e h T ecs tz A geography The

e h T ecs tz A

geography The relative location for the Aztecs is the Gulf of Mexico. Today they would be living in current day Mexico.

Political The Aztecs lived in city-states. All of the city-states pledged loyalty to an emperor. The emperor did not interfere with the ruling of the citystate as long as they paid a tribute to him.

Economic & Cultural achievements Specialization Floating Gardens Tenochtitlan

Tenochtitlan was located on a swampy island. Some historians estimate that nearly 200, 000 people lived in the city during its peak.

Religion The Aztecs had a polytheistic religion. To keep their gods happy, the Aztecs believed that human sacrifice was necessary. They used people to feed their hungry gods.

Hernan Cortes & The Fall of the AZTECS Hernan Cortes sailed for the country of Spain. He and his men landed on the Mexican coast in April, 1519. Montezuma II, the Aztec emperor, sent Cortes gifts of gold and chocolate. Although he did not trust Cortes, he feared that the explorer was a god.

When Cortes arrived in Tenochtitlan, he was welcomed. Later, tensions rose between the two groups leading to the capture of Montezuma II was killed during his captivity. After his death, the Aztecs attacked the Spanish and killed 2/3 of their men. Cortes escaped the attack and later returned to the city. After 3 months of fighting, he conquered the Aztec Empire.

e h T ans y a M

geography The Mayans were located in central America and Mexico. Today, many can still visit Mayan ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Political The Mayans lived in citystates. Each city-state was ruled by a king. The Mayans believed that the king was given the right to rule by the gods (theocracy).

Economic & Cultural Achievements Slash & Burn Chultuns Calendar Pyramids

pyramids Mayan pyramids have flat tops. Two types of pyramids were built. One was built with a temple on top where priests performed sacrifices. The second was built for the gods and were not to be climbed or touched by humans.

Religion The Mayans believed in many nature gods. They believed that the gods were neither completely good or completely bad. Mayans did perform human sacrifices but not as frequently as the Aztecs.

What Happened to the Mayans? The fall of the Mayans is one of history’s great mysteries. One of the mightiest civilizations in the ancient Americas simply fell into ruin in a very short time. There are many theories about what happened to the Mayans, but historians and archeologists cannot come to a consensus. Some theories are: The Disaster Theory The Warfare Theory The Famine Theory Civil Strife Theory Environmental Change Theory

e h T as c n. I

Geography The Inca Empire originated in a village in the Andes Mountains of South America about 15 miles south of Cuzco. By using their military, the Incas were able to extend their empire along the Pacific coast from the northern border of modern Ecuador to central Chile.

Political The Inca government was lead by the Sapa Inca. This leader was considered to be the sun god, Inti.

Political The Inca government created the collective farms. In a collective farm, all land belonged to the government, crops allotted to specific groups, and the government took possession of each harvest. Private property was forbidden. There were no written records. History was preserved through generations.

Economic & Cultural achievements Aqueducts Terrace Farming Quipu Machu Pichu

Machu Picchu is an ancient city of the Inca Empire. Machu Picchu is located on a mountain ridge in Peru. The Incas built the city in 1430, and today it is known as “The Lost City of the Incas”.

Religion The Incas had a polytheistic religion. The religion was headed by Inti (the sun god). A festival for the gods was held every month. At the festival, rituals included sacrifices of humans and animals.

Francisco Pizarro & The Fall of the Incas Pizarro sailed for the country of Spain. He wanted to discover wealth, so he embarked on a voyage to the New World. 1532: Pizarro led 160 Spaniards to Cuzco, slaughtering over 2, 000 Inca and injuring 5, 000.

Atahualpa was captured by Pizarro and the Spaniards. The Incas offered gold for his freedom. Pizarro accepted the ransom, but never released Atahualpa. July 26, 1533: Atahualpa was killed.

Word Definition Specialization Doing Different Jobs Floating Garden Rafts where dirt was placed in order to farm Tenochtitlan Aztec city; doesn’t exist anymore Hernan Cortes Spanish Explorer who defeated the Aztecs Aztec leader that was kidnapped & killed by Cortes Creating land for crops by cutting down and burning trees. Using different colored strings and knots to record economic information Montezuma II Slash & Burn Quipu

Word Definition Machu Pichu Inca city; still exists Francisco Pizarro Spanish Explorer who defeated the Incas Atahualpa Sapa Inca that was kidnapped & killed by Pizarro Government where the leader is chosen by the gods Theocracy