Mary Stathos
WHAP4
Inca Aztec Comparative Essay
Although the Aztecs and the Incas were both isolated groups with a powerful and
elite middle class in South America that existed around the same time, the empires
developed different means of trade and agriculture due to location differences however,
both empires had a strong connection with and belief of many gods.
Aztecs were more developed trade wise than the Incas. The Aztecs had large
markets to sell their crops, livestock, crops and pottery. They traded and sold goods with
nearby civilizations. The Aztecs also traveled far from their empire to trade. They traded
and exchanged goods with small clans and tribes in the area. The Incas on the other hand
were more interested in having complete dominance over people than trading with them
so their market developed much less. The leader would redistribute the crops and supplies
grown and made by the citizens and give them out depending on the class they were in.
This does not mean the Incas did not trade at all. Actually, they, like the Aztecs, traded
with nearby tribes, their system for trading was just less developed.
Both the Incas and the Aztecs were mainly agricultural empires. Neither of the
empires had direct contact with another large nor developing empire, which slowed down
the development of technology. Without that, they stuck to farming, something they had
been able to do for centuries. Both societies relied on the gods to give them a good
farming season. The Aztecs even sacrificed people in hopes to please the gods to reassure
they would be able to eat that year. The Aztecs also created more developed means of
agriculture, like chinampas, which were small, rectangular areas of very fertile soil that
made growing crops easier.
Both the Incas and the Aztecs were very religious. They had huge ceremonies for
the gods and prayed to them for everything. They believed the gods controlled
everything, from weather and crops to health and sickness. Both empires had large
pyramid like structures that were used to get closer to the gods. The sun was the most
important god for the Incas and it was one of the two most important gods for the Aztecs.
Although they both practiced human sacrifice for the gods, the Incas used it much more
sparingly. Not only did the Aztecs sacrifice someone when they conquered new land, but
also so they could have a better crop season. The Aztecs also sacrificed different animals
depending on what they were asking the gods for.
The social mobility of the Aztecs was much more lenient than that of the Incas.
Although the upper class was elite, the Aztecs allowed its citizens to move around in the
classes by selling and trading goods and earning money. This did not happen in with the
Incas. Movement from class to class was completely restricted. The government had huge
control over everything they did, including just their day to day lifestyle. Government
officials made sure that members of a certain class stayed in that class. However different
these may be, both upper classes were usually made up the same: of one ruling family
and their officials who usually had a strong connection with them. If you didn’t know
people, you weren’t in the upper class.