Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs

Mayas 1500 BC – 1500 AD

Lived in Yucatan peninsula Dense forest/ Jungle area

Slash and burn agriculture

Ideographs (picture writing)

City of Tikal

Mayas

Math, sculptures, astronomy Pyramids Calendar

polytheistic

Calendar- created by watching stars

December 21st , 2012

– runs out

http://podcasts.howstuffworks.com/hsw/podcasts/symhc/2009-02-09-symhc-mayan-calendar.mp3?_kip_ipx=1594613873-1302531066

So what happened to the Mayas?

No one knows Some believe they became Aztecs

However, they just left their cities abandoned

Incas 1200- 1535

Located in Western South America in Mts. (Andes)

Jewelry (silver and Gold) *Roads*

Relay runners Terrance farming, irrigation

Inca Continued

Medicine Brain surgery ideas Spoken language (que chua) Domesticated animals Bridges Polytheistic “Sappa Inca” – ruler (king)

Machu Piccu (Peru)

Aztecs

Fierce warriors Worshipped Sun King

(Huitzilopochtli) Human sacrifice

Polytheistic Created Tenochtitlan

(present day Mexico city)

Montezuma –

famous leader

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e8ZVD0emfI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhzlqpOxs7k

Floating gardens

So what happened to the Incas and Aztecs?

Conquistadors -

Conquerors from Spain

“Gold, Glory, God”

Hernando Cortez

Hernan Cortez

Cortez was a young Spaniard who went to Cuba to find his fortune. He heard stories of gold in Mexico and South America. In 1519 Cortez left Cuba to find this gold. With 300 Aztecs to every one of Cortez's men the Spanish fought. After 3 battles the Aztecs gave up. They could not complete against the guns and horses. The Spaniards also wore metal armor. More than this the Aztecs were afraid of the "god-like" warriors. On November 8, 1519 Cortez reached Mexico City and was received by Montezuma, the Aztec emperor. Cortez captured Montezuma and began to rule the empire through him. The Spaniards made the Aztecs work in the mines looking for gold and silver. This gold and silver was shipped back to Spain.

Francisco Pizarro

Francisco PizarroIn 1523 Pizarro led an expedition to explore and conquer the land of a wealthy Indian empire. With a ship furnished by the governor of Panama Pizarro explored the coast of Peru. He then sailed to Spain to ask for permission to conquer Peru. The permission was granted. With 200 men and 40 horses Pizarro began to conquer coastal settlements. Pizarro later captured the Inca emperor and slaughter 2,000 Indians. Pizarro accepted a large ransom for returning the emperor. After releasing him he had him executed.

Why did the Spanish easily defeat the Natives?

Spain had better weaponsDisease helped kill Natives

Incas or Aztecs did not know Conquistadors intentions

Columbian Exchange

New Spain – Spain sets up colonies

Encomienda System

Spanish type of slavery for Natives (Indians) Cheap labor force

Spain could demand labor and land from Natives at any time (like Feudalism)

Also wanted to convert them to Christianity

Social Classes- Inequality

Peninsulares – people born in Spain – only ones that could hold Government office

Creoles – Spaniards born in Latin America

Mestizos- mixed European and Indian Ancestry

Mulattos- mixed European and African Ancestry

Slaves Indians