Las CULTURAS PRECOLOMBINAS de América: Aztecas, Mayas e Incas👨‍🏫

Pre-Columbian Cultures

This section provides an introduction to the pre-Columbian cultures that inhabited the New World before Christopher Columbus' arrival. It discusses their evolution, interactions, and isolation from the rest of the world.

Pre-Columbian Cultures

• Pre-Columbian cultures refer to civilizations or peoples that occupied the New World for over 10,000 years.

• These cultures evolved, interacted, and sometimes fought among themselves with little contact with the outside world.

• Despite brief Viking presence and occasional exchanges with Polynesia, they remained geographically and temporally isolated.

Isolation and Development

This section explores the long period of isolation and development of pre-Columbian cultures in different regions of the Americas. It mentions notable civilizations such as the Maya, Aztecs, and Incas.

Mesoamerica

• The pre-Columbian cultures in Mesoamerica developed from simple nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to highly advanced civilizations like the Maya, Aztecs, and Incas.

• They spanned a vast geographical area from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.

• Historians compare this encounter between European culture and pre-Columbian cultures in 1492 to other significant events like human migration out of Africa or potential encounters with extraterrestrial civilizations.

Main Pre-Columbian Cultures

This section focuses on three main pre-Columbian cultures: Maya, Aztec, and Inca. It provides information about their locations, economies, art forms, social organization, and other characteristics.

Maya Culture

• The Maya culture is considered one of the most developed and complex in the New World.

• It emerged in Mesoamerica and reached its peak around 900 AD before declining with the arrival of the Spanish.

• The Maya civilization continued to exist, particularly the Quiche, until the encounter with the Spanish and the rise of New Spain.

Maya Culture Continued

This section continues discussing the Maya culture, focusing on their history, geographical influence, and periods of development.

Geographical Influence

• The Maya civilization had a significant influence over an estimated area of more than 500,000 square kilometers.

• Their influence extended across southeastern states of Mexico (Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Yucatan), Guatemala, Belize, parts of El Salvador and Honduras.

Chronology

• Historians divide Maya chronology into at least three periods: Preclassic (2000 BC - 250 AD), Classic (250 - 900 AD), and Postclassic (900 - 1521 AD).

• Each period had distinct characteristics such as early settlements and cities in Yucatan during the Preclassic period or continuous wars between cities during the Postclassic period.

Language and Achievements

This section highlights aspects of Maya culture such as their language diversity and notable achievements in writing systems, mathematics, astronomy, and religious beliefs.

Language

• The Mayas spoke various languages derived from a Proto-Maya language.

• Their writing system is considered one of the most developed among Mesoamerican cultures.

• They were among the first four cultures to discover and use explicit zero in mathematics.

Achievements

• Mayas excelled in astronomy by predicting eclipses accurately and creating precise calendars.

• Their complex system of religious beliefs is reflected in texts like Popol Vuh.

• They practiced human sacrifices, a common feature among Mesoamerican cultures.

Economy and Warfare

This section discusses the Maya economy, including trade networks, agriculture, and their involvement in warfare.

Economy

• Mayas engaged in extensive trade between cities, exchanging agricultural products, textiles, pottery, and tools.

• They also participated in slave trading.

• Their advanced agriculture included terraces and irrigation systems. Key crops were maize, beans, squash, yucca, sunflower seeds, cotton, cacao, and vanilla.

Warfare

• Military campaigns and conflicts were constant among Maya cities or against other peoples.

• Causes of wars ranged from controlling trade routes to expansion attempts.

• While aristocracy produced the main warriors during war times, all males participated in combat.

Art and Architecture

This section explores Maya art forms such as sculpture, painting murals, and architectural achievements like temples and pyramids.

Art

• Maya art is considered religious and courtly art dedicated to representing the life of the aristocracy and their gods.

• Sculptures were made from wood or stone adorning walls or created in relief. Large sculptures were often made using stucco on temple facades.

