State Building in the Americas (1200-1450)

Mesoamerica

The Maya Civilization (250-900 CE)

• Built large urban centers.
• Developed the most sophisticated writing system in the Americas.
• Advanced mathematics, including the concept of zero.
• State structure: Decentralized city-states, often at war.
• Tributary system: Conquered powers sent tributes such as textiles and military weapons.
• Practiced human sacrifice for religious purposes.

The Aztec Empire (1345-1528)

• Origins: The Mexica people, semi-nomadic and skilled in military.
• Established through strategic alliances and marriages.
• Formed alliances to create the Aztec Empire by 1428.
• State structure: Decentralized, similar to the Maya, with a tributary system.
• Religious motivations for expansion: Human sacrifice to appease the sun god.
• Capital: Tenochtitlan, population 150,000-200,000, showcasing a commercial economy.
• Political legitimacy: Claimed heritage from older civilizations.
• Built elaborate palaces and pyramid temples.

Andean Civilizations

The Inca Empire

• Originated in the mid-1400s, drawing from earlier societies like the Wari.
• Military prowess led to rapid expansion.
• State structure: Centralized power with a massive bureaucracy.
• Labor system: Mita, requiring labor from the conquered peoples for state projects.
• Infrastructure: Vast networks of roads and bridges.

North America

Mississippian Culture

• Emerged around the 8th or 9th century CE in the Mississippi River Valley.
• Agricultural society due to fertile soil.
• Political structure: Hierarchical, with powerful chiefs known as "Great Sun."
• Known for extensive mound building for memorial, religious purposes.
• Largest urban center: Cahokia.

Chaco and Mesa Verde Societies

• Located in the southwest of present-day United States.
• Innovations in water transportation and storage in arid regions.
• Architectural achievements:
  • Chaco: Carved sandstone structures, imported timber.
  • Mesa Verde: Built housing complexes in cliff sides using sandstone.