Chapter 11: Peoples & Civilizations of the Americas, 600-1500

1. Chapter 11: Peoples & Civilizations of the Americas, 600-1500

2. Classic-Era Culture and Society in Mesoamerica, 200-900 • Teotihuacan • Large Mesoamerican city-population of about 150,000 • Pyramids/temples- human sacrifice • Forced relocation of farm families & agricultural innovation such as irrigation & chinampas • Apartment-like stone buildings housed commoners- elites lived in separate residential compounds- controlled the bureaucracy, taxes, & commerce • Ruled by alliances of wealthy families • Collapsed around 650 C.E.-mismanagement of resources, conflict within the elite, or invasion

6. The Maya • De-centralized city-states • Increased agricultural productivity-drained swamps, built elevated & terraced fields, managed forest resources • Believed cosmos consisted of three layers, heavens, human world, & the underworld • Rulers & elites communicated with the other worlds • Fought for captives, not for territory. Elite captives sacrificed & commoners were enslaved • Mayan women held no political power but participated in bloodletting rituals • Technological developments included the Mayan calender, mathematics, & the Maya writing system • Reasons for fall include disruption of trade, overpopulation & increased warfare around 800-900 C.E.

12. The Post-classic Period in Mesoamerica, 900-1500 • Toltecs • Central Mexico • Built civilization based on Teotihuacan • Capital at Tula ruled by dual kings-destroyed by invaders around 1156 C.E.

16. The Aztecs • Migrated to lake Texcoco area & established the cities of Tenochtitlan & Tlatelolco • Females maintained control of household & market • Established irrigation & chinampas-also received food from tribute • Goods exchanged through barter • Worshipped a large number of gods-most important was Huitzilopochtli, the Sun god-he was appeased by sacrifice with human hearts

22. The Northern Peoples • Southwestern Desert Cultures • The Hohokam established extensive irrigation systems in Salt & Gila valleys around 1000 c.e. • Anasazi constructed Kivas in American southwest • Chaco Canyon community engaged in trade, hunting & irrigated agriculture- exerted some political & religious dominance over the area but • Declined due to drought, overpopulation, & warfare

25. Mound Builders: The Mississippian Cultures • Hopewell culture developed from Adena culture- based in Ohio Valley • Major Hopewell centers ruled by chiefs-served as priests, managed secular affairs such as long distance trade • Hopewell built large mounds as burial sites & platforms upon which temples & residences of chiefs were constructed • Hopewell sites abandoned around 400 C.E.- mound building continued by Mississippian culture(700-1500 c.e.) • Mississippian chiefdoms made possible by increased agricultural productivity, bow & arrow & expanded trade networks • Largest center was Cahokia-abandoned around 1250 because of climate changes & population pressure

29. Andean Civilizations 600-1500 • Cultural Response to Environmental Challenge • Andes, dry coastal plain, & Amazon forced inhabitants to organize labor effectively • The clan (ayllu) held land collectively-assisted each other in production to supply goods & labor to clan chief • Mit’a introduced around 1000-required each ayllu to provide a set number of workers each year for religious establishments, royal court, or aristocracy • Work divided along gender lines • Andean region divided into 4 ecological zones; coast, mountain valleys, higher elevations, & Amazonian region

33. Moche • North coastal region of Peru in about 200-700 C.E. • Moche society stratified & theocratic • Commoners supplied mit’a labor to elite-elite military leaders & priests lived atop large platforms-decorated themselves in magnificent clothing • Moche artisans skilled in production of textiles, portrait vases, & metallurgy • Decline attributed to series of natural disasters & pressure from warlike Wari people

37. Tiwanaku and Wari • Tiwanku located in Bolivia • Urban construction of large terraced pyramid, walled enclosures, a reservoir • Ruled by hereditary elite • Wari had contact with Tiwanaku-but separate culture-built without central planning, used different techniques, much smaller scale than Tiwanaku

40. Inca • Inca empire grew from small chiefdom of Cuzco • Key to wealth was strong military- used to expand traditional exchange system that linked the Andes together • Inca left local rulers in place- took heirs to Cuzco as hostages- created an imperial bureaucracy • Cuzco laid out in shape of puma- palaces were scene of rituals, feasts, sacrifices of textiles, animals, tribute goods- occasional human • Did not introduce new technologies-made efficient use of existing technology-increased profits gained by trade • Technology included astronomy, weaving, copper & bronze metallurgy, gold & silver working • When the elite fell into civil war in 1525, Inca control over its vast territories weakened

45. Comparative Perspectives • Political and Economic Comparisons • The Aztec and Inca Empires shared similarities in the use of powerful armies, strong economies based on large workforces, and their dependence on organized government and religious practices that connected secular rulers to the gods. • Distinctions were in their systems of distributing goods and in their management of the empire. • Aztecs used local leaders, while the Inca created a strong central government administered by trained bureaucrats.

46. Imperial Comparisons • Both Aztec and Inca were last in a line of successive indigenous populations organized into strong empires from former collapsed civilizations • The arrival of Europeans ended the cycle of crises and adjustment in both regions