Aztecs and Incas

Comparison and Contrast

of Two Great Civilizations

Aztec Empire

Tenochtitlan

Aztec Government

• The Incas had an Emperor. He was the most powerful ruler in the empire. The last emperor when the Spaniards arrived was Mocteczuma.

• The government was based on a hierarchy of power. Each conquered area had its own governor.

Aztec Society

• The Aztecs had a better social structure than the Incas. The Aztecs had a class system that consisted of the Ruler (Pipiltin) and others below him.– Nobility: Those who ruled the land.– Commoners: Those who owned land. – Serfs: Those who worked the land.– Slaves

Aztec Religion• The Aztecs had

more fear of their god. They felt that they had to make many human sacrifices to please their god.

Aztec Temple

• The Aztecs built large pyramids. They were called “step pyramids” because they had steps leading to the top.

Spanish Conquest• The Aztecs were conquered by Cortes

• They thought he was a called Quetzalcoatl

Ullamaliztli • Ullamaliztli was a ball

game. The players could only use their hips to move the ball and get it into a small circle hoop.

Inca Location

Inca Government

• The Incan government was more powerful than the Aztec government.

• Pachacuti, the 9th ruler of the Incas, created authoritattive central rule; kind of based on communism, if focused on equality for all the people.

• Mita = tax• Each conquered kingdom had its own

governor to rule it.

Incan Society• No slaves• Most belonged to the

lower class– Farmers – Artisans– Servants

• The Incas all spoke Quechua.• The Incas used a quipu, or a colored and knotted

rope that they used to count and record numbers and dates.

Inca Religion The Inca’s god was

called Huitzilopuchtli, or the god of the sun and war.

They had another god called Pacha Mama who was the god of agriculture.

• The Inca’s sometimes had sacrifices, but animals were much more common than humans. They did not do as many sacrifices as the

Incan Road System• The Incas created a huge road system to

connect the different parts of the kingdom. Chaskis used these roads to quickly deliver information or goods to other towns.

Spanish Conquest• The Incas were conquered by Pizzaro

• The Spaniards had the advantage of having firearms.

• The last Emperor before

the Spaniards came was

Atahuapa