MESOAMERICA:
Mayan & Aztec EmpiresWORLD HISTORY NOTES
DATE: ______
Climate of Mesoamerica
Warm ______
______Rainfall
Rich ______soils
- Good for growing crops like ______.
Early Mesoamerican Civilizations
______
- (1200 BC to 300 AD)
______
- (1500 BC to 750 AD)
______
- (900 to 1200 AD)
The Mayan Civilization
Developed around ______BC
- At its height, Maya civilization consisted of some ______spread among ______.
Supporting Large Cities
______and ______helped support larger populations, and early Maya villages grew into cities.
Mayan Farming Practices
______- a method of farming involves burning the vegetation to clear land for planting.
MayanCities & Government
Classic Age
- (250 to 900 AD)
Mayans built:
- ______
- ______
- ______
Who did they build them for?
- ______
- ______
Mayan Society & Religion
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Society
- Kings ruled with absolute power
- It was believed they ______.
- ______
- Upper Class
- ______
- Middle Class
- ______
- Lower Class
Religious Ceremonies
- Offering of blood to the gods. (______).
- ______
- Only allowed to use your elbows, knees, and hips to get a rubber ball through a hoop.
- Losing team sacrificed.
- ______
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Religion: Major Gods
Hun Hunahpu – ______.
- Father of the hero twins
- Most important deity for the Maya
- He brought about the creation for the present world age.
Chac – ______.
- Both adored and feared by the Maya
- He was portrayed as both a benefactor and a violent warrior.
Gukumatz – ______.
- Taught the Maya the arts of civilization, including codes of law, agriculture, fishing, and medicine.
Ixchel – ______.
- Goddess of creativity, weavers and childbirth, goddess of medicine and reason, and a bringer of the storms.
Mayan Achievements
Architecture
- ______
- ______
Astronomy
Math
- ______
Writing
______
Mayan Calendar
The Maya had ______:
- ______
- ______
It was more ______that the European calendar.
Decline of Mayan Civilization
Factors to decline:
- ______
- Overuse of resources
- Drought
- Not able to feed everyone
- ______
- ______
- Abuse of Power by Kings
______
The Aztecs
Located in modern day ______, and Tenochtitlan was the capital city and is located in what is now present day ______.
Rise of the Aztec Empire
According to legend, the war god told one of the tribes’ leaders that they should look for a place where they saw an ______. It was there that they should settle and build a new capital.
- They built Tenochtitlan after the prediction came true, and it was on a swampy island in ______.
Population consisted of farmers & warriors.
- ______.
- After the alliance was formed the empire gained control over many region.
- Ruled______other city-states.
- ______under Aztec rule.
Aztec Empire
Conquered people paid ______.
- ______
The Aztec Empire gained wealth:
- ______
- Tribute
Tenochtitlan
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Size
- ______
- Approximately 3200 acres
Population
- ______
______
- Walled City
- Pyramid
- Temples
- Palaces
- Ball court
- _”______”_
- ______
- Canals
- Markets
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Aztec Society
Social Classes
- Though people were born into a certain class it was possible to move up the ranks within a life time.
- Also apart of the middle class
- ______
Aztec Religion
Main deity in the Aztec religion was Huitzilopochtli and was known as both the ______and ______.
- ______was practiced heavily in the Aztec religion.
- Believed that these sacrifices gave ______which in turn would insure the survival of the Aztec civilization.
War captives were used in the sacrifices
- In times of peace the Aztec would have to resort to ______.
In the year 1487 the Aztecs reported killing ______at the great pyramid of Tenochitlan.
- After a town was conquered the inhabitants where no longer eligible of sacrifice and became Aztec citizens.
Aztec Art
The Aztecs also made other religious and non-religious artifacts such as ______.
- These artifacts were sold in markets by visiting merchants.
Aztec Achievements
Written Record
- ______- symbols that represented both objects and sounds.
- Kept track of ______.
Astronomy
Calendar like the Mayans, but they also tracked the movements of some ______.
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