexico
a) fertile soil, Lake Texcoco, chinampas floating gardens w/ algae, home of ancient civilizations
Hella water for people/crops
magnet for wandering peoples
b) Toltec refugees:
move into Valley and settle on the southern side of the Lake
c) Tepanecs:
move from the Toluca Valley over the mountains and settle on the western side of the Lake
d) Chichimecs & Alcohua:
move into the Valley and settle on the northern and eastern side of the Lake
4) Tenochtitlan
a) Aztecs last to arrive, not welcomed;
try to settle at Chapultepec; attacked=move to Tizapan
b) renewed attacks force Aztecs to seek refuge on a tiny island in the middle of the Lake= Tenochtitlan
forced to move around lake b/c constantly being attacked
Aztecs finally saw eagle sign on Tenochtitlan —> capital city of Aztec Empire
WHAT LAKE IN MEXICO DID THE AZTECS SETTLE ON? WHY WAS IT SO GOOD?
WHAT WAS LAKE TENOCHTITLAN??
WHERE HAD THE AZTECS SETTLED BEFORE HAND BEFORE GETTING KICKED OUT??
Empire
being on the lake rlly good area to be big/powerful
expand by land fill
no large animals/wheels..faster by water
middle of lake —> security
1) The Triple Alliance
a) Aztecs: vassals of Tezozomoc of Azcapotzalto Tezozomoc rules much of the Valley
Tezozomoc —> ONE OF MOST POWERFUL RULER
b) Aztecs: serve as auxiliaries in Tezozomoc’s army, victories=rewards (tribute, land)
c) Tezozomoc dies,
civil war —> son Maxtla kills brother and takes over throne
d) Itzcoatl an Aztec king —> doesnt like Maxtla
realizes Maxtla weakened from civil war
e) Itzcoatl forms Triple Alliance with Texcoco and Tlacopan; they rebel against Maxtla
f) Maxtla defeated and executed; fall of Azcapotzalto;
—> Triple Alliance now rules much of the Valley (BEGINNING OF AZTEC EMPIRE)
—> Aztec king is leader of the alliance (political and military)
WHAT WAS THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE??? WHO WAS THE LEADER OF THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE?
WHAT WAS THE MODE OF TRANSPORT??? WERE THERE ANIMALS?
WHY WAS IT SO HARD FOR ENEMIES TO ATTACK???
2) Expansion
a) Montezuma I
b) Ahuitzotl
3) Reasons for Aztec Success
a) great leadership; ruled by tlatoani (“king”)
unique system of choosing kings…important aztecs get together and chooses next king
b) very good/very large army
c) imperial administration; calpixque
d) religion, war=holy war
believed human sacrifice kept gods happy
fought wars to ge human sacrifices
Epilogue
a) 1502: Montezuma II inherits the greatest empire yet seen in the history of North America
WHAT WERE THE 3 AZTEC RULERS???
The Incas: staff eventually finds ground to sink in
BRAZILLLLL
1) Origins
a) 1190: Manco Capac living on a tiny island in the middle of Lake Titicaca
b) father Inti’s (the Sun’s) prophecy=Manco begins wandering northwest
“ son u must leave tiny island and find home”
—> golden staff to “know” where to settle
Manco —> founder of Inca…father was a sun god
—> if golden staff is easily pushed into dirt…that is the sign
c) stops and builds the city of Cuzco which will eventually become the capital of the Inca Empire
2) The Turning Point
a) new ruler: Viracocha (a descendant of Manco and the Sun) is the 8th Lord of Cuzco
b) Incas attacked by neighboring Chancas;
—> Viracocha and his son/successor Urchon fled; Cuzco captured
c) Viracocha’s younger son Yupanqui rallies the Incas and drives the Chancas out
d) Yupanqui becomes the new Lord;
—> Viracocha and Urchon die in exile
Who was Manco Capac? What place did he leave behind? why?
What city was built for the Incas?
Who was Viracocha and Urchon, and what did they do? how did they end up?
Who became 1st high emperor and how? How did they react to the Chancas?
Empire
1) Expansion
a) 1438-1471: Yupanqui, takes new name: Pachacuti, becomes 1st High Inca: Ruler of Tahuantinsuyu
b) 1471-1493: Topa Inca “The Unforgettable” —> ZENITH
2) Reasons for Inca Success—> convinced they had conquered everything
—> had expeditions and found nothing but small hunter/gatherers
a) great leadership
b) very large/very good army
c) unique imperial administration
d) religion
What name did Yupanqui take?
who was the 2nd ruler?
WHAT WERE THE REASONS OF INCA SUCCESS?…. THEY HAD “EXPLORED EVERYTHING”
Epilogue
a) 1493: Huayna Capac inherits the greatest empire yet seen in the history of South America
WHO WAS THE RULER OF THE INCAS WHEN IT WAS AT ITS ZENITH??
WHO THEN INHERITED THE ZENITH???