Overview
This lecture covers the key characteristics and histories of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations, focusing on their societies, achievements, and interactions with European conquistadors.
Major Indigenous Civilizations & Locations
- Aztecs were located in central Mexico; their capital was Tenochtitlan (modern-day Mexico City).
- Mayans occupied the Yucatán Peninsula and present-day Guatemala.
- Incas lived along the Andes in present-day Peru and nearby areas.
The Aztec Empire
- Aztecs were known for military conquest, advanced architecture, and a highly religious society.
- Tenochtitlan supported a population of 200,000–300,000 and featured step pyramids and aqueducts.
- Aztec religion was polytheistic and fatalistic, requiring regular human sacrifices.
- "Flower wars" were fought to capture people for sacrifice.
- Aztecs built aqueducts and piped water into homes, showing advanced engineering.
- Spanish contact began in 1519 with Hernando Cortés and 600 conquistadors.
- The traditional story that Montezuma mistook Cortés for a god is likely Spanish propaganda.
- Spaniards sought gold, which was abundant in the Aztec Empire.
- Montezuma expelled the Spanish in 1520; they returned and conquered the empire in 1521.
- Spanish conquest was aided by superior weapons and diseases like smallpox, which devastated indigenous populations.
- Gold seized from the Aztecs was sent to Spain and Rome, affecting European history.
The Maya Civilization
- The Mayan civilization consisted of city-states linked by religion and culture.
- Mayan civilization declined before European arrival, due in part to internal conflicts among city-states.
- Mayans excelled in architecture, astronomy, mathematics, and created an advanced calendar.
- The 2012 end-of-world prophecy was a misinterpretation of their calendar.
The Inca Empire
- The Inca Empire was large and geographically long, covering much of the Andes.
- Unlike the Aztecs and Mayans, the Incas had no written language; they communicated via a courier runner system.
- Incan society was highly stratified; kings often married their sisters to maintain "family purity."
- The Inca Empire fell to Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1531, and its resources were sent to Europe.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Tenochtitlan — Capital city of the Aztec Empire, now Mexico City.
- Polytheistic — Belief in many gods.
- Conquistadors — Spanish soldiers who conquered indigenous American civilizations.
- Three G’s — God, Gold, and Glory; motives for European exploration.
- Smallpox — Deadly disease brought by Europeans that devastated indigenous populations.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the differences and similarities among Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations.
- Be prepared to explain the impact of European contact on indigenous societies.