North America

South America

Andes Mts.

Yucatan

Peninsula

Aztec Empire Mayan Empire

Toltec Empire

Incan Empire

Geographic commonalities?

Maize =

Foundation of

Mesoamerican

agriculture

Aztec religious temple

in Mexico

Chichen Itza Mayan religious temple

Machu Picchu Incan city in Andes Mts.

Incan

Terrace

Farming

Incan Potato FarmingImportant addition to maize-based diet and economy

Incan road system

The llama: Beast of burden in the Andes Mountains

Key advantage to the Incan civilization

No other beasts of burden in the Americas.

Part of massive Incan road system through the Andes Mountains

Aztec Empire1200-1521

Mayan Empire250 B.C.E.-900 C.E.

Toltec Empire968 C.E. - 1150?

Incan Empire1438 C.E. - 1535

Warm Up: Commonalities?

Chinampas

Chinampas = Aztec farming technique

Chinampas

Aztec farming technique

ChinampasAztec farming technique

Chinampas = Aztec farming technique

Aztec Chinampas farming technique

Aztec

Chinampa

System

Main Purpose Reason for Technique/Obstacle being overcome

How Constructed Addition Benefits to Society

Beneficial Characteristics

Map Label from pg. 23 in Atlas

Pacific Ocean Cities

Atlantic Ocean Tenochtitlan

North America Chichen Itza

South America Cuzco

Mesoamerica

Gulf of Mexico

Amazon River

Andes Mountains

Yucatan Peninsula

Caribbean Sea

Mayas

Aztec Empire

Incan Empire

Incan Road System

Characteristic Mayans Aztecs Incas

Dates 250 B.C. –A.D. 900 A.D. 1200 – 1521 A.D. 1438 - 1535

Location Central American rain

forest – Yucatan

Peninsula

Valley in Central Mexico –

modern Mexico City

Andes Mountains – west

coast of South America

Represented by Chichen Itza Tenochtitlan Machu Picchu

Political

Style/RuleIndependent city-states;

ruled by god-kings

Emperor Emperor

Economy

(Based on?)Agriculture & trade

Mainly Maize!

Agriculture

Mainly Maize!

+ Tribute from conquered peoples

High-altitude, terrace

agriculture; Maize,

potatoes & variety of

other crops

Religion Polytheistic/animistic –

ancestor + sun worship

pyramids/temples + human

sacrifice

Polytheistic/animistic;

pyramids/temples

Ancestor + Sun God

Extensive human sacrifice!!

Polytheistic/animistic

ancestor + sun worship

Achievements/

Characteristics

Advances = math, calendars,

astronomy

Most advanced writing!

No beast of burden!

Mysterious decline

Society based on warfare, expansion

and tribute!

- Calendars

- No beast of burden!

Conquered by Spanish

Extensive road system

Linked empire + helped rule

Llama for trade/travel &

labor

Conquered by Spanish

Major Civilizations of the Western Civilization

Characteristics of Mayan, Aztec, and Incan Civilizations

Chart Analysis

1. Politically, how did the Mayas differ from the Aztecs and Incas?

2. What main crop was the foundation of agriculture for the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas?

3. Write a sentence describing the religious commonality between the Mayas, Aztecs and Incas.

4. Write a sentence describing a religious difference between the groups.

5. How may the Mayas have benefitted from their achievements?

6. Who do you think was the most war-like and aggressive of the 3 groups?

7. Why do you think the Incas needed an extensive road system more than the Mayas & Aztecs?

8. Which 2 groups were more influenced by the Europeans? Why?

9. Why were the Incas better able to utilize an extensive road system and carry on longer-distance trade

compared to the Aztecs and Mayas?

Created 7 June 1494 in

Tordesillas, Spain

Ratified 2 July 1494 in Spain

5 September 1494 in

Portugal

Authors Pope Alexander VI

Signatories Ferdinand II of Aragon

John II of Portugal

Purpose To divide trading and

colonizing rights for

all newly discovered

lands between Spain

and Portugal to the

exclusion of other

European nations

Treaty of Tordesillas

Most of S. Amer & all of N.Amer. To Spain

Brazil to Portugal

Spain

Portugal

Most of S. Amer

& all of N.Amer.

to Spain

Brazil to Portugal

1494