The Aztecs and Incas

The Aztecs
Arrived in Northern
Mexico around 1100 A.D.

Their society was based

on:
Warfare
Tribute
Trade
Tenochtitlan
Aztec capital

Built on island in the

middle of Lake Texcoco.

Now modern day Mexico

City.

At its height, it was one of

the worlds largest cities.
Home to over 200,000
people.
 Tenochtitlan
To get to the city the
Aztecs built causeways:
Raised roads across
water or wet ground

These causeways
connected the island to
the shore.

Also built floating islands

called chinampas that they
grew their food on.
 C.F.U.

What 3 things was Aztec

society based on?
Aztec Class Structure
King

Nobles

Priests

Warriors

Merchants

Artisans

Farmers

Slaves
 Aztec Religion
Believed in many different
gods.

Human sacrifice and human

blood was used to feed the
gods and make them happy.

Captured warriors from other

tribes often sacrificed.

On average 10,000 people a

year were sacrificed to the gods.
The Incas
The Incas lived in South
America, in what is now
Peru.

Prior to the Incas 3

different civilizations
existed in the same area:
The Chavin
The Nazca
The Chimu
 Pachacuti
Pachacuti was an Incan ruler
from 1438-1471.

His name means He who

remakes the world.

He greatly expanded the

Incan empire.
Warfare
Alliances
Incan Empire
By early 1500s the Incan
Empire covered almost the
whole coast of South
America.

Ruled over 12 million people

Had an official government,

economy, and religion.

Lived in very mountainous

region (Andes Mountains).

Capital city: Cuzco

 Government
Strong central government.

Conquered tribes were ruled by

imported Inca rulers.

All business had to be done in

official Incan language:
Quechua

Govt. controlled the economy.

People paid taxes in labor and
worked on govt. farms, the army,
or building projects
No merchants or markets.
Govt. would distribute goods to
people as they needed them.
 Class Structure
2 main social classes:
Upper
Lower

Upper Class
Incas that lived in Cuzco.
The King, nobles, priests,
government officials, and their
families.

Lower Class:
Everyone else that did NOT
live in Cuzco.
Farmers, artisans, servants.
Incas had no slaves.
Lower class citizens had to
work for the government.
Religion
Incas had an official religion
(belief in sun god), but also
allowed people to worship
other gods too.

Believed kings were related

to sun gods and often
mummified their bodies and
carried them around.

Performed sacrifices but

usually with llamas, cloth, or
food.
Rarely sacrificed humans.