Download Mesoamerica

North America
Yucatan
Peninsula
South America
Andes Mts.
Critical Intro:
Describe some advantages and
disadvantages the American
societies had over the eastern
hemisphere societies.
Critical Intro:
Compare each of the American
societies to a society in the
eastern hemisphere.
Chart Analysis
1. Politically, how did the Mayas differ from the Aztecs and Incas?
2. What main crop was the foundation of agriculture for the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas?
3. Write a sentence describing the religious commonality between the Mayas, Aztecs and Incas.
4. Write a sentence describing a religious difference between the groups.
5. How may the Mayas have benefitted from their achievements?
6.
Who do you think was the most war-like and aggressive of the 3 groups?
7. Why do you think the Incas needed an extensive road system more than the Mayas & Aztecs?
8. Which 2 groups were more influenced by the Europeans? Why?
9. Why were the Incas better able to utilize an extensive road system and carry on longer-distance trade
compared to the Aztecs and Mayas?
Toltec Empire
Geographic commonalities?
Incan Empire
Aztec Empire
Mayan Empire
Tenochtitlan
Aztec Capital
Maize =
Foundation of
Mesoamerican
agriculture
Aztec religious temple
in Mexico
Chichen Itza
Mayan religious temple
Machu Picchu
Incan city in Andes Mts.
Incan
Terrace
Farming
Incan Potato Farming
Important addition to maize-based diet and economy
Incan road system
The llama: Beast of burden in the Andes Mountains
Key advantage to the Incan civilization
No other beasts of burden in the Americas.
Part of massive Incan road system through the Andes Mountains
Toltec Empire
Warm Up: Commonalities?
968 C.E. - 1150?
Aztec Empire
1200-1521
Incan Empire
Mayan Empire
250 B.C.E.-900 C.E.
1438 C.E. - 1535
Aztec human sacrifice
Chinampas
Chinampas = Aztec farming technique
Chinampas
Aztec farming technique
Chinampas
Aztec farming technique
Chinampas = Aztec farming technique
Aztec Chinampas farming technique
Main Purpose
Reason for Technique/Obstacle being overcome
Beneficial Characteristics
Aztec
Chinampa
System
How Constructed
Addition Benefits to Society
Map Label from pg. 23 in Atlas
Pacific Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
North America
South America
Mesoamerica
Gulf of Mexico
Amazon River
Andes Mountains
Yucatan Peninsula
Caribbean Sea
Cities
Tenochtitlan
Chichen Itza
Cuzco
Mayas
Aztec Empire
Incan Empire
Incan Road System
Major Civilizations of the Western Civilization
Characteristics of Mayan, Aztec, and Incan Civilizations
Characteristic
Dates
Mayans
Aztecs
Incas
250 B.C. – A.D. 900
A.D. 1200 – 1521
A.D. 1438 - 1535
Location
Central American rain
forest – Yucatan
Peninsula
Valley in Central Mexico –
modern Mexico City
Andes Mountains – west
coast of South America
Represented by
Chichen Itza
Tenochtitlan – major trade city
Cuzco & Machu Picchu
Political
Style/Rule
Independent city-states;
ruled by god-kings
Emperor – centralized gov’t
Emperor – centralized
gov’t
Economy
(Based on?)
Agriculture & trade
Mainly Maize!
Agriculture
Mainly Maize!
Chinampa agriculture system
+ Tribute from conquered peoples
High-altitude, terrace
agriculture; Maize,
potatoes & variety of
other crops
Religion
Polytheistic/animistic –
ancestor + sun worship
pyramids/temples + human
sacrifice
Polytheistic/animistic;
pyramids/temples
Ancestor + Sun God
Extensive human sacrifice!!
Polytheistic/animistic
ancestor + sun worship
Achievements/
Characteristics
Advances = math, calendars,
astronomy
Most advanced writing!
No beast of burden!
Mysterious decline
Society based on warfare, expansion
and tribute!
- Calendars
- No beast of burden!
Conquered by Spanish
Extensive road system
Linked empire + helped rule
Llama for trade/travel & labor
Mit’a System – Coerced labor
system: all owed labor to the state
Conquered by Spanish
Treaty of Tordesillas
Created
7 June 1494 in
Tordesillas, Spain
Ratified
2 July 1494 in Spain
5 September 1494 in
Portugal
Authors
Pope Alexander VI
Signatories
Ferdinand II of Aragon
John II of Portugal
Purpose
To divide trading and
colonizing rights for
all newly discovered
lands between Spain
and Portugal to the
exclusion of other
European nations
Most of S. Amer & all of N.Amer. To Spain
Brazil to Portugal
Spain
Portugal
Most of S. Amer
& all of N.Amer.
to Spain
Brazil to Portugal
1494