Mayan and Aztec Civilizations By Shruthi Connor Sebastian

Mayan and Aztec Civilizations By: Shruthi, Connor, Sebastian, and Zoe

Origins Mayan Aztec Mayans in northern Guatemala, 2600 B. C. Aztecs built their empire around 1428 C. E Earliest intact artifacts from 1500 B. C. Came from a land called Aztlan Pottery found near Pacific Ocean, 900 -1500 B. C. Aztlan means “white land”

Location/Geography Mayan Eastern third of Mesoamerica-Yucatan Peninsula Volcanic Mountains in the South. Highlands Porous limestone shelf-Lowlands Southern Lowlands-rainforest Northern Lowlands-drier forests Aztec From Pacific to Gulf of Mexico Built their empire on a swamp Land was perfect for farming

Agriculture Mayan Aztec Slash and burn form of agriculture Aztecs had large markets Lowlands produced crops used for personal consumption Aztecs grew lots of food Principal crop was maize Grew squash, beans, chili peppers, and cotton Squash Avocadoes Potatoes Tomatoes Beans The Aztecs used Chinampas to farm

Religion/Culture Mayans worshipped many deities and gods Hunab Ku, creator of the universe Sacrifices were practiced for their deities Slaves, children, and criminal were sacrificed Nacoms cut out hearts of sacrifices Nacoms wore all black, used knives Aztecs sacrificed people to their gods Huitzilopochtli, god of war, and sun Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent Had a 365 day solar calendar Had a 260 day ritual calendar

Clothing Mayan Aztec Men wore loincloth, or short skirts Upper Class wore colorful clothing items Women wore long skirts They wore head-dresses and gold Outfits were often decorated with jewelry Merchants wore elaborate clothing items Hair was almost always tied up Warriors wore cotton armour Public Events-ruling class-large, lavish outfits Large feathered headdresses Jade jewelry Clothing made from skins of dangerous animals

Mayan Economy Aztec Volcanic highlands-source of precious metals Aztecs where highly developed intellectually River systems used for transportation There were two classes: servants & nobles Feathers, honey, and cocoa were traded Lived in city-states Currency-cocoa beans, gold, jade, copper Citizens paid varying amounts of tribute Currency-cocoa beans, cloth (Quachtli)

Architecture Mayan Aztec Used lime to construct many temples Tenochtitlan was the main Aztec city Buildings in Mayan cities shared features Relied heavily on cosmology, astronomy, and religion Cities had no linear layout Major pyramids formed perfect isosceles triangles Tools-stones, chisels, and blades Built temples and pyramids Examples include Tikal, Yaxhá, and Nakum Built shrines dedicated to specific gods Lime stucco used to strengthen decorations Built chinampas

Works Cited “Aztec Architecture. ” Legends and Chronicles. 2007. Web. 13 Oct 2015 Cartwright, Mark. "Aztec Art. " Ancient History Encyclopedia. 6 Jan. 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2015. Cartwright, Mark. "Aztec Civilization. " Ancient History Encyclopedia. 26 Feb. 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2015. Cartwright, Mark. "Aztec Warfare. " Ancient History Encyclopedia. 18 Mar. 2015. Web. 8 Oct. 2015. Jarus, Owen. "The Maya: History, Culture & Religion. " Live. Science. Tech. Media Network, 6 Dec. 2013. Web. 9 Oct. 2015. History. com, “Maya Architecture. ” Maya Architecture. 2015 Web. 09 Oct. 2015. "Maya Civilization. " Maya Civilization. 2015 Web. 7 Oct. 2015 “Maya Human Sacrifice. ” Maya Human Sacrifice. 2015 Web. 08 Oct. 2015. “Origins of the Maya. ” Origins of the Maya. N. d. , n. d. Web. 09 Oct. 2015. Smith, Michael. "The Aztec Empire. " Aztec-History. 2003. Web. 9 Oct. 2015. Staff. "Aztecs. " History. 2006. Web. 9 Oct. 2015. “What Did the Ancient Maya Wear? ” What Did the Ancient Maya Wear? Web. 13 Oct. 2015.