1. Ch. 16 People and Empires in the Americas

2. Section 1 North American Societies

3. Complex Societies
Unlike the Mesoamerican and S. American natives, the N.A. tribes never build empires
Tribes in the NW were the first to display their wealth/rank
The potlatch was a celebration usually thrown by the wealthy for the people

4. Builders In the west, tribes adapted to their environment
Irrigation for water
Cliff dwellings (Mesa Verde)
The Anasazi would build large, apartment style communities (pueblos) that had up to 600 rooms (Pueblo Bonito)

5. Mound Builders From the Mississippi and East Around 700 BC
The huge earthen mounds were like pyramids (tombs for the leaders filled with gifts)
Could also be used for religious ceremonies
Trade networks existed between the native groups as far as Mesoamerica

6. Alliances While not building empires, the natives did use alliances
Best example – Iroquois League
Spoke related languages
Lived in the Northeastern Woodlands
Promoted joint defense and cooperation

7. Trade Connects Cultures
Trade was the most common link between native groups
Chinook established a marketplace where people from all over the West brought their goods
The Mississippian had a trade network including everything in the US east of the Rockies

8. Religion & Family
Nearly all tribes worshipped nature spirits with one “Great Spirit” above all others
Most gave great respect to the land
nobody owned the land; land was sacred
Society was typically organized around the family
Totems were used to identify your clan

9. Section 2 Maya Kings and Cities

10. City-States
As we entered the AD era, Central America began creating civilizations
The Mayan people were among the first
Southern Mexico to Central America
By 250 AD, they were pushing forward

11. Mayan Urban Centers Mayan Classic Period 250-900 AD Built huge cities
Each was ruled by a god-king and was a religious center
People lived in communities on the edges
Ruled independently, the city-states were linked only by trade/alliances

12. Social Structure
Farming led to the growth of wealth in individuals, which led to a class system
King – passed on to son
Nobles – priests and warriors
Merchants – special skills
peasants

13. Religion Plays a significant role on Mayan life
Polytheistic (based on nature)
Corn, death, rain, and war
Good and evil
Lots of different ways of worshipping
Offerings (sometimes human) and body modification were most common

14. Math links to religion
Gods ruled on a schedule (handed it on to another when their time was up)
Religion led to the development the calendar
2 calendars that had different significances that affected many aspect of lives (farming, war, crowning new leaders)
Based on observing the planets, sun, and moon
17 seconds off of our calendar

15. Written Language Most advanced writing in the Americas
800 hieroglyphic symbols (glyphs) that represented words/sounds
Used to record history, pass on stories, and make calendars
Recorded history into a bark-paper book known as a codex (only 3 still exist)
Other books exist, but are informal accounts

16. Mysterious Decline Late 800s, Mayan cities were suddenly abandoned
Taken over by warriors (Toltecs) who drastically changed the culture
Theories
Mayan civil war disrupted trade, made them weak
Environment was overworked

17. Section 3 The Aztecs

18. Valley of Mexico Preceded by Olmec and Zapotec
Nestled in the mountains of Mexico, is has lakes, resources, and fertile soil
This would be the center of their empire

19. Early City-State Teotihuacan will be the first major city-state
Population reached over 150,000
1 central avenue with more than 20 pyramids dedicated to gods
Teotihuacan was the center of trade for all of central America
Obsidian was their most valuable item
By 750, it was abandoned

20. Toltecs Take Over (900 AD)
Took 150 years for a new culture to take over
Built pyramids/temples to their gods
Extremely warlike
God demanded blood and human sacrifice
Topiltzin will try to reform the religion using Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent)
This becomes a legend after he is forced out and will come back to haunt them
Power is gone by 1200

21. Aztec Origins
Moving throughout Mexico, the Mexica (Aztecs) people were poor nomads that made great mercenaries
They are given a sign from their god on to build Tenochtitlan in 1325

22. Aztec Empire Grows They grew steadily
In 1428, they will merge with the Texcoco and Tlacopan city-states to create the Triple Alliance
They continued to expand using military force
Pay tribute and not much changed
Refuse to obey and you would be crushed

23. Aztec Social Structure
At its peak, the Aztec nobility consisted of gov. officials, priests, and military leaders
Beneath them were the commoners (merchants, artisans, soldiers, and farmers) and the slaves (conquered peoples)
Above everyone else was the emperor who ruled absolutely

24. Religion in Aztec Society
Had about 1000 gods
Adopted a lot of previous cultures gods (Quetzalcoatl)
Ceremonies were elaborate to win the favor of the gods

25. Sun God & Sacrifices
Responsible for the sun rise and set, the Sun God is most important
To be strong enough to rise, he demanded human blood sacrifice
Thousands/year were sacrificed
Usually used slaves, criminals, people “offered” as tribute, and mostly conquered peoples

26. Fall of the Aztecs 1502, Montezuma II takes power
Called for more sacrifices as the empire grew larger
Many provinces rebelled in anger over sacrifices
He tried to limit government/sacrifices, but it was too late. People felt that the gods were angry with the Aztec leaders

27. Section 4 The Inca Create a Mountain Empire

28. Origins Built on the traditions of the Chavin, Moche, and the Nazca
They had been mountainous but eventually settled into the Valley of Cuzco

29. Pachacuti Began his reign in 1438
The Incan Empire will grow quickest under his leadership
80 provinces with 16 million people
Used diplomacy and military strength
Many will give up without resistance
Incans tried to gain loyalty even of the conquered people

30. Incan Unity The empire was divided into units Governed by bureaucracy
Roads connected the cities
The Quechua language was spoken by all
Schools educated people about their culture

31. Government Presence
The Incans built cities in conquered peoples lands using their style of architecture
Reminded conquered people who was in charge
Master stonemasons
All roads led to Cuzco

32. Incan Government Exercised complete control
Little private commerce
Society was like the welfare state (socialism), you provide for the state, the state will provide for you.
This kept people loyal
People were grouped (ayllu). If a group resisted Incan control, they would be moved
The greatest demand from the government was the mita (labor tribute)
Farmed, built crafts, built public works

33. Public Works Most important was the road system
14000 miles of roads/bridges through the rocky terrain
Could be paved or just a path
Guesthouses could be found along the path
Even had a postal service using a system of runners
Like the Romans, they were very skilled engineers

34. Record Keeping Never had a writing system
Everything was memorized
For numbers, they used the quipu (knotted strings)
Colors represented topic, knots were the numbers

35. Religious Practices
Had fewer gods than the Aztecs, but gods were still based on nature spirits
Most Important: Creator and sun god (the king is his descendant)

36. Fall of the Empire Peaked in the early 1500s with Huayna Capac
Upon his death, the empire was divided among his sons
They fought a civil war not long after that tore the empire apart