CIVILIZATION OLMEC MAYAN AZTEC INCA

Lowland civilization Lowland civilization Highland civilization

DATE 1500 to 500 BCE Preclassic period: 1800 BCE to 250 CE Regional power in 7th CE (Toltecs) Late Horizon Period – 1476 to 1534 CE
Classic Period: 250 to 950 CE 13th century CE – Aztec people settled in Lake Texcoco region
Post Classic: 900 to 1524CE 15th century – established a great empire
Peak: around 600CE
Development of No urban centers like those of Mesopotamians or Egyptians From the jungles of Belize and Guatemala – rise of Maya city-states Cities of Tenochtitlan & Tlatelolco Tawantisuyu city was divided into four sectors.
Cities (City of Copan – with temples to the gods to commemorate king’s Aztec – represented the height of highland civilization Each sector correspond to 4 regions of the empire
reign CHINAMPAS – small artificial islands – reclaimed portions of shallow The roads led from each of sectors toward their respective
City of Tikal – Greatest Maya city – expansion thru conquest and bed lake for agriculture regions
diplomacy
City of Calakmul – powerful political center – often engaged in
warfare because it wants political control
City of Palenque – obsessed with ancestry – Famous King – PAKAL
– built burial chamber – body of Pakal decorated with jade
ornaments)
State and Olmec state – a collection of small communities – tied by kinship, Government: powerful ruling class with authority closely tied to Aztec Empire – maintained by efficient administration and strong TAWANTISUYU (aka incan empire) – divided into 4
Government religion and trade religion military force (so that authority to the people will be effective) regions or suyu  further divided into provinces ruled by
local leaders
Government: Kingship by Olmec nobility - Government: Conquered cities – paid tributes to sustain lifestyle ceremonies of Pachakuti – transformed the Incan State
 hierarchal rule powerful ruled by kings and priest
Aztec nobility Sapa Inka – an incan ruler (meaning: Great Inka) –
considered the paramount religious and political authority of
 ruling class with authority closely tied to religion the empire) – aided by his family members
State: Incan ruler told subjects that welfare of society dependent
on the prosperity of their rulers and constant military
 They lived in independent city-states consisting of rural conquest
communities and large urban ceremonial centers.
 There were no standing armies, but warfare played an
important role in religion, power and prestige

Economy Agriculture – cultivation of maize, beans, squash, sweet potatoes Agriculture and trade Sedentary farming – cultivation of maize and beans Trading and agriculture

Trading with Oaxaca – traded obsidian, ceramic pottery

 agriculture
Trading =Long distance trade with lowland communities
 trading of:
Cacao Seashells. Salt jade obsidian Products: precious metals, obsidian, pottery, tropical bird feathers,
chocolate
 use chocolate as money

Society and Culture Olmec culture – emphasis on kingship – important in Olmec culture A successful fusion of cultural elements from interdependent and Education was highly valued by Aztecs – children taught at home first Mit’a service – labor work that is compulsory – made to
(evident in carvings, painting, sculptures – associated with king) interacting ancient societies in Mesoamerica then move to more advance studies in writing, astronomy, religious or choose between construction and repair of public works OR
military training cultivation of land OR service in the military
Quetzalcoatl – fetaheed serpent With full developed written language
Olmec artists grafted animals to create mythical gods Belief: Human sacrifice (offering of human heart) is needed to avoid Outstanding warriors can acquire noble status if good in
With achievements in arts, architecture, science and technology extinction of the world battle
Ball courts – ancient hybrid game: basketball + handball
- use of torso, shoulders and thigh to bounce a ball off the sloping Ancient priest: use stars to mark time passage – important for rituals, Belief 2. Prior to current world – there 4 previous worlds and 4 KHIPU – record keeping system + use of lengths of cord
sides of the court in an attempt to make it thru a ring trade, marriage and war previous suns – as 4th world ended – gods gathered in Teotihuacan and knots to indicate data which were decoded by scribes
-players: captured warrior Sacred City = 2 gods sacrificed then 2 gods transformed to sun and
- significant religious ritual – belief: if not played – universe will end Shaman – intermediary to gods moon YUPANA – resembles an abacus – for calculating values
and performing math operations
Only warriors are worthy of FLOWERY DEATH – rotual sacrifice to
the sun god
 Monuments and Artificial mountains – resembles pyramids with platforms Wide plazas and temples Plaza de las Tres Culturas – prominent Aztec ruin in the main square Walls of Cuzco – unique stone works – used of perfectly
structure in Mexico City shaped huge fitted stones – knife cannot be inserted in
Vast courtyards or plazas or ball courts Pyramids with small temples on top between stone blocks
Contributions:
Colossal heads – enormous heads carved from basalt rock (2-3m Pyramids of Maya – representation of sacred mountains created by 365 day calendar – divided into a ritual cycle – important for Machu Picchu – with stone works designed to withstand
tall) gods at the beginning of the world agriculture and religious rituals earthquakes

