Anahy Perez Jacinto Period 6 Aztec and Inca 50%
Fall of the Aztec Empire
Aztec Engineering
Culture
Tenochtitlan
Art
Family life
Food
Meat was not a prominent part of the Aztec diet because it took a great deal of work for do the haunting. Also, there weren't meat sources in abundance in the areas where the Aztec people settled. The Aztecs would occasionally hunt and kill an animal. The animal was usually a turkey or a dog. Insects and insects eggs were another source of protein in the Aztec diet, though it was the poor people who usually ate them. Algae was used to make a cheesecake-type dessert and the beans of the cacao tree were used to make many kinds of things. For example, chocolatey drinks.
Beans were another food staple in the Aztec diet because beans were a good source of protein. Beans were served at every meal in the Aztec culture. The beans would be soaked in water for several hours and then boiled until they were soft. The Aztec people would also mix beans with other ingredients, such as vegetables, to make soup or stem. The Aztecs would occasionally eat meat with their beans.
Corn or maize was one of the primary crops that the Aztec grew in their fmaize. The Aztec people relied so heavily on corn because corn supplied a good amount of calories to sustain life. Corn was also a source of protein. People needed corn because the protein and calories supported their physically active lives. The most common way to use corn was to grind it into a dough. The dough was used to make tortillas or comalli. The Aztec people also ate the corn right off the con and used the kernels in a soup called pozole.
The Aztec people grew a varieties fruits and vegetables. The fruits and vegetables provided them with key vitamins and minerals that they needed to support their active lives and their good health. The most prominent fruits and vegetables were chili peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and avocados. The Aztec also grew several different types of squash, such as zucchini and pumpkins. The people ate squash seeds too. Prickly pear cactus or nopal is also in the Aztec diet.
The Aztec relied on what they could grow and hunt as their primary food sources. It was easier to grow crops than rely on animals. The Aztec diet was plant-based and focused on a few major foods. Their diet provided the nutrients necessary to sustain life, but it is also a healthy way of eating.
Poetry was the highest form of art in the Aztec culture. The Aztec people wrote lots of poems. Many of the Aztec poems were about the gods and mythology. Other poems that the Aztec wrote was about everyday life. The Aztec called poetry "flower and song". The poetry and stories of the Aztec people were passed down from generation to generation. The Aztecs didn't begin to write down poetry until after the Spanish arrived. The largest collections of the Aztec poems were put together in the 1500s. Some examples of books from the Aztec are "Romances de los señores de la Nueva España and "Cantares mexicanos ".
The Aztec people loved to enjoy music. The Aztec played various instruments. Some various instruments that they played were flutes, shells, whistles, and drums. The Aztec people played their music for the gods that they worshipped and used it to make requests. Some requests were asking the gods for rain or for the harvest to be good.
The Aztec people carved a lot of sculptures from stone of all types. The Aztecs carved small items as well as huge statues of their gods that were replaced in public areas and the temples. A lot of the Aztec sculptures had similar features. Many male statues were usually shown sitting with their knees up and arms crossed. Many female statues were usually shown kneeling with their hands on their knees. The facial features were often similar. The main differences were the symbols that were unique to each god.
Art was an important part of the Aztec life. The Aztec used some forms of art such as music, poetry, and sculpture to honor and praise their gods. Other forms of art that the Aztec used was jewelry and other feather-work. Jewelry and feather-work were worn by the Aztec nobility to set them apart from the commoners.
The family structure was very important to the Aztec people. The husband usually worked on a job outside of his home. Men would generally work as a farmer, warrior, or craftsman. The wife worked at home cooking food for the family and making clothes for the family. The kids would attend schools or worked to help out around the house.
Wealthy people lived in homes made of stone or sometimes sun-dried brick. The king of the Aztec lived in a large palace with so many rooms and gardens. All of the wealthy people had a separate bathing room that was similar to sauna or stream room. Bathing was an important part of the Aztec daily life.
Life for the typical person living in the Aztec Empire was hard work! As in the ancient societies the rich people were able to live luxurious lives. On the other hand, the common people had to work very hard.
Poor people lived in a small one room or two room huts that had thatched roofs made from palm leaves. They had gardens near their homes where they would grow vegetables and flowers. Inside of the poor people's home would be four main areas. One area was where the family would sleep. Generally that area had mats on the floor. Other areas included a cooking area, eating area, and a place for shrines to the gods.
Tenochtitlan was located on a swampy island in the Lake Texcoco in what is today South Central Mexico. The Aztec people were able to settle there because no one else wanted the land. At first, it wasn't great place to start a city. However, they soon built up islands so they can grow crops. The water worked as a natural defense against attacks from other cities.
Tenochtitlan was the capital city and the center of the Aztec Empire. It was founded in 1325 and served as the capital until the Aztecs were conquered. They were conquered by Hernan Cortes in 1520.
Temples
Chinampas
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Chinampas were not used for the capital city. They were used throughout the Valley of Mexico around the lake bed. As the Aztec Empire grew, more sources of food were required. At times it meant conquering more land, other times it meant expanding the Chinampas system.
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Inca Engineering
Inca Culture
Fall of the Aztec Empire
Machu Picchu
Food
Art
Clothing
Women wore one piece dresses that reached to their ankles. The dresses would be tied at the waist. When the weather was cold, women wore shawls that were held by a pin in the front of the dress. Some women would wear ankle length skirts. Women wear shoes that is made up of grass and other garments. The garments would be constructed from llama, alpaca or vicuña wool.
Both men and women of all social status added colorful embroidery to their clothing. The Incas loved to use bright colors in their clothing. The Inca people were inspired by colorful, bright things found in nature. For example, they loved the colors of birds and flower.
