Society & Culture Society & Culture in Pre-Columbian in Pre-Columbian

AmericaAmerica

1450-1750 Lesson 11450-1750 Lesson 1

Main Ideas:Main Ideas:• Religion absolutely dominated the Religion absolutely dominated the

functions of Aztec & Inca societyfunctions of Aztec & Inca society

• Aztec society was characterized by Aztec society was characterized by increasing elitism and tremendous increasing elitism and tremendous pressure on subject peoplespressure on subject peoples

• Inca imperial policy promoted stability, Inca imperial policy promoted stability, but its society was haunted by political but its society was haunted by political fragilityfragility

The Debt to the The Debt to the GodsGods• Ideas of creation and Ideas of creation and

sustenancesustenance• Responsibilities to Responsibilities to

the gods: payment in the gods: payment in bloodblood– Video Excerpt: Video Excerpt:

The Maya—Blood The Maya—Blood of Kingsof Kings

• Rise of the AztecsRise of the Aztecs– shifting religious shifting religious

payment to the payment to the conqueredconquered

Centralization through Centralization through ElitismElitism

• TenochtitlTenochtitlán as an án as an urban coreurban core

• The The calpullicalpulli, the , the pipiltin, pipiltin, and and regionalizationregionalization

• Centralizing the Centralizing the economy: trade and economy: trade and tributetribute

• Common classes Common classes and slavesand slaves

Ruling Conquered Ruling Conquered PeoplesPeoples

• Imposing Aztec Imposing Aztec social classsocial class

• Tribute and other Tribute and other requirementsrequirements

• Sacrifice and the Sacrifice and the political impact of political impact of terrorterror– “ “Flower Wars”Flower Wars”

Inca “Socialism”Inca “Socialism”• The The allyuallyu, the , the

mit’amit’a, and policies , and policies on trade & self-on trade & self-sufficiencysufficiency

• Cults of the Dead Cults of the Dead & Expansion& Expansion– Split InheritanceSplit Inheritance

Mesoamerican & Mesoamerican & Andean ArtAndean Art• Subjects/themes focus on religionSubjects/themes focus on religion

– depictions of godsdepictions of gods

– role of natural world (animals, plants)role of natural world (animals, plants)

• Gods often have “multiple personalities” Gods often have “multiple personalities” (e.g., several faces)(e.g., several faces)

• Symbolic emphasis on snakes, birds, Symbolic emphasis on snakes, birds, jaguars, & fishjaguars, & fish

• Architecture: pyramidsArchitecture: pyramids

Mesoamerican & Mesoamerican & Andean ArtAndean Art

Olmec Olmec Colossal Colossal Head—Head—

La La Venta, Venta, MEXMEX

Mesoamerican & Mesoamerican & Andean ArtAndean Art

Mayan Mayan Soldier of Soldier of Order of Order of Cacaxtla Cacaxtla

(Toucan)—(Toucan)—Bonampak, Bonampak,

BelizeBelize

Mesoamerican & Mesoamerican & Andean ArtAndean Art

Aztec Aztec Soldier of Soldier of Order of Order of Jaguar— Jaguar— Spanish Spanish

artistartist

Mesoamerican & Mesoamerican & Andean ArtAndean Art

Depiction of Depiction of Huitzilopochtli Huitzilopochtli

(Aztec Sun (Aztec Sun God)God)

Mesoamerican & Mesoamerican & Andean ArtAndean Art

Stelae of Quetzalcoatl—Temple of the Sun, Stelae of Quetzalcoatl—Temple of the Sun, TeotihuacanTeotihuacan

Mesoamerican & Mesoamerican & Andean ArtAndean Art

Teotihuacan—Temple of the SunTeotihuacan—Temple of the Sun

Mesoamerican & Mesoamerican & Andean ArtAndean Art

Tikal—Temple of the SunTikal—Temple of the Sun