PreColombian Civilization Unit III 600 1450 C E

Pre-Colombian Civilization! Unit III 600 -1450 C. E.

Maya • 300 B. C. E. -900 C. E. • Golden Age 500 -850 C. E. • Classical civilization • Southern Mexico (Yucatan Peninsula), Central America –Tikal

Maya - Political • City-states – Relatively autonomous, but united under one king • Warfare – Religious – Slaves • Geography

Maya – Social, Cultural • Social structure – Kings, priests, nobility – Merchants – Peasants, slaves • Gender – Traditional roles for women – Inherit land

Maya - Religious • • • Three-part world view Maize Sacrifices Pyramids Calendar – Zero (Gupta!)

Maya - Economic • Agricultural – Slash and burn – Terrace, ridge field – Maize, cotton

Maya - Decline • Disease, drought, internal unrest • Remaining peoples – Rigoberta Menchú

Aztecs • 1150 C. E. - 1450 C. E. • Central Mexico • Tenochtitlan – Quetzalcoatl

Aztecs - Political • Expansionist, militant – Professional army – Sacrifices – Autonomy, taxes (no bureaucracy) – Roads • Inter-territorial trade – Guerras floridas

Aztecs – Social, Cultural • Social Structure – Warrior elite – Maya • Gender – Women subordinate – Inherit property – Commerce • Religion – Military and religion – Sacrifices

Inca • Early 13 th century 1450 C. E. • Peruvian Andes • Cuzco

Inca - Political • Expansionist – Inti – Professional standing army • Most united empire! – 1. bureaucracy – 2. unified spoken language (Quechua) – 3. roads • Chasquis and quipus

Inca – Social, Cultural • Gender – Women subordinate – Inherit property – Commerce (weaving) – More religious roles • Religion – Inti: sun god, owns all • No private property • El Inca – Smaller-scale sacrifice – Morality – Machu Picchu

Comparison - Politically • Motivations for expansion – Maya: slaves – Aztec: territory, sacrifices – Inca: religious • Centralization – Aztec and Maya: city-state autonomy – Inca: most centralized • Bureaucracy • Unified language (Quechua) • Roads

Comparison - Socially • All – Peasant majority – Slavery of conquered peoples – Women subordinate except • Inherit land • Commerce • Maya: Merchant class • Aztec: Warrior elite • Inca: Religious elite, god-king (el Inca)

Compare Aztecs to Romans • • 1. roads 2. autonomy but tribute 3. adapted ideas from conquered peoples 4. polytheistic vs

AP Essays • Mesoamerican civilization= Mayas, Aztecs • Andean civilization= Incas • Be able to compare Mayas to Unit II classical civilizations • Understand how religion contextualized expansion (Unit III!)