Aztec and Inca Culture

Aztec and Inca Culture : 

Aztec and Inca Culture From World Civilizations, The Global Experience Stearns et al. Copyright 2007, Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman *AP and Advanced Placement are registered trademarks of The College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

American Post Classical Societies : 

American Post Classical Societies Remained isolated Had elaborate cultural systems Highly developed agriculture Large urban and political units

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I. Postclassic Mesoamerica, 1000-1500 C.E. Mayas ( classical Mesoamerica) collapse around 700 CE Toltecs follow Empire in central Mexico Capital at Tula, c. 968 A. The Toltec Heritage Rule extended to Yucatan, Maya lands, c.1000 Commercial influence to American Southwest Possibly Mississippi, Ohio valleys B. The Aztec (Mexica) Rise to Power Toltec collapse, c. 1150 Caused by northern nomads? Center of civilization moves to Mexico valley Lakes used for fishing, farming, transportation Aztecs in, early 14th century Begin as mercenaries, allies of various tribes 1325, found Tenochtitlan ( lake islands) Dominate by 1434

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C Aztec Social Contract Became hierarchical society saw themselves as people chosen to serve gods Sacrifice increased Source of political power- fear Moctezuma II Head of state and religion

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D. Religion and the Ideology of Conquest Spiritual and natural world seamless Hundreds of deities and complex mythology Three groups Fertility: agriculture, water Creator gods: God of sun and sky Warfare: draw power from sacrifice ex. Huitzilopochtli Aztec tribal god Identified with sun god Sacrifice increased to an unprecedented scale Motivated by religion or terror? Cyclical view of history Believed world would be destroyed and created again and again

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E. Feeding the People: The Economy of the Empire Agriculture Chinampas, man-made floating islands High yield Farming organized by clans Also took good as tribute Markets Daily market at Tlatelolco Controlled by pochteca, merchant class Highly regulated markets ( necessary b/c Aztec pop. Reached 20 million)

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II. Aztec Society in Transition Society increasingly hierarchical A. Widening Social Gulf Calpulli ( clans) Transformed from clans to groupings by residence Distribute land, labor Maintain temples, schools Basis of military organization Noble class develops from some calpulli ( identified by clothing, etc) Military virtues give them status ( death in battle = eternal life) Serf-like workers on their lands Social gaps widen Imperial family at head of pipiltin Calpulli of merchants

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Women in Aztec Mexico Can own property death in child birth = eternal life No public roles b/c of limited technology no milling technology meant women spent hours daily grinding maize Elite polygamy Most peasants monogamous A Tribute Empire Speaker One rules each city-state Great Speaker Rules Tenochtitlan Subjugated states could remain autonomous Owe tribute, labor

INCAS! : 

INCAS! III. Twantinsuyu: World of the Incas Tihuanaco, Huari (c. 550-1000 C.E.) After 1000, smaller regional states Chimor (900-1465) North coast of Peru A. The Inca Rise to Power Cuzco area Quechua-speaking clans (ayllus) Huari Control regions by 1438, under Pachacuti Topac Yupanqui Son of Pachacuti Conquered Chimor Rule extended to Ecuador, Chile Huayna Capac Furthers conquests of Topac Yupanqui 1527, death Twantinsuyu (empire) From Colombia to Chile To Bolivia, Argentina

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B. Conquest and Religion "Split inheritance“ : Power to successor, Wealth, land to male descendants Result is continual conquest Religion Sun god supreme and he is Represented by ruler (Inca) Temple of the Sun at Cuzco Local gods survive

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C. The Techniques of Inca Imperial Rule Inca Rules from Cuzco Governors of four provinces Bureaucracy -Local rulers (curacas) Unification through : -Quechua language -Forced transfers of people Military System of roads, way stations (tambos), storehouses State Redistributive economy Building, irrigation projects Gender cooperation Ideology of complementarity of sexes Also seen in cosmology Inca's senior wife links state to moon

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III. Twantinsuyu: World of the Incas D. Inca Cultural Achievements Metallurgy Knotted strings (quipu) Accounting Monumental architecture ( machupichu) E. Comparing Incas and Aztecs Similarities Built on earlier empires Excellent organizers Intensive agriculture under state control Redistributive economy Kinship transformed to hierarchy Ethnic groups allowed to survive Differences Aztecs have better developed trade, markets, greater human sacrifice