Maya, Aztez, or Inca?

Directions: In the blank space, put M for Maya, A for Aztec, or I for Inca.

____1. Which culture arose in the rain forests of Central America?

____2. Which culture arose in South America?

____3. Which culture's empire was defeated by the Spanish conqueror Pizarro?

____4. Which culture's empire was defeated by the Spanish conqueror Cortez?

____5. Which culture's capital was Cuzco?

____6. Which culture's capital city, population 200,000, was larger than any in Europe at the time?

____7. Which culture was ruled by Moctezuma II ?

____8. Which culture supported the poor, aged, and disabled with a social welfare system?

____9. Which culture first calculated the exact number of days in the solar year?

____10. Which culture developed on the central plateau of Mexico?

____11. Which culture developed an accounting device known as the quipu?

____12. Which culture developed a method of freeze-drying potatoes for future use?

____13. Which culture carried out human sacrifice to the sun god on a massive scale?

____14. Which culture built a road system and used runners as messengers to link its empire?

____15. Which culture founded the city of Tenochtitlan on a small island?

 MAYA AZTEC INCA
Location 1. dense, lowland rain forest of Central America Aztecs migrated from northern Mexico to the Incas built huge empire in the fertile valleys of the
2. extended from Yucatan Peninsula to Guatemala Central Plateau of Mexico Andes Mountains (Peru, Ecuador,Bolivia, and Chile)
Time Period 1. started around 200 BC Civilization lasted from 1200 to1520 Civilization reached its height in the 1400s and lasted
2. civilization reached a peak between 250 AD to 900 AD until 1535
Farming/Economy 1. traded between cities - cotton textiles, jade ornaments, 1. farmed the swampy lands around the capital city, 1. fed a population of 9 million with skilled farming
obsidian for knives, salt, flint, feathers, shells, and honey Tenochtitlan (200,000 people) 2. built irrigation systems to carry water from
2. cleared dense forests and built raised fields for crops; 2. planted crops on reed rafts filled with earth mountains to dry lowlands
also built terraced fields on hillsides 3. capital city had huge central market place in 3. carved terraces into mountains to grow crops
3. fed tens of thousands of people with maize (corn), which goods from all over the empire were sold 4. used fertilizer to grow corn, potatoes and beans
beans, and squash - had no big farm animals 4. merchants grew wealthy through trade 5. government controlled the economy and trade
Government/Society 1. independent city-states, each ruled by a god-king 1. king chosen by a small group of priests, nobles, 1. emperor owned all land, mines, and wealth
2. noble class (priests and warriors) helped the king rule and warriors - military leaders held great power 2. he ruled with the help of nobles and priests
3. artisan and merchant class under priests 2. conquered city-states around the capital 3. he told people where to live and what jobs to do
4. most people were peasants and laborers who farmed 3. forced ctiy-states to pay tribute to the Aztecs 4. he assigned land for farming and collected taxes
and helped hauled stone to build temples 4. prisoners of war captured and used as slaves or 5. a complicated communication system with roads and
5. slaves captured in war were the lowest class human sacrifices messengers was used to control the empire
Religion 1. belief that gods controlled the forces of nature 1. worshipped gods of nature 1. Incas worshipped gods of moon, stars, and thunder
2. priests performed rituals in ceremonial centers to please 2. priests were very powerful in the society 2. the main gods were the creator god and the sun god
the gods 3. they performed rituals and public ceremonies - 3. emperor was said to be descended from the sun god
3. huge pyramid-temples built to honor the gods including human sacrifices to the sun god 4. the main center of worship was the Temple of the
4. stone palaces built around the temples 4. Quetzalcoatl - feathered serpent god of the Sun in Cuzco, the capital city of the empire
5. a basketball-like game had religious importance Aztecs, who brought death and rebirth 5. young people forced into lifetime religious service
Achievements 1. architecture - huge stone temples filled with art work 1. educated both boys (history, religion, warfare) 1. built a network of highways throughout empire
2. writing - used hieroglyphic system of writing and 2. roads were used for armies and messengers
3. priest-astronomers studied the sky girls (homemaking and herbal medicine) 3. records were kept and messages sent with a knotted
4. invented a 365 day calendar like the one we use today 2. women could own property and remarry string, a quipu
5. developed complex mathematics - used a zero 3. some women even became priestesses 4. used complex calendar systems for day and night
6. recorded events in a bark paper book called a codex 4. built a city larger than any in Europe at the time 5. supported the poor, aged and disabled
with canals, streets, and aqueducts providing water
Downfall 1. civilization declined around 800AD 1. Aztecs defeated by Spanish conqueror Cortes in 1. Incas defeated by Spanish conqueror Pizarro, who
2. frequent warfare between city-states disrupted trade 1521, who was looking for gold was looking for gold
3. overpopulation and over-farming may have used up the 2. ruler Moctezuma believed Cortes was god 2. Pizarro took advantage of a civil war and tricked the
soil 3. Spaniards overpowered Aztecs with horses, emperor, who tried to buy his freedom with treasure
4. possibly disease or famine sent peasants fleeing into the armor, guns, cannons, and enemies of the Aztecs 3. Aztecs were overpowered by advanced weapons and
jungle 4. many Aztecs caught smallpox and died died from diseases