Rise and Fall of the Aztec and Inca Empire

Goals and Objectives:

• Students will identify the differences between the Inca and Aztec Society.

• Students will describe the significant role that Malintzin played in the defeat of the Aztec Empire.

• Students will analyze consequences of the Spanish conquest of these two empires.

Vocabulary

• Alliance-Agreement between two people or countries to work together.

• Codices-Aztec book that recorded their religion and history.

• Quipu-rope with knotted cords of different lengths and colors

• Conquistador-Spanish soldiers in the Americas

• Treason-disloyalty to the government

Question

• Why did Spain have such an interest in the Aztec and Inca Empire?

Rise of the Aztec Empire • Aztecs were nomads who arrived A.D 1250 in the Valley of Mexico.

• The settled in Lake Texcoco because legend says they were shown a vision of an eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus eating a snake.

• They built their capital Tenochtitlan on a swampy lake constructed of artificial islands.

• Through their Triple Alliance with Texcocans and the Tacubans they were able to defeat the Tepanec and conquered their capital.

• Through their military conquest, the Aztecs expanded their empire and became a powerful force.

• In order to keep control of their conquest, they would offer protection and political stability; in return they would pay with tributes and supply a military force.

• At the height of their empire, the capital Tenochtitlan had more than 400,000 and ruled over millions of smaller states.

• There were four levels to their society1. King 2. Nobles3. Merchants and Artisan 4. Commoners and enslaved people.• The Aztecs believed in human sacrifices

to honor their different gods. • They created books called Codices that

recorded their religion and history.• They had two calendars: one for 260 days

that tracked religious holidays and another for 365 days that tracked when to plant and harvest.

• Trade was encouraged .• Dying in battle was honorable. • Boys were taught to be warriors.

Daily Life

Compare and Contrast

• Think back to Medieval Europe. What is one similarity and one difference between feudalism social system and Aztec social system?

“One similarity in both societies is_______ .”

“One difference in both societies is _______.”

Hernan Cortes and Malintzin

• Born in Spain he took part in the invasion of Cuba. After the smallpox killed most of the Cuban natives he traveled to Mexico.

• In 1519 Cortes arrived in the Yucatan Peninsula.

• He arrived with only 550 soldiers, 16 horses and 14 cannons.

• His first encounter were with the Tabascans who surrendered to him.

• They gave him an interpreter Malintzinwho could speak the Aztec language, Nahuatl.

• Malintzin told Cortes about the powerful Aztec empire.

• She became a powerful weapon because she was able to persuaded rival tribes to side with Cortes.

Fall of the Aztec• Montezuma had already heard of Cortes’ arrival but

was under the impression Cortes was Quetzacoalt, the Aztec god people had been waiting for.

• On the way to Tenochtitlan, Cortes with Malintzin’shelp made alliances.

• Their first encounter was peaceful as Montezuma greeted Cortes with gifts and welcomed him to the capital.

• Cortes ended up holding Montezuma hostage.• The Aztec people rebelled and war broke out.• Moctezuma is killed possibly by his own people and

Cuahtemoc becomes the new ruler. • Cortes’ army retreated to the mountains.• Smallpox breaks out killing many Aztecs and

weakening the empire.• Cortes and his allies were able to swiftly take over.

Analysis

• Was Malintzin a victim or a traitor? Explain why.

“Malintzin was a ________ because______.”

Rise of the Inca

• The Inca Empire is where modern day Peru is today.

• The center of their political and military centers were located in Cuzco.

• 1438 Pachacuti built the largest empire in the Americas that extended from modern day Colombia to Argentina.

• Machu Picchu was the home of the royal family.

• The reason to Pachacuti’s success was that he set up a strong central government and allowed local rulers to stay in power.

• This required people to speak Quechua, the Inca language.

• They developed the largest system of roads which covered 25,000 miles.

• They had an advanced agricultural system of terrace farming.

Inca Culture

• The main crop among the farming society was the potato. • A written language didn’t exist. Instead they had the Quipu,

which was a record keeping system.• They believed in the sun god Inti. • The were skilled engineers that did not use iron tools. They built

magnificent structure made out stone such a granite• They had excellent mathematical skills.• There existed social classes:1. Royal Family 2. High Priest and Top Commanders3. Army leaders4. Temple Priest, Army Commanders and Skilled workers5. Farmers, herders, and soldiers

Analysis

• Why was Pachacuti so successful at creating a strong central government?

“Pachacuti was successful because _________”

Francisco Pizzaro

• Conquistador from Spain with no formal education.

• In search of riches, he traveled to the New World.

• He joined Vasco Nunez Balboa, who was also in search of an empire full of gold.

• He participated in two expeditions in Panama and eventually made it to northwestern Peru.

• He met friendly natives who told him about the riches of a powerful Inca Empire.

• He set sail to Spain to get permission to further explore Peru.

Fall of the Inca

• 1532 Pizarro landed on the coast of South America.• Inca emperor Atahualpa did not know much about the Spanish and just

ignored them.• The Inca’s had an army of 80,000 men which outnumbered the Spanish.• Pizarro had more sophisticated weapons and the smallpox.• Atahualpa met with Pizarro but only took 5,000 bodyguards and no

weapons.• Pizarro asked Atahualpa to give up his god and when he refused, war

broke out.• Atahualpa offered Pizarro a room full of gold in return for his freedom.• Pizarro accepted the offer but instead of releasing him, he had Atahualpa

convicted of 12 crimes which included, killing his brother, plotting a rebellion and worshiping false gods.

• Pizarro was made Governor of Peru.

Cultural Impact of these Conquest

• How did the conquest of the Aztec and Inca Empire benefit and changes in Spain ? What Cultural impacts did it have?

“ The conquest of these two empires were a benefit to Spain because ________ .”

The cultural impact that it had_________________”.