Ritual stuctures Writing system – pictographic and symbolic writing system – Aztecs INHUATANA – ritual stone that Incans believed that this
recorded historical events in pictographic form anchored the sun as it traveled across the sky (now: ritual
Chichen Itza – temple of Kukulcan or Quetzalcoal – step pyramid stone served as astronomical clock or calendar)
with stairways going to the top

Maya script used for:

i. calculate time
ii. regulate religious observances
iii. record the genealogies of rulers
iv. document conquests and dynastic histories
 OLMEC TEOTIHUACAN MAYAN AZTEC INCA
Time: 1200 – 1300 BCE 250BCE – 800 CE 1000BCE – 900CE 1200 AD – 1521
1st civilization in Mesoamerica 1ST major city in Mesoamerica
** unknown founder
Where Lowlands along gulf of Mexico Yucatan Peninsula + Arid valley of Central Mexico
Part of Guatemala
Structures First pyramids in the Americas Has 2 temples: Mayan temple
Temple of sun and moon
Contributions First writing system in the Americas Independent hieroglyphic language
Legacies Calendar: solar calendar and lunar calendar

-Mayan calendar – present world created at 3114 BC

-Mayan calendar – current world will end Dec 23, 2012 AD
Economy Extensive trading Agriculture and trade Agriculture
Tributre from conquered people
Downfall time/cause 400 BCE 900 AD
Unknown cause of downfall
capital Teotihuacan? Chichen Itza Tenochtitlan
Location: Lake Texcoco
Cities Tikal - Guatemala Cities – built up on rafts made from reeds
and covered with dirt (CHINAMPAS)
Cities built around central pyramid
Pyramid – topped with shrine to gods
Lived in an area of Thick forest
Religion Polytheistic Polytheistic with pyramids and rituals
-most impt god is the CREATOR Polytheistic based on WARFARE
-other gods – sun god, moon goddess, maize goddess -HUITZILOPOCHTLI – chief god and god
of sun
-QUETZALCOATL – feathered serpent –
left valley of Mexico and return in triumph
Government Group of city-states ruled by kings – HEREDITARY RULING CLASS Ruled by emperor
-supreme leader of the people
-claimed to be divine
Rulers: Mayan kings
-claimed to be divine
-assisted by nobles and scribes
-perform human sacrifices
Social class Upper: 1. kings and nobles
-kings, priest, warriors, merchants 2, priests and warriors below kings
Lower: 3. Merchants and artisans
-rest of the mayans and slaves 4. Farmers and slaves
 Men Farmers – had to give crops to ruler and serve the army Most people were farmers
Men were to be the warriors
Women Made cornmeal Stayed at home
Home making Allowed to own and inherit property and
Raising children enter contracts
Wove textiles + raise children
Can be a priestess
Slaves Lowest position in society
-includes orphans, slaves’ children, people who owed money
Belief: Can please the gods by offering human blood Perform human sacrifice === to postpone
-special occasions end of the world

Social class ::: AZTECS ::: role of people

o Kings – ruled the empire and lived in luxury

o Nobles – served as important officials (tax collector and judges)
o Priests – performed many imporratn duties (keeping calendars)
o Warriors – fought to conquer other people and capture victims for sacrifice
o Merchants – traded goods (food, clothing, tools)
o Artisans – made a wide variety of goods people neede
o Farmers – most Aztecs – farmers – lived in simple huts
o Slaves – prisoners of wars 0 forced to work or were sacrificed