Maya, Aztec, Inca
Mrs. Mitchell
6th grade
Maya
• 250 BC – 900 AD
• Yucatan Peninsula,
Mexico, Belize,
Guatemala
• Cities: Tikal,
Chichen Itza
• Written language-
hieroglyphics
• Pyramids
• Farming-raised
fields, canals, corn
Maya
• Astronomy
• Calendar
• Concept of zero
• Predicted
spring/fall
equinoxes
• Religion-many
gods:
sun, rain
Aztecs
• 1325-1521 AD
• Mexico
• Capital city:
Tenochtitlan
– Built on an island
– Causeways
– Canals
– Chinampas
• Temples and
pyramids
Aztecs
• Legend – how they
found the place to
build their city
• Eagle, cactus, snake
• Codex
• Religion-many
gods
• Warriors
Inca
• 1438-1533 AD
• South America
• 2500 miles of
territory
• Coastal area plus
Andes Mountains
• Cuzco-capital city
• Machu Piccu-lost city
• Stone work
• Pyramids
• Messengers
Inca
• Farming-terraces
• No written
records-everything
by messenger
• Quipu-record
keeping
• Gold
• Religion-many
gods
Spanish Conquistadors
• Aztecs conquered by Cortez in 1521
• Inca conquered by Pizzaro in 1533
• Maya-only theories about what happened to
them.