Americas on the Eve of Invasion

Americas on the Eve of InvasionCh 11I. Toltec CultureNomads took advantage of the fall of Teotihuacan City in central Mexico/ part of American classical periodToltec people were very militaristicCopied a lot from TeotihuacanSet up a capital in Tula in 968

I. Toltec CultureTopiltzinToltec priest/leaderFollowed Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent)Exiled to the Yucatan PeninsulaToltecs spread as far as GuatemalaConquered Mayan citiesOhio and Mississippi valleys?Mined Obsidian an turquoiseObsidian- knives and weaponsTurquoise- traded/ currencyDestroyed by nomadic invaders1150AD

II. AztecsAka MexicaCame to power after the fall of the ToltecsVery rapidly (originally around 10,000)Believed Eagle with snake on cactus was a signCentered around Lake TexcocoTenochtitlan founded 1325Conquered peoplePaid tributes, surrendered land and gave military serviceConquered people were sacrificed to the gods

II. AztecsReligionIncorporated aspects from other culturesDeities for Fire, Rain, Water, Corn, Sky, Sun etc.Tlaloc- god of rainFemale forms of eachFestivals based on cyclic calendarSacrificed blood and human hearts to feed sun godReligious or political?

II. AztecsTenochitlanBuilt on island in middle of Lake TexcocoFour bridges connected to mainland Canoe trafficAdobe brick housesCity wards ruled by Calpulli (kin groups)Surrounded by ChinampasFloating agricultural islands20,000 acresTraded cacao beans/goldDistribution of wealth (nobility)

II. AztecsSocietyMilitary focusLeadership based on capturing sacrificesRitual warfareOrganized in regiments with different uniformsJaguar and Eagle knightsPochteca- merchant classEconomy was very heavily regulatedScribes, artisans, healers and nobilityGrowth resulted in loss of egalitarianismII. AztecsRole of womenPeasant womenRaised children, helped in fields & cared for householdPeasants were monogamousWomen could inherit property- still subordinate to menSpent up to 6 hours grinding corn by hand

III. TwantinsuyuAKA Incas (name for rulers)Highly centralized rule with a deified ruler3000 miles in extent in the Andean highlands11-13 millionCreated roads, bridges and irrigationFocused aroud CuzcoStarted conquest under Pachacuti (1438-1471)Topac Yupanqui- Pachacutis successor greatly expanded territoryHuayna Capac (1493-1527)- territory stretched from Colombia to Chile

Correct- Topac Yupanqui

Incorrect: Tupac ShakurIII. Twantinsuyu ReligionCult of ancestorsMummified dead rulers Consulted oraclesTemple of the SunHoly shrines/Huacas- mountains, caves, rivers etc.ConquestSplit inheritanceCaused the need to conquer for land and wealth

III. Twantinsuyu Government/CultureInca ruled from CuzcoAllowed local rulers (curacas) to rule smaller regionsRewarded for loyaltyUsed roads to connect regions and had about 10,000 tambosSocialist type of ruleDivided up landRequired mita (labor turns) for public worksYanas- permanent servants, artisans and workers for ruling classAyllu- peasantsIII. Twantinsuyu Government/culturesInfastructure2500 miles of roadsTerraced agricultureNo writing system or wheelVery mathematicalQuipu- knotted strings (abacus?) used to keep financial and census recordsIV. The othersArawaks- On Hispanola (Haiti/DR) ran into ColumbusChiefdom/tribal societiesLived on Manioc/ YucaNorth American Tribes200 separate languagesGreatly helped by the introduction of horse (plains people)Hunters and gatherers Americas had between 67-72 million peopleChina and India-75-100 millionEurope- 60-70 million