Men wore sleeveless tunic. When the weather was chilly, the men would wear a cloak and sandals. Men would also wear grass shoes, headbands, and headdress worn by their particular family.
The Sapa Inca could wear a special hat made of gold and feathers. He wore heavy gold jewelry and extremely heavy gold earplugs. His clothes were embroidered and covered with jewels. His slippers were made of fur or the finest cloth. The Sapa Inca only got to wear a outfit once. Once he removed the clothes, they were burned. The Sapa Inca had kept many weavers. The weavers were always busy making a new outfit everyday.
Rich and poor commoners dressed in the same fashion but, they did not wear the same type of fabric. Commoners didn't wear feathers. Their cloth was made of plant fibers and had a somewhat rough texture.
Potatoes were the most important ingredients in their diet and their main source of food that causes growth or health. Potatoes is one of Peru's native crops. Potatoes were dried and prepared in the form of chuño. Cassava or yuca, sweet potatoes or camote, oca, olluco, arracacha, maka, mashua and yacon are other tubers that were cooked in the same way as potatoes.
Maize has been used for farming in the Andes mountains since at least 1200 BC. Inca farmers had used different breeding varieties of maize. Sara (special variety) was grown at lower altitudes and was used as offerings in religious ceremonies. Chicha (another variety) was used to brew a drink. Chicha is still a popular drink today.
Root vegetables were the most important staple foods that the Incas consume. Archaeological findings show that certain vegetables were converted or domesticated about 8, 000 years ago. Some examples of root vegetables that were domesticated about 8, 000 years ago are potatoes, oca, sweet potatoes and manioc. These crops were able to be grown in poor soil conditions. They were able to withstand freezing temperatures and store for future use.
Grains were an important source of protein and nutrients in the Inca civilization. Amaranth or kiwicha in Quechua was a staple grain of the Incas. Quechua is an Amerind language with about 8 million people in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, and Argentina speaking that language. Quechua was the language of the Inca Empire. Kiwicha is a grain rich in protein and nutrients. Kiwicha has more than 1, 200 varieties and was cultivated 4, 000 years ago.
The Incas kept their food in storehouses. The storehouses were called qollqa. The qollqas were built in the tens of thousands across the empire. The qollqas were arranged in neat rows and near population centers. The Incas produced more food than they needed, and they stored their foods for times of need. Food security was the most important policies of the Inca Empire.
The Incas created their own distinctive style which was an instantly recognizable symbol of imperial dominance across the empire.
The Incas art was mostly seen in highly polished metalwork. The metalwork was in gold, ceramics, and textiles. The gold was considered as the sweat of the sun or the tears of the moon/copper.
The Incas had many designs for their art. Their designs often used geometrical shapes. The geometrical shapes had to be technically accomplished and standardized. The very popular design was the cardboard stands out.
Incas art was practical. The Incas were artistic people who used natural materials. The natural materials were blended. The natural materials that were blended was in many artistic forms in practical ways.
Much of their artistic expression was used in everyday life and had a religious meaning. The Incas did not know science so they had to attach powers to natural phenomena worshiping natural resources such as water streams/rocks, animals, and anything related to nature. The best way to worship was to incorporate their best artistic creations in their offerings to gods.
Machu picchu was first built at the peak of the Inca Empire around the year of 1450. Machu Picchu's construction was likely continued on site until the Empire was conquered by the Spanish in the mid 1500s.
Machu Picchu sits 8, 000 feet above sea level atop a mountain in the Andes Mountain range in southern Peru. Three sides of Machu Picchu are surrounded by cliffs that drop over 1, 400 feet to the Urubamba River. At the fourth side of Machu Picchu is a high mountain.
Machu Picchu was a city of the Inca Empire. Machu Picchu is sometimes called the "lost city" because the Spanish never discovered the city when they conquered the Inca in the 1500s.
At the center of the city was a large area where many of the public activities took place. The temples to the Aztec gods were built here as well as a court where they played a ball game. The ballgame was called Ullama. The largest temple was a pyramid called the Templo Mayor. It was the tallest building in the city. It had to be tall because it was symbolizing how they are close to the gods.
There many markets throughout the city where people would trade goods and food. There was one main marketplace where up to 40, 000 people would visit it. It most mostly during feast days to buy goods and food for celebrations.
Canals
Terraces
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Montezuma
Conquered
Hernan Cortes
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Francisco Pizarro
Conquered
Atahualpa
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Francisco Pizarro is from Spain.
Francisco Pizarro came to the new world because
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Machu Picchu was built as the royal estate for the ninth Inca King. The ninth Inca King was Pachacuti. Many archeologists aren't sure when they built it, however there are theories as to why they built it. One theory is that Machu Picchu was built because it was a vacation retreat for Pachacuti. The location of Machu Picchu was a warmer spot than the capital city of Cuzco. Also, Machu Picchu was a beautiful location. Another theory that Machu Picchu was built because it was built as a sacred religious site. Some archaeologists say it's combination of both theories.
Most buildings in Machu Picchu was built with stones that are fitted together tightly without the use of mortar. This style of construction helped buildings in Machu Picchu to stay together during earthquakes. The Incas did not have new technology like wheels or heavy burden, so hard work was done by people. It took hundreds of laborers using grass ropes and levers to move the large stones around the site.
When the Aztec people were driven from their valley home by the Culhuacan they needed a new place to stay. The priests said they had a sign from the gods. The Aztec people should settle where they saw an eagle holding a snake while standing on a cactus. The Aztec saw this sign on a marshy island in the lake and began to build a new town on the spot.
Tenochtitlan was a huge city that covered around 5 square miles. Some people estimate that nearly 200, 000 people lived in the city during its peak.