Download Inca Empire

geography
 The relative
location for the
Aztecs is the
Gulf of Mexico.
 Today they
would be living
in current day
Mexico.
Political
 The Aztecs lived in city-states. All of the citystates pledged loyalty to an emperor.
 The emperor did not interfere with the ruling
of the city-state as long as they paid a tribute
to him.
Economic & Cultural achievements
 Specialization
 Floating Gardens
 Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan was
located on a swampy
island.
Some historians estimate that nearly
200,000 people lived in the city during
its peak.
Religion
 The Aztecs had a
polytheistic religion.
 To keep their gods
happy, the Aztecs
believed that human
sacrifice was
necessary. They used
people to feed their
hungry gods.
Hernan Cortes & The Fall of the
AZTECS
 Hernan Cortes sailed for
the country of Spain. He
and his men landed on the
Mexican coast in April,
1519.
 Montezuma II, the Aztec
emperor, sent Cortes gifts
of gold and chocolate.
Although he did not trust
Cortes, he feared that the
explorer was a god.
 When Cortes arrived in
Tenochtitlan, he was
welcomed. Later, tensions
rose between the two groups
leading to the capture of
Montezuma II.
 Montezuma II was killed
during his captivity. After
his death, the Aztecs
attacked the Spanish and
killed 2/3 of their men.
 Cortes escaped the attack
and later returned to the
city. After 3 months of
fighting, he conquered the
Aztec Empire.
geography
 The Mayans were located in central America
and Mexico. Today, many can still visit
Mayan ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Political
 The Mayans lived in
city-states. Each
city-state was ruled
by a king. The
Mayans believed
that the king was
given the right to
rule by the gods
(theocracy).
Economic & Cultural Achievements
 Slash & Burn
 Chultuns
 Calendar
 Pyramids
pyramids
 Mayan pyramids have flat tops.
 Two types of pyramids were built. One was
built with a temple on top where priests
performed sacrifices. The second was built
for the gods and were not to be climbed or
touched by humans.
Religion
 The Mayans believed
in many nature gods.
 They believed that the
gods were neither
completely good or
completely bad.
 Mayans did perform
human sacrifices but
not as frequently as
the Aztecs.
What Happened to the Mayans?
 The fall of the Mayans is one of history’s great
mysteries. One of the mightiest civilizations in the
ancient Americas simply fell into ruin in a very short
time.
 There are many theories about what happened to the
Mayans, but historians and archeologists cannot
come to a consensus.
 Some theories are:
The Disaster Theory
The Warfare Theory
The Famine Theory
Civil Strife Theory
Environmental Change Theory
Geography
 The Inca Empire
originated in a village in
the Andes Mountains of
South America about 15
miles south of Cuzco.
 By using their military,
the Incas were able to
extend their empire along
the Pacific coast from the
northern border of
modern Ecuador to
central Chile.
Political
 The Inca government was lead by the Sapa
Inca. This leader was considered to be the sun
god, Inti.
Political
 The Inca government created the
collective farms. In a collective farm,
all land belonged to the government,
crops allotted to specific groups, and
the government took possession of each
harvest.
 Private property was forbidden.
 There were no written records. History
was preserved through generations.
Economic & Cultural achievements
 Aqueducts
 Terrace Farming
 Quipu
 Machu Pichu
Machu Picchu is an
ancient city of the
Inca Empire.
Machu Picchu is located on a mountain
ridge in Peru. The Incas built the city
in 1430, and today it is known as
“The Lost City of the Incas”.
Religion
 The Incas had a
polytheistic religion.
 The religion was
headed by Inti (the
sun god).
 A festival for the gods
was held every month.
 At the festival, rituals
included sacrifices of
humans and animals.
Francisco Pizarro & The Fall of
the Incas
 Pizarro sailed for the
country of Spain. He
wanted to discover
wealth, so he
embarked on a voyage
to the New World.
 1532: Pizarro led 160
Spaniards to Cuzco,
slaughtering over 2,000
Inca and injuring
5,000.
 Atahualpa was
captured by Pizarro
and the Spaniards.
The Incas offered
gold for his freedom.
 Pizarro accepted the
ransom, but never
released Atahualpa.
 July 26, 1533:
Atahualpa was killed.
Word
Definition
Specialization
Doing Different Jobs
Floating
Garden
Rafts where dirt was placed in order to
farm
Tenochtitlan
Aztec city; doesn’t exist anymore
Hernan Cortes
Spanish Explorer who defeated the
Aztecs
Aztec leader that was kidnapped &
killed by Cortes
Creating land for crops by cutting down
and burning trees.
Using different colored strings and knots
to record economic information
Montezuma II
Slash & Burn
Quipu
Word
Definition
Machu Pichu
Inca city; still exists
Francisco
Pizarro
Spanish Explorer who defeated the Incas
Atahualpa
Sapa Inca that was kidnapped & killed
by Pizarro
Government where the leader is chosen
by the gods
Theocracy