1.4 - Developments in the Americas Flashcards
Cohokia
Largest mound built by Mississippian culture
Matrilineal Society
Social standings were determined by woman’s side of family
City-state
A city that with it’s surrounding territory forms an independent state
Tenochtitlan
The Aztec’s capital founded in 1325
Chinampas
floating gardens built by Aztecs
Increased amount of space for food production
Flower Wars
Instigated for more prisoners in 1450. Preordinated time/place + each side had same amt. of soldiers
Theocracy
Rule by religious leaders
Pochteca
A special mercahnt class who traded luxury goods
Mita system
Mandatory public service
Quipu
System of knotted strings used to record numerial info for trade and engineering
Carpa Nan
Massive roadway system built by the Inca
How did the Mississippian culture organize their gov.?
Great Son, priests and nobles, farmers/hunters/merchants/artisans, slaves and prisoners of war (Matrilineal society)
How did the Mississipian Culture decline?
Cahokia was abandoned. (1450)
Summarize the governing system of the Mayans.
Gov. not centralized; ruled by city-states
What was the role of religion in Mayan society?
Priests were very powerful. Religious ceremonies, worshipped dieties, made offerings (captives)
How did the Aztecs use a tributal system to control their population?
People that the Aztecs conquered were forced to pay tribute, surrender land, perform military service
How was the Aztec gov. organized?
Great Speaker, land-owning nobles, scribes and healers, craftspeople and traders, peasants and soldiers. Women were valueabe b/c they wove cloth.
Explain the role of religion in Aztec gov.
Worshipped hundreds of dieties, human sacrifice seen as repayment
What led to the decline of the Aztecs?
No wheeled vehichles, no pack animals, insufficient agriculture, constant need for human sacrifice, tribes were rebelling
How did the Inca rule their extensive territory efficiently?
The land was split into 4 territories, each having their own govenor and bureaucracy
How did the Inca’s Mita system differ from the Aztec tribute system?
Mita system was mandatory public service and tribute system was paying tributes
What was the role of religion in the Incan empire?
Inca rulers were reps. for Inti (Sun God). Priests were relay stations for the gods.
What led to the decline of the Incan empire?
Civil war weakend military or European disease
