Overview
This lecture covers state-building in the Americas from 1200 to 1450, focusing on the political structures, innovations, and continuities in Mesoamerican, Andean, and North American civilizations.
Mesoamerican Civilizations: Maya and Aztec
- The Maya (250–900 CE) had a decentralized network of city-states ruled through tribute systems and frequent warfare.
- Maya tribute system allowed conquered regions independence in exchange for payments like textiles and weapons.
- Human sacrifice was central to Maya religion, believed to energize the sun deity.
- The Aztec Empire (1345–1528), founded by the Mashika, emerged through military strength and strategic alliances.
- The Aztecs continued the tribute system, requiring conquered peoples to send goods like food and building materials.
- Religious motivation, especially the need for human sacrifice, drove Aztec expansion.
- Aztec rulers claimed heritage from prominent earlier civilizations to legitimize their rule.
- Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, was a large urban and religious center with advanced architecture and bustling marketplaces.
Andean Civilizations: The Inca
- The Inca rose to power in the same region as the earlier Wari civilization, borrowing administrative and religious systems.
- While Aztecs were decentralized, the Inca established a highly centralized bureaucracy.
- The Inca required labor tribute, known as the Mita system, for state projects like mining and military service.
- The Inca expanded infrastructure, building vast road and bridge networks to unify the empire.
North American Civilizations: Mississippian, Chaco, and Mesa Verde
- The Mississippian culture (8th–9th century CE) developed hierarchical chiefdoms centered on agriculture in the Mississippi Valley.
- Leaders called the Great Sun ruled urban centers like Cahokia, surrounded by ceremonial mounds used for burials and rituals.
- The Chaco and Mesa Verde societies adapted to arid climates with innovations in water management and construction.
- Chacoans built with imported timber and quarried sandstone, while Mesa Verde built cliff dwellings from local materials.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Tribute System — A form of governance where conquered regions remain semi-autonomous but must send regular payments to their conquerors.
- Decentralized Power — Political authority distributed among multiple local rulers or regions rather than a single central government.
- Mita System — Inca policy requiring subjects to provide labor to the state instead of tribute goods.
- Bureaucracy — An organized system of officials and administrators for governing large states or empires.
- Chiefdom — A hierarchical system where a chief and elite group rule over subordinated settlements.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review lecture notes focusing on differences between centralized and decentralized power.
- Compare tribute and labor systems in Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations.
- Prepare for exam questions on state-building strategies and innovations in the Americas (1200–1450).