11/4/2014

1

AP World History

Chapter 11: Americas on the Eve of Invasion

Chapter Notes

Mesoamerica 1000 -1500 CE

• Decline of the Olmec & Mayan civilization

• Rise of the Toltec- around 968 CE, establish a capital at Tula, also traded with various people, some of their objects found as far north as Hopewell peoples

• Precursors of the Aztec

• Toltec in decline around 1150 CE, start to see a shift of peoples to more central Mexico

11/4/2014

2

Aztecs

• Origins- nomadic group from northern Mexico, possibly SW US, very warlike

• Arrive central Mexico around 1300s, by then only land left was poor marshy land around LakeTexcoco, established cities such as Tenochititlan (around 1325), started to takeover other city-states, become the major regional power

11/4/2014

3

• Aztec society established a very rigid class society, with use of human sacrifice- needed victims which in turn led to reliance on military who could supply captives

• Their religion was very complex, polytheistic but major gods included: Tlaloc, Huizilopochtli and Quetzalcoatl, they built a large temple (Plaza of the Sun)

• Their economy was agricultural, both land based and lake based (created by use of “chinampas”). Was trade but tended to be luxury items. No large beasts of burden, many goods were moved by humans. Trade controlled by pochteca.

• Do develop a written language (N’ahuatl) & calendar system

• A clan based society, there were 7 “calpulli”• No social mobility and Aztec nobility control both

priesthood & military. Leaders are called “Speakers” and leader of Tenochtitlan becomes “Great Speaker”

• As more wealth was acquired (by conquest), we see new groups emerge (such as workers for conquered lands) and also see some conflict between clans.

• Very little technology in use, very labor- intensive agriculture

• Eventually see creation of “tribute-empire” comprised of the various city-states (like kingdom of Texcoco). This will lead to weakness in long run when Europeans appear.

Incas

• Area of Andes/today Peru• Develops after breakup of Tihuanaco & Huari states• Around early 1400s, Quechua language groups start to

come together in area around Cuzco• Early leader was Pachacuti (1438), group will conquer

Chimor group & will expand into areas today known as Ecuador & Chile

• Capac will lead group & by 1527 there will be approx. 13 million people

• Incas will adopt practice of “Split inheritance”• Term “inca” actually refers to their ruler

11/4/2014

4

• Incas continued to expand, leading to sending of colonists to conquered areas

• Quechua language also spread

• Instead of tribute from conquered areas, natives were required to give labor (mita)

• Ayllus would control area

• Another class oriented society with nobility in control, eventually another group called Yanaswill be established to serve as workers for nobility

• Similar to Aztec with little technology,

• Different from Azrec: no writing system (did use quipu)

• Will build an extensive “road” network (more like paths), use of human transport

• Best known site today is Macchu Picchu (its use is still being debated)

• Civil War will break out prior to arrival of Europeans

11/4/2014

5

Other Groups in Americas

• Groups found in Amazon Region

• Arawaks found in Caribbean

• Hopewell, Mississippian cultures found in North America

• Anasazi etc., found in SW US

• Many others groups

• Population questions: anywhere from 10 million or so to more than 65 million- today’s estimates are in 60 million range

11/4/2014

6