Chapter 20. Worlds Apart: The Americas and Oceania. 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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1 Chapter 20 Worlds Apart: The Americas and Oceania 1

2 States and Empires in Mesoamerica and North America n Societies had limited or no contact with Africa, Asia, Europe q Brief presence of Scandinavians in Newfoundland, Canada q Some Asian contact with Australia n Mesoamerica in period of war and conquest, eighth century C.E. 2

3 The Toltecs n Regional states in central Mexican valley q Religious and cultural influence of collapsed Teotihuacan q Intense warfare n Toltecs migrate from northwest Mexico, settle at Tula (near modern Mexico city) q High point of civilization: C.E. q Urban population of 60,000; another 60,000 in surrounding area q Subjugation of surrounding peoples n Civilization destroyed by internal strife, nomadic incursions, 1175 C.E. 3

4 The Mexica n One of several groups of migrants, mid-thirteenth century C.E. n Tradition of kidnapping women, seizing cultivated lands n Settled ca C.E. in Tenochtitlan (later becomes Mexico City) n Dredged soil from lake bottom to create fertile plots of land q Chinampas, up to seven crops per year 4

5 The Aztec Empire n Mexica develop tributary empire by fifteenth century n Itzcóatl ( ), Motecuzoma I (Montezuma, ) n Joined with Texcoco and Tlacopan to create Aztec empire 5

6 The Toltec and Aztec Empires, C.E. 6

7 Mexica Society n Hierarchical social structure n High stature for soldiers q Mainly drawn from aristocratic class q Land grants, food privileges q Sumptuary privileges, personal adornment 7

8 Mexica Women n Patriarchal structure n Emphasis on child-bearing q Especially future soldiers q Mothers of warriors especially lauded 8

9 Priests n Masters of complex agricultural/ritual calendars n Ritual functions n Read omens, advised rulers n Occasionally became rulers as well 9

10 Cultivators and Slaves n Communal groups: calpulli q Originally kin-based q Management of communal lands q Work obligation on aristocratic lands n Slave class q Debtors q Children sold into slavery 10

11 Mexica Religion n Influenced by indigenous traditions from the Olmec period n Ritual ball game n Solar calendar (365 days) and ritual calendar (260 days) q Not as elaborate as Maya calendar 11

12 Mexica Gods n Tezcatlipoca ( the Smoking Mirror ) q Powerful god of life and death q Patron god of warriors n Quetzalcóatl ( the Feathered Serpent ) q Arts, crafts, agriculture n Huitzilopochtli q Fourteenth-century popularity, patron of Mexica q Emphasis on blood sacrifices 12

13 Ritual Bloodletting n More emphasis on human sacrifice than predecessor cultures n Sacrificial victims had tips of fingers torn off before death, ritual wounds q Victims: Mexica criminals, captured enemy soldiers n Personal rituals: piercing of penis, earlobes 13

14 Aztec Human Sacrifice 14

15 Peoples and Societies of the North n Pueblo and Navajo societies q American southwest q Maize farming 80% of diet q By 700 C.E., construction of permanent stone or adobe dwellings; 125 sites discovered n Iroquois peoples q Settled communities in woodlands east of Mississippi n Mound-building peoples q Ceremonial platforms, homes, burial grounds q Cahokia large mound near east St. Louis, C.E. 15

16 Trade n No written documents survive regarding northern cultures n Archaeological evidence indicates widespread trade n River routes exploited 16

17 States and Empires in South America n No writing before arrival of Spaniards, sixteenth century C.E. q Unlike Mesoamerican cultures, writing from fifth century C.E. n Archaeological evidence reveals Andean society from first millennium B.C.E. n Development of cities C.E. 17

18 Before the Coming of the Incas n After displacement of Chavín, Moche societies n Development of autonomous regional states in Andean South America n Kingdom of Chucuito q Lake Titicaca (border of Peru and Bolivia) q Potato cultivation, herding of llamas, alpacas n Kingdom of Chimu (Chimor) q Peruvian coast q Capital Chanchan 18

19 The Inca Empire n From valley of Cuzco n Refers to people who spoke Quechua language n Settlement around Lake Titicaca mid-thirteenth century n Ruler Pachacuti (r ) expands territory q Modern Peru, parts of Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina q Population 11.5 million 19

20 The Inca Empire, C.E. 20

21 Inca Administration and Quipu n Incas ruled by holding hostages, colonization n No writing; used system of cords and knots called quipu n Mnemonic aid 21

22 Cuzco n Capital of Inca empire n Residents high nobility, priests, hostages n Gold facades on buildings 22

23 Inca Roads n Massive road-building system n Two north-south roads, approximately 10,000 miles q Mountain route q Coastal route n Paved, shaded, wide roads n Courier and messenger services n Limited long-distance trade, held by government monopoly 23

24 Inca Society and Religion n Social elites dominated by infallible king q Claimed descent from the sun n Worship of ancestors q Remains preserved in mummified form q Regularly consulted q Sacrifices offered q Paraded on festive occasions 24

25 Aristocrats, Priests, and Peasants n Aristocrats receive special privileges q Earlobe spools as adornment n Priestly class ascetic, celibate n Peasants organized into community groups called ayllu q Land, tools held communally q Mandatory work details on land of aristocrats q Public works 25

26 Inca Religion n Inti sun god n Viracocha creator god n Temples as pilgrimage sites n Peasant sacrifices usually produce and animals (not humans) n Sin understood as disruption of divine order 26

27 The Societies of Oceania n Nomadic foragers of Australia q Virtually static culture n No agriculture n New Guinea q Swine herding, root cultivation ca B.C.E. n Small-scale trade of surplus food, some goods q Pearly oyster shells, spears, boomerangs 27

28 Aborigine with Boomerang 28

29 Cultural and Religious Traditions n Loosely tied to environment n Myths, stories about geological features n Rituals to ensure continuing food supply 29

30 The Societies of Oceania 30

31 The Development of Pacific Island Societies n Established in almost all islands in early centuries B.C.E. n Trade between island groups n Long-distance voyaging on intermittent basis q Brought sweet potatoes from South America ca. 300 C.E. q Voyages preserved in oral traditions 31

32 Population Growth n Extensive cultivation n Fishing innovations q Fishponds allow small fish through, trap larger fish n Population density leads to social strife, economic degradation n Fierce fighting, cannibalism, ca C.E. 32

33 Development of Social Classes n Complexity of population leads to articulation of distinct classes q High chiefs, lesser chiefs, commoners, artisans, peasants n Small multi-island empires form q Limited before nineteenth century q Yet controlled land allocation, labor and military conscription 33

34 Polynesian Religion n Priests as intermediaries to divine n Gods of war, agriculture most prominent n Ceremonial precinct or temple: marae (heiau in Hawaiian) 34

Before Contact with Europeans

Before Contact with Europeans Introduction Migration to the Americas Early migrations from northern Asia to Alaska occurred 35,000 to 15,000 years ago Some contact with Polynesians possible Geography Great