2/28 Aim: How were the Mayans and Aztecs Similar? Different? HW: ½ page compare/ contrast Aztec and Mayan achievements The Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, Mexico. Temple to the god Kukulkan.

Mayan Architecture Temple at Chichen Itza Illustration of Tikal before the civilization fell Temple at Tikal

Aztec Architecture Aztec temples near Mexico City

Mayan Written Language The Mayan language is called Nahuatl Which is a system of pictograms

Aztec Written Language Aztec language was also based on Nuhatl which is still spoken in some parts of Mexico and Central America today

Adapting to their Environment: Mayan Farming Techniques In order to support a large population, the Mayans had to adapt to their tropical environment. Rain forests were cleared, then raised fields that caught and held rainwater were built. They also built channels that could be opened to drain off excess water. Most Mayans were farmers. They grew corn, beans, and squash – the basic food crops of Middle America. Men usually cultivated the crops, while women turned them into food

Adapting to their Environment: Aztec Farming Techniques As the Aztec’s population grew, they found an ingenious way to create more farmland. They built Chinampas, or artificial islands Made of earth piled on reed mats that were Anchored to the shallow lake bed where they grew corn, beans, and squash

Mayan Religious Beliefs The Maya worshipped a pantheon of nature gods, each of which had both a benevolent side and a malevolent side. The most important deity was the supreme god Itzamná, the creator god, the god of the fire and god of the hearth. Another important Mayan god was Kukulcán, the Feathered Serpent, who appears on many temples and was later adopted by the Toltecs and Aztecs as Quetzalcoatl. Also important was Chac, a hooked-nose god of rain and lightning. Mayan priests would perform Rituals of human sacrifice to the Gods

Aztec Religious Beliefs The Aztec priests were a class apart. They performed the rituals needed to please the many Aztec gods and prevent droughts, floods, or other disasters. The chief Aztec god was Huitzilopochtli, the sun god. His giant pyramid-temple towered above central Tenochtitlan. Huitzilopochtli, the Aztecs believed battled the forces of darkness each night and was reborn each morning. To give the sun strength to rise each day, the Aztecs offered human sacrifices. Priests offered the hearts of tens of thousands of victims to Huitzilopochtli and other Aztec gods. Most of the victims were prisoners of war, but sometimes a noble family gave up one of its own members to appease the gods.

Mayan and Aztec Achievements: Astronomical Calculations Both the Mayans and Aztecs created accurate 365-day solar calendars mainly for religious purposes. Mayan priests needed to measure time accurately in order to hold ceremonies at the correct moment. As a result, priests became expert mathematicians and astronomers. Some used their knowledge of astronomy and mathematics to foretell the future

Decline of the Mayas About 900 A.D, the Mayas abandoned their cities, leaving their great stone palaces and temples to be swallowed up by the jungle. No one knows for sure why Mayan civilization declined. Possibly, frequent warfare forced the Mayas to abandon their traditional agricultural methods. Or, overpopulation may have led to over farming, which in turn exhausted the soil. Heavy taxes to finance wars and temple building may have sparked peasant revolts.

Decline of the Aztecs At the height of Aztec power in 1519, word reached Tenochtitlan that pale-skinned, bearded men, had landed on the east coast. Montezuma, king of the Aztecs, possibly believing that Hernando Cortes, was the god-king returning from the east, invited Cortes into his capital. Later, Relations between the Aztecs and Spaniards soon grew strained, and the Aztecs Drove the Spanish from the city. Montezuma was killed in the fighting. By 1521 however, Cortes and his Indian allies captured and demolished Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs had been conquered

The Mayas and the Aztecs Architecture 1. Study the examples of Mayan and Aztec Architecture and illustrations of the city. Describe 3 ways they are similar: 1. 2. 3. Written Language Study the examples of Mayan and Aztec written language. Describe 2 ways they are similar. How is it similar to other ancient civilizations? Adaption to Environment: Farming Techniques Provide examples as to how the Mayans adapted to their tropical environment How did the Aztecs adapt to their environment? Religious Beliefs Explain 2 ways the religious beliefs of the Mayans and Aztecs were similar. Explain one way they were different Mayan and Aztec Achievements Astronomical Calculations 1. Which achievement was accomplished by both the Mayas and Aztecs? 2. Why was this achievement useful? Decline Explain 2 possible theories as to why the Maya’s civilization declined. How did the decline of the Aztecs differ from the decline of the Maya? The Mayas and the Aztecs

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