Chapter 5 Mayans, Aztecs, and the Incas. Section 1- The Maya.
Incas and aztecs
28
Aztec, and Inca Civilizations
-
Upload
becky-george -
Category
Education
-
view
162 -
download
1
description
Describes the main points of the Inca and Aztec Civilizations.
Transcript of Incas and aztecs
Aztec, and IncaCivilizations
Aztecs
Where did the Aztecs live?
The Aztecs lived in what is known as the Valley of Mexico in central Mexico.
Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan was the capital city of the Aztec Empire.
Legend of Tenochtitlan
The gods told the Aztecs to search for an eagle holding a snake in its beak perched atop a cactus. This is where they were to build their capital city. The Aztecs saw this sign on a swampy island in lake Texcoco.
Legend of Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan
Today, Tenochtitlan is Mexico City
Government
The Aztecs created an empire through conquest
Conquered people and local rulers had to pay tribute to the Aztecs
The Aztecs had an emperor The Aztec Emperor’s main job was to
lead in war
Religion & Mythology
Aztecs were polytheistic Huitzilopochtli was
the main Aztec god.
The Aztecs built massive temples and pyramids dedicated to their gods
Religion & Mythology
Pyramid of the SunPyramid of the Moon
Hernando Cortes Born around 1485 in Spain
He came from a noble family
Between 1504-1511, he made expeditions to Hispaniola and Cuba
In 1518, Cortes set sail to Mexico with 500 men and 11 ships
Conquering the Aztecs
Upon arrival, the Spaniards formed alliances with the Native People who hated Aztec rule
Eventually the Spaniards reached the capital, Tenochtitlan
Montezuma, the Aztec leader, tried to get the Spaniards to leave by giving them riches
Conquering the Aztecs
Cortes then captured Montezuma and tried to rule the Aztecs by giving commands through Montezuma
Eventually fighting broke out between the Spanish/Spanish allies and the Aztecs in 1520
The Spanish lost 1,800 men and left Tenochtitlan
Conquering the Aztecs
In May 1521, Cortes led his men back to Tenochtitlan
The Aztecs became severely weakened by the spread of small pox, which had been brought over by the Spanish
Tenochtitlan fell in August 1521 and lay in ruins
The Spanish built up the city again and called it Mexico City
Aztec Video Clips
“Engineering An Empire”http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=6255
“What the Ancients Did For Us”http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=10964
Where did the Inca live?
The Inca controlled an empire in the Andes Mountain region of South America.
Government
The Sapa Inca (emperor) had absolute power.
The emperor claimed to be the son of the sun.
The emperor was also the empire’s religious leader.
The empire was divided into four regions with the capital at Cuzco.
Uniting the Empire
The Inca built a massive road network through mountains and across rivers and gorges.
Stonework
The Inca constructed stone temples without using mortars yet the stones fit together so well that a knife would not fit between the stones.
Religion
The Inca were polytheistic. The primary god was Inti, the sun
god.
Medical Advances
The Inca performed successful skull surgery.
The Inca also used medicines to make patients unconscious during surgery
Francisco Pizarro
Was born in 1476 in Spain
He came from humble/poor beginnings
Desired to explore the New World in search of fame and fortune
Discovered the Pacific Ocean along with Vasco Nunez de Balboa
The Fall of the Incas Pizarro came to Peru in 1531 with 180 men
The Spaniards attacked, killed thousands of Incas, and took the leader, Atahualpa captive
Atahualpa gave the Spanish gold and treasures to save his life but was killed anyway
With Atahualpa dead, the civilization collapsed and Spain took over Peru
Inca Video Clip
http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=2301
