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History Patterns - Final > Aztec & Inca > Flashcards

Aztec & Inca Flashcards

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1
Q

How did the Aztec empire rise?

How did it begin? They were subject of ________.

A
  • Began as separate farming tribes
  • Probably subject of the Toltecs
  • Legend: settle where they saw an eagle on a cactus eating a snake
  • Lived Mexico
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2
Q

The Aztecs began in Lake ___________.

Why?

A

Lake Texcoco

  • A swampy island
  • Site where legend says Aztecs saw eagle and snake
  • Founded city of Tenochtitlán
  • From here, continued rise to power
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3
Q

How did the Aztecs grow in power?

How did they rule people?

A

Conquering Warriors

  • Aztecs gained strength in 1420s with alliance with other groups
  • Alliance gained control over huge region
  • Aztecs ruled 400 to 500 other city states, 5 million people
  • Required conquered people to pay tribute
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4
Q

How did the Aztecs maintain wealth and strength?

What were tributes?

A
  • Tribute paid in many forms, feathers, food, pottery, blankets
  • Tribute was basis of economy
  • Gained wealth and strength through trade as well
  • System of roads aided trade of goods like jade, cacao
  • Merchants also acted as spies for Aztec emperor
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5
Q

The capital city of Aztec empire was ________________.

Where is this located in present day?

A

Tenochtitlán

  • Capital city of Aztec empire
  • Covered 5 square miles
  • Population of about 200,000
  • One of largest cities in world at time
  • Site of present day Mexico City
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6
Q

What structures were in Tenochtitlán?

What was the heart of the empire?

A
  • Pyramid with two temples on top
  • Other temples, government buildings, palaces, a ball court
  • Political and religious heart of the empire
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7
Q

The Aztecs build ___________ in middle of a lake.

How did this help the Aztec army?

A

Floating Gardens

Swampy island in middle of lake

Not much land for farming

Aztecs built floating gardens at city’s edge

Vendors paid tax to support army

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8
Q

How was the Aztec society organized?

A

Just as the economy of the Aztec Empire was highly organized, so was its society, with the

king at the top,

followed by priests.

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9
Q

What was society and religion like in Aztec?

Who were the main people?

A
  • King was part of royal family, but had to be elected
  • Lived in palace
  • Certain nobles served as government officials
  • Just below king were priests

–Interpreted calendars

–Performed religious ceremonies

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10
Q

What were Religious Ceremonies like?

A
  • Believed gods needed blood
  • Slaves used for sacrifices
  • Certain warriors who captured victims also upper class
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11
Q

What were the other classes in Aztec society?

A

Other classes:

  • Merchants, artisans wealthy, respected
  • Merchants rich from trading
  • Artisans important, made goods required for tribute
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12
Q

What were the lower classes in Aztec society?

A

Lower class

  • Most were farmers, very poor
  • Did not own their own land
  • Paid so much in tribute, it was difficult to survive
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13
Q

How did the lower class improve their status?

A

Chance for improvement

  • Farmers could become warriors or study
  • All attended school until 15
  • School led to work in government
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14
Q

Which class of people suffered the most in Aztec society?

A

Slaves

  • Suffered most in Aztec society
  • Most had been captured in battle, or could not pay debts
  • Some worked as farmers, laborers; some sacrificed
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15
Q

What were the Aztec achievements in art ?

A
  • Aztecs known for achievements in art and science
  • Artisans made bright feathers into headdresses, shields, costumes
  • Metalworkers fashioned gold, silver, copper into jewelry, masks
  • Stoneworkers decorated temples with elaborate statues
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16
Q

What were the Aztec achievements in science?

A
  • Kept written records, though not as advanced as Mayan
  • Composed poetry, riddles, historical accounts
  • Used astronomy to create religious and solar calendars much like the Maya
17
Q

How long did the Aztec empire last?

What brought it to an end?

A

•Aztec Empire lasted less than 200 years, brought to end by European contact, 1500s

18
Q

The greatest empire in South America was the __________ empire

A

The Inca Empire

19
Q

How did the Inca empire begin?

How far did it stretch?

A
  • Brought entire South American region into one empire
  • Began as small tribe
  • Early 1500s, empire expanded along Pacific coast
20
Q

What was the Inca government like?

A

Government

  • Period of rapid expansion
  • Pachacuti used political alliances, military force
21
Q

How did Inca rule its empire?

A

Ruling a large empire

  • Incas needed strong government
  • Emperor had most power
  • Did not want conquered people to rebel
22
Q

How did Inca empire create stability across the empire?

A

Creating stability

  • Moved leaders of conquered areas out
  • Moved loyal new leaders in
  • Military used to protect against rebellion, external attacks
23
Q

What was the Inca empire’s ECONOMY like?

A

Economy

  • Strictly controlled by government
  • Common people required to pay labor tax, called the mita
  • Government told each household what work to do to pay tax
24
Q

What was the MITA?

A

Mita

  • Paid by weaving cloth, working on government farms, mines, building roads
  • No merchants, goods distributed by government
  • Extra food, goods stored in government warehouses for emergencies
25
Q

How did the Incas record numbers?

A

•Inca used quipu, colored and knotted cords representing numbers, dates

26
Q

How did the Inca track goods?

A
  • No written language, quipu used to record taxes, number livestock, census
  • Road system improved communication, helped government control economy
27
Q

How did the government play a big role in Inca society?

A

The government also played a big role in Inca society.

Each family was grouped with others into a cooperative community

28
Q

Community groupings were called _________

A

Ayllu

29
Q

How was the AYLLU organized?

How were activities organized?

Who was the head?

A
  • Members shared activities like farming, building canals, rituals
  • Each group of ten ayllus had chief
  • Chain of command from emperor down to local level
30
Q

How were classes of people divided?

A
  • No slaves
  • Most belonged to lower class

–Farmers

–Artisans

–Servants

  • Wore plain clothes
  • Could not own more than needed
  • Served upper class
31
Q

Who were the upper class people?

Where did they live?

A

UPPER CLASS - King, government officials, priests

•Lived in capital, Cuzco

–Stone houses

–Fine clothes

–Did not pay tax

–Attended school to prepare to be officials

32
Q

________ was a key element of Inca society

A

Religion a key element of Inca society

33
Q

What was the most important in Inca religion?

A

–Sun god was most important of all

–Believed kings related to sun god

34
Q

Main temple was located in _________

A

•Main temple located in Cuzco

35
Q

What were in the religious ceremonies?

A

–Mummies of dead kings worshipped

–Religious ceremonies often included sacrifices of llamas, cloth or food, rarely humans

36
Q

How were the Inca empire organized?

A

Well organized: Engineering, arts, builders of forts and roads. Many Inca structures were built so well they still stand today.

37
Q

What was Inca metalwork like?

A
  • Skilled in metalwork
  • Artisans made ornaments of gold, silver
  • Created a life-sized field of corn out of gold & silver in temple courtyard
38
Q

How did the Incans do weaving?

A
  • Weavers worked with wool, cotton
  • Divided cloth into three categories

oPlain for households

oFiner for taxes and trade

oSpecial for royal and religious purposes

39
Q

How long did the Inca empire last?

What ended the empire?

A

The Inca Empire lasted only about 100 years.

Arrival of Spanish in 1532 marked end of Empire.

History Patterns - Final (11 decks)

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