Mayans

Location

Yucatan PeninsulaMexico and Guatemala

250-900CE

Government

City-states TheocracyKingSocial classes:

Nobility, priests, warriorsMerchantsPeasants

Society/Culture

CalendarReligious and solar calendars

AstronomyCalculated a year to 365.24 days

MathematicsNumber zero

Society/Culture Cont.

Used 800 Hieroglyphics symbols known as glyphs

Recorded important historical events

Pass on stories

Codex- books

Religion

Polytheistic

Prayed, offered blood

Sacrificed enemies

Pyramids and temples

Believed each day was a god

Economy

Based on trade and agriculture

Sometimes used cocoa beans for money

Downfall

Mysteriously abandoned cities in 800

Warfare?

Food shortage/famine?

http://www.history.com/topics/maya/videos#ask-history-did-the-maya-predict-2012

AztecsAztecs

LocationLocation

Central MexicoCentral Mexico Valley of MexicoValley of Mexico

TeotihuacanTeotihuacan ““City of the City of the

Gods”Gods” Near Mexico Near Mexico

CityCity Center for tradeCenter for trade

GovernmentGovernment Theocracy Theocracy

Emperor- absolute powerEmperor- absolute power Social classesSocial classes

NobilityNobility Govt. officials, priests, Govt. officials, priests,

military leadersmilitary leaders CommonersCommoners

Merchants, artisans, Merchants, artisans, soldiers, farmerssoldiers, farmers

SlavesSlaves

Society/CultureSociety/Culture TenochtitlaTenochtitla

nn Planned Planned

citycity RoadsRoads Aqueducts Aqueducts

Society/Culture cont.Society/Culture cont.

CalendarCalendar Same as the Same as the

MayansMayans 18 months of 20 18 months of 20

daysdays 5 extra days were 5 extra days were

bad luckbad luck

ReligionReligion

PolytheisticPolytheistic Adopted from Adopted from

the Toltecsthe Toltecs Rituals, festivals, Rituals, festivals,

offeringsofferings Sun godSun god

Nourished by Nourished by human bloodhuman blood

EconomyEconomy

TradeTrade MarketMarket

Bigger than Bigger than any in Spainany in Spain

AgricultureAgriculture Produce sold Produce sold

at marketat market

DownfallDownfall

Montezuma IIMontezuma II Last emperorLast emperor

Demand for more Demand for more tribute and sacrifice tribute and sacrifice caused oppressioncaused oppression

Spanish invadedSpanish invaded Hernando CortezHernando Cortez believed to be believed to be

QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatl

QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatl Feathered Feathered

serpent god of serpent god of Meso-AmericaMeso-America

God of learningGod of learning Symbol of death, Symbol of death,

and rebirthand rebirth Was overthrownWas overthrown Legend says he Legend says he

would returnwould return

http://www.history.com/topics/aztecs/videos#the-aztecs

IncasIncas

LocationLocation

PeruPeru Andes Andes

MountainsMountains

GovernmentGovernment

Central bureaucracyCentral bureaucracyTheocracyTheocracy

Ruler considered a descendent Ruler considered a descendent of the sun godof the sun god

Chiefs led groupsChiefs led groupsPachacutiPachacuti

Expanded kingdom into an Expanded kingdom into an empireempire

Society/CultureSociety/Culture

Road systemRoad system Used for tradeUsed for trade

QuipuQuipu- counting - counting device used to device used to record datarecord data

CalendarCalendar Day and nightDay and night Provided info about Provided info about

the Godsthe Gods

ReligionReligion

PolytheisticPolytheisticNature spiritsNature spirits

Sun, moon, stars, Sun, moon, stars, thunderthunder

Sacrificed llamas Sacrificed llamas and distributed and distributed goodsgoods Machu

Piccu

EconomyEconomy

Based on tradeBased on trade Early form of Early form of

socialismsocialism Government Government

controlled the controlled the economyeconomy

DownfallDownfall

Civil war broke Civil war broke outout

Francisco Francisco PizarroPizarro Spanish Spanish

conquistadorconquistador Conquered the Conquered the

Incas in 1535Incas in 1535