6. PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICA THE MAYANS -They inhabited the Yucatan Peninsula. - Their civilisation establishedcities like Tikal or Palenque. - It had reached its peak between the 3rd and 8 th centuries. - When the Spanish arrived, its culture was in decline. 1. Society: - They were organised in city-states, such as Mayapรกn. - It civilisation was hierarchical. - It was based in important cities. 2. Economy: - It was based on corn, tomatoes, coccoa, beans or pumpkim. - They grew in the jungle by felling (cutting down) and burning trees. 3. Religion: - It was around the griculture because it is their source of sustenance (corn). - They offered sacrifices to their gods to protects their crops and ensure rain 4. Culture:
- It was very advanced. - They used the numbr zero. - They had knowledge of astronomy and a complex calendar. - They used hieroglyphics
6. PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICA THE AZTECS The Aztecs (or Mexicas)inhabited central Mexico. Their capital was Tenochtitlan When the Spanish arrived, The Aztecs were the most powerful in he region. They had a great army and they had suppressed other Central American nations, forcing them to pay taxes. 1. Society: - It was hierarchical. - Their main ruler was an emperor (called tatloani) - Next was the nobility, the priests and the common people. - They had slaves. 2. Economy: - It was based on growing corn , on trade, and on taxes incomes they received from conquered territories. 3. Religion: - They believed in many gods - They offered human sacrifices in their honour - Huitzilopochtli (God of the Sun) and Quetzalcoaltl (feathered Snake) were the main gods.
4. Culture: - They used pictograms to represent political, religious or administrative subjects. - They hd a complex calendar - Artists produce fine scuptures and built temples and palaces.
their
6. PRE-COLUMBIAN AMERICA THE INCAS They dominated the Andes and had created a great empire that included Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and Argentina. They built a network of roads connecting all the territories. 1. Society: - They had a hierachical society. -The emperor was a leader and a god. He reeived the name of Inca. - Under him were the nobles and priests, and then the common people - Common people who had to work the land and pay taxes to the emperor. - Certain number of days in the year, men were required to work for th state, this system was known as mita.
2. Economy: - It was based on agriculture and mainly on corn and potatoes. - They domesticated animals for their meat and skin. - They created pottery, textiles, and metal objects of gold and copper. 3. Religion: - It was polytheistic. - Inti, the Sun god and their main deity (divinity) was Viracocha. 4. Culture: - They had large stone cities with beautiful temples. - They had an advanced government, a tax system and a complex road system.