The Incas and the Aztecs Essay - 874 Words

The Incas and the Aztecs Before the Spanish and Portuguese discovered the New World, there were many groups of people already living in South and Central America. Two of these groups were the Incas and the Aztecs. The Incas lived mainly in Peru, and the Aztecs lived mainly in what is today Mexico City. Although these two groups probably never came on contact with one another, they had many similar traits. This is probably partly because of the influences on them by traveling tribes. It is more likely that the similarities of the tribes are based on the similar conditions they lived with and the problems they faced.†¦show more content†¦In the sacrificial ceremonies they would sacrifice either people or animals. Some other occasions for a sacrificial ceremony were deliverance from draught, plague, earthquakes, or defeat in war[1]. In these religious ceremonies, they used beautiful statues and jewelry, usually made of gold. These pieces were crafted by the artisans, who were in the sixth social class, yet had a very important job. The Incas knew their respective jobs, and they loved working. There were many holidays to show reverence to the gods when the people wouldnt have to work; yet many of them chose to work anyway. The Incas kept records on quipus, colored strings with knots tied in them. Only specially trained people could decode them, so no records of the Incas are known. The largest social class of the Incas was the laborers. They were at the bottom of the totem pole, but they were the most important. The Incas are known for their superb architecture, bridges, roads and aqueducts, some of which still stand today. The architectural laborers were just as skilled as the quipu-decoders, just in a different way. They could carve slabs so well that nothing was used to join them when making a building. They were so intricate that they fit together perfectly, and this w as hard at the time because of theShow MoreRelatedThe Aztec And Inca1616 Words   |  7 PagesSince class was determined based on ethnicity, social stability was directly correlated with racial diversity. Spanish conquest of the Aztec and Inca brought a new regime to America. The Aztec and Inca were considered the two most powerful and influential empires in Mesoamerica and South America. However, after Cortez conquered the Aztec and Pissarro defeated the Inca, the Spanish became the rulers of the newly acquired land and continued to expand their control. Spaniards in America adopted the socialRead MoreAztec, Inca And Aztec Civilizations1134 Words   |  5 Pagesof Mexico. The Mayan, Incan and Aztec civilizations were a few of the greatest ancient civilizations in history, but they each had distinct characteristics that helped them prosper into the great empires that they became. Each had their own fascinating ways of food production, governing system and culture. The Mayans were established first out of the three and settled in modern-day Mexico. Then came the Aztecs and they also settled in modern-day Mexico and the Incas were the last of the three andRead MoreMayans, Aztecs, And Incas Essay1540 Words   |  7 PagesThe Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas were civilizations that settled in Central and South America thousands of years ago. There are vastly similar to each other, but also very different. They each had their own ways of growing their civilizations into what they needed to be successful. They had their own cultures and ways of life, but the ideas of each of them similarly came together in one way or another. The Mayan civilization was located in Central America on the Yucatan peninsula and down into theRead MoreMayans, Incas, And Aztecs Essay1586 Words   |  7 Pagesconvinced that the world was going to come to an end, there is one civilization that we can put the blame on, the Mayans. There were many myths and legends that come from the 3 major civilizations that we’ve all learned about; Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs. The Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs built great and legendary civilizations in Mexico, Central America, and South America and with understanding these three we get a better understanding of the early life in these places. The first of these three is the Maya civilizationRead MoreIncas and Aztecs Essay1959 Words   |  8 PagesIncas and Aztecs Like the Athenians and Spartans of ancient Greece, the Inca and the Aztec bear resemblance to the two other ancient cultures. The Athenians and Incas were both more interested in developing their Arts as well as their military, but both the Spartans and the Aztecs were highly interested more so in warfare than religion. Although the Aztec and Inca never had to face each other, it is interesting to compare them because of their dominant positions of extremely large and powerfulRead MoreThe Aztec And Inca Empires990 Words   |  4 Pagesactions, for the Spanish onto the Aztec it was ridding the world of heretics worshiping Gods of blood. The Aztec and Inca Empires fell with relative ease to the Spaniards due to a variety of contributing factors. Hesitate action from leadership may have played a role at least for the Aztecs as according to Hernan Cortez; Moctezuma believed that he possibly was a God. Superior weaponry such as steel based weapons/armor played a significant role, as bo th the Inca and Aztec empires still relied on weaponsRead MoreThe Aztecs And The Incas1135 Words   |  5 Pagesand millions of other stars! This is what the Aztecs and the Mayas saw every night. Both the Aztec and the Maya were a powerful and advanced civilization that were created separately from the Western European civilizations and did an amazing job doing so. Just like many other Ancient Civilizations the night sky plays a significant role in their society. Astronomy, Religion, culture and architecture are all aligned the stars. Both the Aztecs and the Maya originated in what is now the southernRead MoreAztecs And Incas : Similarities And Differences1422 Words   |  6 PagesThe Aztecs and Incas: Similarities and Differences The Aztecs were warrior people who lived in the Valley of Mexico, with the capital at Tenochtitlan, during the 1400s. Under their authoritarian state, the Aztecs worshipped their patron god, Huitzilopochtli, among other deities. Despite their warrior tactics and developed belief system, the Spaniards conquered them in 1519. The Incas (or Inkas) were the people who lived throughout the Andes Mountains from southern Peru to central Chile. With a societyRead MoreIncas Versus The Aztecs And Mayans Essay1315 Words   |  6 PagesIncas versus the Aztecs and Mayans The incas rose in 1438, they fell in 1533. They suffered the attacks of Spanish conquerors such as Spaniard Francisco Pizarro (1475-1541) and the spread of small box. At the peak of power the civilization extended 4,000 km (2,500 miles) and included 16 million people. They were extremely advanced, had an army, laws, roads, bridges, and tunnels. Inca’s were the most advanced civilization because of their government, agriculture, architecture and technology comparedRead MoreMaya, Inca, And Aztec Societies903 Words   |  4 PagesMesoamerica is full of rich culture. Expeditions have revealed monuments of valiant, female sultan erected for display and iconography feminine in appearance. Women have played a prominent role in defining cultures; such is the case for Maya, Inca, and Aztec societies. Maya culture relied heavily on the female population. Before, agrarian labor was seen as a male domineering field; however, studies of the Classic Maya culture indicates farming was a communal occupation. All citizens, including