Early Civilizations of Middle America*, Unit 2, Quiz 1 Review

*Middle America – a term used to mean Mexico and the 7 countries of Central America, (Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and El Salvador)

Incan EmpireMayan Empire

Aztec Empire

The Incas: People of the

Sun!

During the reign of Topa Inca, the Incan Empire grew to over

2,500 miles with 12 million people under his rule, making it the largest of the 3 empires

we have studies.

During the reign of Topa Inca, the Incan Empire traveled south, from Ecuador to Argentina, along the coast of the

Pacific Ocean.

AqueductA combination of bridges and

tunnels, using stone pipes which would bring water from rivers to

people a few hundred miles away.

The Inca built great aqueducts (bridges and tunnels to transport water) in order to bring

water into their villages from the mountaintops.

A Census is an official count of all people living in an area. Quipas was a knotted string used by the Incas as a method of keeping records

_____

3,643

CensusOfficial count or total number of

people in an area.

The Inca kept excellent census records (population count and collecting taxes) with their quipus.

Taxes were paid in food. The leader and nobles were given theirs, and then it was dispersed to

the poor, sick and elderly.

The Inca were master of stone. They did not have metal tools yet cut and

interlocked stone so tight a piece of paper could not fit through any two stones. And they were

heavy. They did not have wheels or horses. Lastly,

their buildings were earthquake proof!

-the roads allowed for quick travel of the Incan army

Along the 2,500 miles of South American coast, most

of it through the Andes Mountains, the Incans made over 14,000 miles of roads and bridges – an incredible

feat!

-the roads allowed a series of runners who were messengers to travel 250 miles a day with news of the empire

-the roads allowed for taking census and collecting taxes for the government

-the roads allowed for safe travel of trade caravans

The Inca were fighting a civil war (a war within a nation) in the 1520s, which allowed the Spanish to

easily defeat them.

Civil WarA war fought between two groups within the

same nation/civilization

-They had the largest empire along the Andes coast of South America

-They built over 14,000 miles of roads and bridges

-They built earthquake proof buildings without using metal tools or cement/concrete

-They built aqueducts which brought water hundreds of miles to dry land

-They kept careful, organized records by taking an annual census and thus taxing appropriately

-Their government helped the elderly, sick and poor from the collected taxes. It organized which villagers would work on roads, buildings, and bridges

-They used quipus to keep records mathematically

-They used runners who kept the empire informed daily running over 250 miles, from town to town However, they did not have a written language or money as we know either.

INCAN EMPIRE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN REVIEW

Introduction to the Aztec Empire

Its importance is the Aztec transformed a lake into their capital city and ruled a huge empire.

Main Idea: The Aztec built their

empire in Mexico during

the 1400s, with their capital in Tenochtitlan.

A wave of Spanish conquistadors (conquerors) in the early 1500s disrupted and destroyed many nations

native to the Americas.

CONQUISTADORConqueror, defeater

The Aztec Civilization began in

the Valley of Mexico. They

settled on an island in Lake Texcoco, in 1325. It took time

to develop, but lasted through the

early 1500s.

The Aztec people were able to change

a swampy lake into a great city, which was called Tenochtitlan

which was its capitol city.

The floating island Tenochtitlan and the Aztecs are remembered

for great farming.

Anchored to a lake, Tenochtitlan had an endless supply of water.

The illustration above shows an

Aztec farmer sowing the

seeds. The illustration below shows an

Aztec farmer reaping what he

sows.

FarmingMain Idea: Most Aztec were farmers, and they built floating gardens

(chinampas).

Its importance is even if there’s no rain, the crops still have water. There will have water to drink and food to eat.

Then

And

Now

AlliancesAgreement in which people cooperate for a common reason

Some nations or people form alliances in which they have an agreement or truce to look out for and

protect each other.In the case of the Aztec neighboring tribes, they formed alliances with the Spanish to defeat the

Aztec nation. The Aztec were not kind to their neighbors forcing many into slavery or human sacrifice.

Moctezuma was the leader of the Aztec Empire when the Spanish arrived in the New World. He demanded much from his people. He also made

enemies with tribes near the Aztec Empire, meaning very little peace with neighboring

tribes...

When Cortes arrived in Mexico, he found many of the Aztecs were willing to assist

him overtake Moctezuma. The Spanish and Aztec enemies formed alliances.

By 1521, the Aztec

people were

defeated by Cortes

ExploitTo take advantage of someone

Hernan Cortez exploited (took advantage of) the natives that helped his own needs of waging war against the Aztec. Afterwards, he enslaved them.

Aztec doctors were able to make over a thousand types of

medicine from using plants.

However, they could

not develop…

Immunity Resistance to diseases

It’s too bad the Native Americans did not have immunity (defenses) to European diseases; it would

have made for a much fairer fight.

It only took 15 years for the Spanish to defeat 2 powerful empires in America

(Aztec and Incan Empires).

The Spanish brought disease to America, which the Native Americans had never experienced,

nor the immunity to protect them.

EmpireDifferent groups of people ruled by

one leader or government

Much like ancient Rome, the Aztec built an empire (expanding nation) in which they conquered other Natives Americans and

took their land and resources.

The Aztecs are remembered for developing hieroglyphics, accurate

calendars, medicine, designing jewelry, fine crafts and predicting eclipses.

-They built a magnificent city on a lake-They were master farmers creating chinampas, floating gardens-They used artificial irrigation for their farming-They used a written language, hieroglyphics-They used a daily calendar based on the Mayan calendar-Their scientists were able to predict eclipses and movement of the planets-Their city of Tenochtitlan was like NYC of today with its culture, zoos, museums, temples, wide streets and busy markets selling food jewelry made of silver and gold-Their fierce army protected merchants as they traveled through the empire creating an economy-Their doctors made over 1,000 medicines from plants and herbs

However, they were brutal, often enslaving their enemies or using them for human sacrifice

AZTEC EMPIRE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN REVIEW

The Aztec and Mayan form of writing was known as hieroglyphics.

This is a form of graphic writing, using signs and symbols instead of

letters, as we do.

The Mayan Civilization lasted from A.D. 250 – 900.

The Mayan Empire was the earliest of the three empires and was located in

Central America and Mexico.

The Mayan Empire lasted the longest

of the three empires.

THE MAYANS ACCOMPLISHED MANY THINGS DURING THEIR EMPIRE’S REIGN, 250 – 900 CE

The Mayans are remembered for

being astronomers and developing an accurate calendar.

They had an alphabet. They,

built pyramids and temples. They introduced the value of zero, in

math.

-Their empire was first and lasted the longest, more than twice as long as the other two empires we studied

-They built great cities which were religious, economic and cultural centers of the day

-They were great scientists studying the planets and stars, creating two calendars, one was a daily calendar and one for their celebrations/holidays

-They were great mathematicians, being one of the first to include the value and having a symbol for zero

-They built great pyramids and temples

-They had their own written language, hieroglyphics

MAYAN EMPIRE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN REVIEW

Eventually, the people abandoned, left the cities to live on their own.

The Fall of the Mayan EmpireOne theory about the fall of the Mayans has them relying heavily on their king.

In turn, the people lost faith in the king.

These sacrifices did nothing but deplete the population and cause frustration among the people.

The people turned to their king to save the day.

The king would respond with more human sacrifice.

There was crop failure from drought and soil erosion.

As time went on, things started to go wrong.

The Aztec, Incan and Mayan EmpiresTo review the histories of

For taking timeThank you