Download Intensive agriculture and nonindustrial cities (p.143)

Intensive Agriculture and Nonindustrial Cities
Part 1: Vaishvi (1-3)
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Intensification of farming, communities grew into the cities
Specialization in activities other than farming: carpenter, blacksmiths, sculptors,
craft-specialists, basket-makers, stonecutters
Expanded the market in the city
City dwellers (person who lives in city) were only concerned about adapting to the
city life (unlike horticulturists and pastoralists)
It was important to get along with their urbanities (person who lives in city).
Farmers need to get along with city dweller as it concerned their business
Farmers are governed by economic forces (unemployment rates, inflation rates, etc.)
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Urbanization brings new social orders
 Marked Inequalities
 Society become stratified
 Ranks based on
 Gender
 Kind of work/occupation
 Family background
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Social aspect that used to operate in a simple way such as face-to-face with group of
relatives, friends, and acquaintances became more formal and official.
Specialized political institutions: “are organizations which create, enforce, and apply
laws; that mediate conflict; make (governmental) policy on the economy and social
systems; ex: political institutions include political parties, trade unions, and the (legal)
courts.”
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Urbanization led to many innovations
 Writing was invented
 Trade intensified and expanded
 Metallurgy and other crafts were developed
The new cities being developed started having new monuments and landmarks that
were made by thousands of men (slaves from war).
These structures still amaze engineers and architects
Inhabitants of these buildings were the ruling class (majority)
 Nobles
 Priests
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The ruling class formed a central government that spoke social and religious rules
The merchants, soldiers, artisans, farmers, and city dwellers followed the rules.
Miduran Part 2: (4-6)
Aztec City Life
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The Aztec empire
 began in Mexico in the 16th century
 This is a good example of highly developed urban society among non- Western
peoples
 Capital city of the empire is Tenochtitlán (Mexico City)
 was located in a fertile valley 2133 metres above sea level
 sister city = Tlatelolco
 population of both cities in 1519 = about 200 000 when Cortes first saw it
 5x more populated than London
The Aztec metropolis
 Located in the middle of the lake
 It has since dried up, and 2 aqueducts brought in fresh water from springs on
the mainland
 16 km dike rimmed the eastern of the city to prevent nearby salty waters from
entering the lake around Tenochtitlán (Mexico City)
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As in the early cities of southwest Asia……….
 the foundation of Aztec society was intensive agriculture
 PRINCIPAL CROP = CORN
 Each family allotted a plot of land by it is lineage and cultivated any of the
number of crops (including beans, squash, gourds, peppers, tomatoes, cotton,
and tobacco)
 Unlike Old World societies, only a few animals were domesticated ( dogs and
turkeys were included and both meant for eating)
 MANY of the crops were grown around Tenochtitlán ( in artificially
constructed plots in the shallow waters of the surrounding lake
 Canals between these chinampas (not only facilitated transport but were also a
source of water (used for heavy mulching)
 Muck rich in fish feces was periodically searched from the canals and spread
over the gardens to maintain their fertility ( because they were productive and
sustainable)
 Chinampas still can be found today at Xochimilco (located on the outskirts of
Mexico City)
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Aztec agricultural success provided an increasingly large population and diversification of
labour
SKILLED ARTISANS (could make livings by pursing their crafts exclusively)
 Sculptors
 Silversmith
 Stone workers
 Potters
 Weavers
 Feather workers
 Painters
 Crafts people were engaged continuously in the manufacture of religious artifacts,
clothing and decorations for buildings and temples
 Non-agricultural specialists included some of the warriors, the traveling merchants
(Pochteca), priests, and the government bureaucracy of nobles
Part 3: Prishita (7-9)
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specialization increased the market became an important economic and social
institution
larger markets were held at different times and different places
many people came to buy and sell things at these places travelling from for places
Barter was the primary means of exchange
other currencies were cacao beans, gold dust, crescent-shaped knives and copper
people not only went there to buy and sell but also to meet other people
Chocolate, Vanilla beans and pineapples were brought from other cities into
Tenochtitlan
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Aztecs were divided into three main classes: nobles(aristocratic high status),
commoners(without rank or title) and serfs(servant, peasant)
Nobles were the upper class, commoners
the commoners were also divided into lineage
 within each lineage those closer to the lineage founder had higher status than
those who were distant
Serfs bound to the mand and porters employed by merchants as carriers
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lowest class was consisted of slaves
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Aztecs were governed by a semidivine king
 council contained of nobles, priests and leaders
 the council was chosen by royal lineage
the councillors advised the king
government officials oversaw maintenance of the tax system and courts of justice
Part 4: Aniqa (10-12)
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A typical Aztec city was rectangular and reflected division of land among lineages
The centre had a large plaza which contained the temple and house of the city’s ruler
Specifically Tenochtitlan:
 Total area of land was 52 square kilometer
 Huge temple and two lavish palaces in central plaza; also called “Sacred
precinct”
 Area surrounded by other ceremonial buildings which belonged to the lineages
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Housing in Tenochtitlan ranged from squalid to magnificent
 Outskirts of the city on chinampas lived farmers in huts
 Huts built of wooden posts, thatched straw, and wattle plastered with
mud
 Middle class houses in the city
 Graceful, multiroomed, single- and two- story stone
 Mortar buildings
 Surrounded by flower filled patio
 House resting on stone platform for protection against flood
60 000 houses estimated in Tenochtitlan
Focal point of city were teocallis or pyramidal temples where religious ceremony such
as human sacrifice was held
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Palace of the emperor Moctezuma
 had numerous rooms for attendants and concubines
 menagerie
 hanging garden
 swimming pool
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Since Tenochtitlan sat in the middle of the lake, it was unfortified and connected to
the mainland by three causeways
Communication among different parts of the city was easy as people can travel by
land or water
Series of canals with footpath ran throughout city
Spaniards that came to Aztec reported that canal was plied with thousands of canoes
Europeans so impressed by communication network that they called Tenochtitlan the
Venice of the New World