American Civilizations Overview

Overview

This lecture explores state-building in the Americas from 1200 to 1450, focusing on the Maya, Aztec, Inca, Mississippian, Chaco, and Mesa Verde societies, examining their political structures, economies, and innovations.

Maya Civilization (Historical Context)

• The Maya civilization (250–900 CE) featured large urban centers and a sophisticated writing system.
• Their political structure was decentralized, consisting of frequently warring city-states.
• Expansion aimed to create tributary networks, not direct territorial control.
• Conquered peoples sent tribute, including textiles, weapons, and materials, but retained some independence.
• Human sacrifice played a central religious and political role.

Aztec Empire (1200–1450)

• The Aztec Empire (1345–1528) was founded by the Mashika people through military power and alliances.
• The Aztecs maintained a decentralized power structure, using tributary states to manage their empire.
• Tribute payments included food, animals, and materials; expansion was driven by both political and religious motives (human sacrifice).
• The Mashika claimed lineage from prestigious earlier peoples to legitimize rule.
• The capital, Tenochtitlan, had 150,000–200,000 people, with marketplaces and pyramid temples signaling a developed economy and state.

Inca Empire

• The Inca established their empire in the Andes after 400 CE, borrowing heavily from earlier societies like the Wari.
• Rose to power as outsiders through military strength, similar to the Aztecs.
• The Inca power structure was highly centralized, relying on a bureaucracy to enforce ruler’s will.
• Conquered people provided labor (mita system), not tribute goods; labor was required for state projects.
• Adopted and expanded previous infrastructure, including extensive roads and bridges.

North American Civilizations

• The Mississippian culture (from 8th–9th century CE) was the first large-scale North American civilization, based in the Mississippi River Valley.
• Societies were agricultural and hierarchical, ruled by chiefs called the Great Sun.
• Known for large mound-building projects used for burials and ceremonies, notably at Cahokia.
• Mound construction implies strong political organization.
• Chaco and Mesa Verde societies in the Southwest used innovative water and building techniques due to arid conditions.
• Chacoans built with quarried sandstone and imported timber; Mesa Verde people built cliff dwellings in sandstone.

Key Terms & Definitions

• City-state — An independent city and its surrounding territory, functioning as a sovereign political entity.
• Tributary state — A state that remains autonomous but must send regular tribute to a more powerful state.
• Mita system — Inca labor system requiring subjects to work on state projects for a period each year.
• Decentralized power — Political structure where control is distributed among various local authorities.
• Centralized power — Political structure with decision-making concentrated under a central authority.
• Mound building — The construction of large earthworks for ceremonial, religious, or burial purposes.

Action Items / Next Steps

• Review the differences between centralized and decentralized state structures.
• Study the significance of tribute and labor systems in empire administration.
• Examine how environment influenced architectural and technological innovations in American civilizations.