grade 11-history_fetena_net_2728

The Maya Civilization

  • Early Settlements and Cities

    • The Maya were the earliest people to establish large cities by 300 B.C. in present-day Guatemala.

    • By 250 A.D., the Maya Golden Age (Classic Period) commenced, marked by flourishing city-states from the Yucatán Peninsula in Southern Mexico to Central America.

  • Agricultural Practices

    • Before forming large population centers, the Maya lived in scattered settlements.

    • They developed two primary farming methods suited for their tropical environment:

      • Clearing forests for planting.

      • Building raised fields along riverbanks to protect crops from floodwaters, enabling increased production of maize and other crops to support growing cities.

  • Political Structure

    • Maya cities did not coalesce into an empire; instead, they were independent city-states, with notable ones being Tikal and Calakmul.

    • Frequent conflicts and wars occurred among these city-states.

    • Regular trade between the city-states generated wealth, with commodities such as honey, salt, cotton, feathers, precious stones, and jaguar hides for ceremonial use or status display.

  • Social Hierarchy

    • Maya society had a distinct social structure, with each city having its own male ruler.

    • Women occasionally governed, often in representation of their young sons.

    • Nobles performed various roles: military leadership, public works management, tax collection, and law enforcement.

    • Highly respected careers included scribes, painters, and sculptors.

    • Merchants formed a middle class, with wealthy merchants often belonging to the noble class.

    • The majority of Maya were farmers, growing staples such as maize, beans, and squash, along with cotton and flowers.

    • Slavery was present in some cities, with individuals captured in wars.

  • Cultural Achievements

    • Maya civilization made significant advancements in learning and the arts, including a complex polytheistic religion.

    • Known for their architectural achievements, their cities featured towering temples and palaces built from stone, often resting on pyramid-shaped platforms used for religious rites and burials of elites.

    • Developed a hieroglyphic writing system, which remained largely undeciphered until recent decades.

The Decline of the Maya Civilization

  • Around 900 A.D., the Maya ceased large-scale urban construction, with civilization experiencing decline.

  • Several theories for decline include:

    • Overpopulation

    • Diseases

    • Droughts

    • Potential revolts by the lower classes against the ruling elite.

The Aztec Civilization

  • Introduction of the Aztecs

    • Emerged as the Maya weakened, with Zapotec and Toltec groups also vying for control in Southern Mexico before the Aztecs entered the valley of Mexico.

    • Established a warlike society with the capital city Tenochtitlán in 1325 A.D.

  • Empire and Tributes

    • Conquered neighboring towns, imposing tributes in the form of food, treasures, cotton, and slaves.

    • Under Montezuma II, the empire flourished, collecting tribute from 371 states.

  • Infrastructure and Society

    • The emperor wielded supreme power, overseeing trade and justice through appointed officials.

  • Developed roads similar to Roman constructions for trade protection.

    • Tenochtitlán was a thriving city of roughly 100,000 inhabitants, expanding through engineering innovations.

    • Created islands for farming known as chinampas.

  • Cultural and Scientific Contributions

    • Aztecs were skilled astronomers and mathematicians, creating a 365-day solar calendar and a numbering system incorporating zero.

  • Medical practices included herbal treatments for fevers and wounds alongside surgical skills.

  • They worshiped numerous gods, integrating religious practices into their calendar, with notable human sacrifices to the sun god using war captives.

The Inca Civilization

  • Rise of the Incas

    • Founded around 1450 A.D., constituting the last great empire in the Andes stretching from Ecuador to Argentina.

    • Governed by an absolute ruler who divided the empire into provinces governed by appointed nobles.

  • Society and Technology

    • Inca civilization was known for advanced architecture and road systems linking provinces.

    • Excelled in agriculture on steep mountainsides through terracing, showcasing impressive stonework methods.

  • Wrote no language; history was orally transmitted and recorded through census data and harvest details.

  • Cultural Practices

    • Worshipped a sun god, with priests performing rituals in the Great Sun Temple in Cuzco, reinforcing the emperor’s divine status.

    • Medical advancements included surgeries and herbal treatments, with some practices persisting in modern medicine.

The Influence of Religion

  • Monotheistic Religions and Their Impact

    • Historical emergence of monotheistic faiths such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, profoundly shaping ethical norms in contemporary societies.

  • Judaism established early in Ethiopian history, later followed by Christianity around the 4th century A.D. through the influence of figures like Frumentius.

  • Islam spread peacefully in the region during the 7th century, with early communities finding refuge under Ethiopian kings.