Colonial Latin America

Aztec and Inca Empires

-Origins in Valley of Mexico ca. 1218
-mercenaries
-Tenochtitlan




-Huitzilopochtli

Turning point in 1428 under Itzcoatl

-Triple Alliance

-merchants

-loose imperial control

--tribute payments

-calpulli

-stratified and "feudal" society

Schools for children of the elite

Law Codes

Despotism and theocracy

State religion

human sacrifices

Incas: "socialist empire" or totalitarian tyranny?

Diverse geography

-irrigation techniques

-trading networks

Origins of Inca obscure; powerful empire in the 15th century

-tightly controlled empire: bureaucracy, language, state religion, standing army, roads, deportation and resettlement

-quipu for keeping records

-ayllu = kinship group

-traditionally parallel descent for men and women - exploited by Inca

-"feudal" system

Religion

-huacas

-Viracocha; Pachayachachic; sun god

-large priestly class assisted by holy women (mamacna)

Heartland of Ancient America

First humans arrived between 25000-10000 B.C.

Started domesticating plants between 7000-2300 B.C.
-pumpkins, beans, manioc, potatoes and maize

-tribes, chiefdoms, states or civilizations

Olmec civilization, 1500-400 B.C.
-colossal heads, hieroglyphs
-mother of civilization in Mesoamerica

Zapotecs (emerge 500 B.C.)

-Monte Alban

Teotihuacan (emerges 300 B.C.)

-Street of the Dead

-Tlaloc, Quetzalcoatl

-by A.D. 500 had at least 125 000 inhabitants

Ancient Maya

-roots 600 B.C.; height of civilization A.D. 250-900.

-Tikal

-stratified society

-Supreme God: Itzam Na

-afterlife; ritual sacrifices; time

-hieroglyphic writing and codices

Widespread Crisis -- called Time of Troubles (A.D. 700-1000)

Post-Classic or Militarist Age

-Toltecs at Tula

-warriors and warrior gods