Maya & Aztec Flashcards

Worshipped many God from nature

Huitzilopochtli who chased away the sun and moon

Offered human sacrifices to the Gods

Chinampas in the middle of water

Many died from smallpox and were conquered by Spanish leader named Cortes

Tenochititlan - buildings placed to represent position of the sun during special times

Built reed boats - Expert builders

Causeways and Bridges

Plaza, markets, & zoo

Valley with several Lakes

Lake Texcoco

Valley of Mexico

1100 - 1500

Mesoamerica - Southern Mexico & Central America

Yukonton Peninsula

Stone monuments of gods to allow for a good harvest or war

Step pyramids were topped with temples to worship their gods and observe the stars

Tikal - built to align with star clusters

Advanced writing system and wrote many books

The number zero

Calendar

Charts of stars

250 - 900

Slowly conquered by the Spanish

Moved from place to place to keep the soil from wearing out

Build terraces to make level surfaces

Built raised islands in swamps

Many tribes with the same language.

3 joined to form a large empire.  Others paid tributes to rule themselves.

Fought a lot of wars

Not centrally controlled.  Had many city-states controlling their own family

Many ruling families

Always at war with neighboring city-states