• They excelled in mural painting since 300 BC. Their most famous artistic expressions are architectural structures like Chichen Itza, Copan Tikal Uxmal Palenque.

Social Organization

This section focuses on the social organization of Maya society with a clear division between commoners (plebeians) and the elite surrounding each city-state's ruler.

Society Structure

• Maya society had a strict division between plebeians (90% of the population) consisting of farmers, traders, and artisans, and the elite.

• The elite were families or clans who owned land from which court officials, scribes, priests, and warriors emerged.

• The king held absolute power as a semi-divine figure mediating between mortals and gods. Succession was patrilineal.

Aztec Culture

This section introduces the Aztec culture, discussing their dominance over various peoples and cultures in what is now Mexico.

Aztec Empire

• The Aztecs or Mexicas had a short but intense period of domination over many peoples and cultures in present-day Mexico from the 14th to 16th centuries.

• They were a Nahua people who migrated to the Valley of Mexico from the north.

• They established their capital city of Tenochtitlan in 1325 and formed an empire by allying with two other Nahua city-states.

Location and Expansion

This section provides information about the geographical extent of the Aztec Empire during its peak expansion.

Geographical Extent

• At its height, the Az

The Aztec Empire

This section provides an overview of the Aztec Empire, including its political organization, religious practices, and economic system.

Political Organization and Religion

• The Aztec Empire was a theocracy led by the Wey Tlatoani, who was chosen by a council representing 20 clans. The Wey Tlatoani acted as a representative of the gods.

• The empire had a political-administrative structure with officials responsible for religious, judicial, and tributary matters, as well as military leaders, provincial governors, and tax administrators.

Religious Practices

• The Aztecs worshipped multiple gods, including Quetzacoatl, Tlaloc, and Huitzilopochtli. They offered numerous human sacrifices obtained through ritualistic wars known as "guerras floridas."

• Some scholars suggest that these sacrifices served both ritualistic purposes and as a means to supplement their diet through cannibalism.

Economy

• While the Aztecs relied heavily on tribute payments from subjugated cities and engaged in trade, they also developed innovative agricultural techniques such as chinampas (artificial islands) for farming.

• Their economy was based on receiving tributes and engaging in commerce. They cultivated various crops and practiced animal husbandry.

Literature and Art of the Aztecs

This section explores the literature and artistic achievements of the Aztecs.

Literature

• The Aztecs had a pictographic writing system; however, most of their literature is known through oral tradition or compilations made by missionaries.

• Poetry was highly valued among the Aztecs. One notable poet was Nezahualcoyotl.

Architecture and Sculpture

• The Aztecs built impressive religious architecture, including twin temples, stepped pyramids, and rock-cut temples.

• They also created sculptures in wood and stone dedicated to their gods. Animal representations were common.

Other Artistic Expressions

• The Aztecs excelled in other artistic forms such as featherwork, metalworking, and painting.

Social Organization of the Aztecs

This section discusses the social structure of the Aztec society.

Nobility

• The nobles belonged to the 20 elite families or clans from which priests, warriors, and officials were chosen.

Commoners

• Commoners included artisans, merchants, farmers, and general population who paid tribute to one of the noble families.

• Slaves were also part of Aztec society and consisted of prisoners of war, debtors, or criminals. Debtors could offer services to creditors instead of payment.

The Inca Empire

This section provides an overview of the Inca Empire's origins, expansion, geography, language, writing system, religion, agriculture, and economy.

Origins and Expansion

• The Inca Empire was founded by Manco Capac around the 13th century. It reached its peak size of approximately 3 million square kilometers in the mid-15th century.

• Francisco Pizarro's arrival led to its downfall with the execution of Inca Atahualpa in 1533.

Geography

• The Inca Empire spanned from present-day Colombia to northern Argentina along the Pacific Ocean and Amazon rainforest.

