All about the Incas Mayas
and Aztecs
Peru –history .com
en. wikipedia
.org
By: Jacob Pineau
Aztec –Indians .com
Standards
5.2 Identify the three major pre-Columbian
civilizations that existed in Central and South
America (Maya, Aztec, and Inca) and their locations.
Describe their political structures, religious practices,
and use of slaves.
5.4 Explain why the Aztec and Inca civilizations
declined in the 16th century.
A. the encounters between Cortez and Montezuma
B. the encounters between Pizarro and the Incas
C. the goals of the Spanish conquistadors
D. the effects of European diseases, particularly
smallpox, throughout the Western hemisphere
The Incas
•capital was Cuzco
•Polytheistic {believed in many gods}
•had no written language but had spoken language (used knots as
messages)
•Practiced animal sacrifice and on special occasions human sacrifice
(children)
•South America, Andes.,
Peru
http;//en. Wikispaces. Org /wiki/ Inca
Empire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_Empire
The Aztecs
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Central Mexico- Valley of Mexico
capital Tenochtitlan
Polytheistic {believed in many gods}
Controlled many other tribes, forced them to give them money and “tribute”
Used other tribes as slaves and human sacrifice (important)
Aztecs brought down by Smallpox
https://eee.uci.edu/programs/humcore/images/C
onquest/1-Aztec_Empire_Map.png
http://www. Richard-seaman com/Travel /Mexico/Teotihuacán /Pyramid Of The Moon From
Pyramid Of The Sun .jpg
The Mayas
Mexican coast- Yucatan Peninsula
not just one major city- was much harder
for conquistadors to overthrow
Region did not contain much gold
Polytheistic
Had slaves, who could sometimes gain
there freedom
Cortez and the Aztecs
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Spanish explorer and conquistador
Brought together 500 men and 16 horses to conquer the Aztec empire in their capital
Tenochtitlan in 1519
Some of the Incas and the Mayas helped him because they were tired of there people
being held as sacrifice
The Aztec capital was unusual because it was build in the middle of a lake on a large
series of islands
Aztecs were shocked to see the horses and the men ( they have never seen horses
before)
The Aztecs thought the men riding on the horses thinking they were one magical
beast
The Aztecs welcomed Cortez thinking he was the god Quetzalcoatl a pale skinned
man that promised to return
Cortez held Montezuma ( there leader) hostage and gave a ransom and he was
killed in the war that followed
The Spanish were driven away but came back to concur the Aztecs in 1521
They destroyed the capital and build a new town Mexico city
Ambergris aye .com
Flick river.com
Pizarro and the Incas
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Spanish explorer and Conquistador
Stormed in the Inca empire with 180 solders and 27 horses
Incas were very easily taken over in 1531 because of the civil war going on
at the time
Inca civilization held over 20 million people
Very powerful and organized government that built roads and bridges
Incan empire held captured and killed after they gave the ransom
The Incas used gold and silver as decoration
Red is cover Mac hupicchu .com
postville8.pbworks.com
How Pizzaro and Cortez changed the
world
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Today 2011-2012 majorities of they land the native groups settled
now are Christian and no longer worship the native gods
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Today 2011-2012 the Aztecs Incas and Mayas sort of disappeared
forever
•Today 2011-2012 most of South and Central America speaks Spanish
wired.com