Lecture 2 Mayas, Incas, Aztecs

Lecture 2 Paleo-Indian 30000-8000BCE Archaic 8000-2000 years BCE Formative or Pre-classic 2000-200 BCE Classic 200 BCE – 1000 CE Post-Classic 1000 – 1492 CE

Pre-Conquest populations:

Size:

Ecosystems:

Diversity:

Development:

About Aztecs: “I will say...that these people live almost like those in Spain, and in as much harmony and order as there, and considering that they are barbarous in so far from the knowledge of God and cut off from all civilized nations, it is truly remarkable to see what they have achieved in all things” (Written by Hernan Cortes to Charles V, 1520)

About Incas: “This city is the greatest and finest ever seen in this country or anywhere in the Indies. We can assure your majesty that it is so beautiful and has such fine buildings that it would be remarkable even in Spain” (Conquistador)

Mayas

Olmec monolithic stone head

Aztecs

Origin: Mexica people Rewrite history linking themselves to the Toltecs

Nature of empire Warring culture Hiearchical society Land expansion

Cosmology

Incas

Origin of Tahuantinsuyo Chronology: Manco Capac – Viracocha –

Cusi Yupanqui (Pachacutic) – Tupac Yupanqui – Huayna Capac – Atahualpa v Huascar

Nature of empire Cosmology

Some vocabulary (other terms were given in class)

Tahuantinsuyo Pachacutic Mita Mitimaes Chasquis Panaq Ayllu Quipu Huacas Orejones

Astlan Tlatoani Huitzilopochtli Techochtitlan Quetzacoatl Triple Alliance Flowery Wars Montezuma