• Cusco served as a sacred city from where the empire expanded.

Language and Writing System

• Quechua was spoken before the empire's formation but expanded under Inca influence. It is currently one of the most widely spoken indigenous languages in the Americas.

• The Inca developed a partial writing system called quipus, which used strings and knots for administrative purposes.

Religion

• The Inca worshipped Wiracocha as the creator god but primarily revered the sun (Inti) and the moon. Animal sacrifices were common.

Agriculture and Economy

• The Inca employed advanced agricultural techniques such as terracing to cultivate crops like maize, potatoes, coca, tomatoes, chili peppers, peanuts, and avocados.

• They also domesticated llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos for their wool and meat.

• The economy relied on individual work, communal labor, and state-controlled labor. Communities paid tributes that were redistributed by the empire to support regions with shortages.

Infrastructure and Art of the Incas

This section explores the infrastructure and artistic achievements of the Inca Empire.

Infrastructure

• The Inca Empire had an extensive network of pedestrian roads connecting Cusco with all regions. These roads facilitated communication between messengers, officials, armies, and caravans.

• They constructed hanging bridges made of wood or stone.

Art

• The Incas excelled in ceramics and produced various pottery styles.

Timestamps are approximate due to limitations in processing natural language.

Social Structure of the Inca Empire

This section discusses the rigid and hierarchical social structure of the Inca Empire, with a focus on the royal family, nobility, and other members of society.

Inca Social Hierarchy

• The social structure of the Inca Empire was rigid and hierarchical.

• At the top of the hierarchy was the Inca and his family.

• The lowest level of society consisted of "piñas," who were similar to slaves.

Royal Family

• The royal family formed the highest level of nobility in the empire.

• It included the Inca's wife, known as "goya," and their son, who was also the heir to the throne.

Nobility

• The nobility consisted of relatives of the royal family.

• There were two types of nobility: nobleza de sangre (nobility by blood) and nobleza de privilegio (nobility by privilege).

• Nobleza de sangre comprised two lineages that often competed during successions.

• Nobleza de privilegio included individuals holding high positions in government, such as priests, governors, and military leaders (also known as orejones).

Rest of Society

• The majority of society in the Inca Empire were peasants who paid tribute to the empire.

• Other groups included atún runa (conquered peoples relocated to different regions), mitimaes (servants working for the empire), yanaconas (laborers), and prisoners of war or political enemies treated as slaves called piñas.

Roles within Inca Society

This section explores different roles within Inca society, including priests, governors, military leaders, and commoners.

Priests

• Priests held important positions within the Inca Empire.

• They were part of the nobleza de privilegio and played a significant role in religious ceremonies and rituals.

Governors

• Governors were responsible for overseeing different regions within the empire.

• They held high positions in government and were part of the nobleza de privilegio.

Military Leaders (Orejones)

• Military leaders, also known as orejones, were part of the nobleza de privilegio.

• They commanded the Inca army and played a crucial role in defending and expanding the empire's territories.

Commoners

• The majority of society consisted of commoners who worked as peasants, paying tribute to the empire.

• Commoners had various roles within agriculture, craftsmanship, and other essential tasks to support the empire's functioning.

Other Groups in Inca Society

This section discusses additional groups within Inca society, including conquered peoples, servants, laborers, and slaves.

Atún Runa

• Atún runa refers to groups of conquered peoples who were relocated to different regions by the Inca Empire.

• These groups often faced displacement from their original lands.

Mitimaes

• Mitimaes were individuals who served as servants or workers for the empire.

• They played an important role in various aspects of society under imperial control.

Yanaconas

• Yanaconas were laborers who performed essential tasks for society.

• They contributed to agricultural work, construction projects, and other necessary activities.

Piñas (Slaves)

• Piñas referred to prisoners of war or political enemies who were treated as slaves within Inca society.

• These individuals had limited rights and freedoms compared to others in society.