The Mayans
A long time ago, around 2500 BCE, an ancient tribe of Central American Indians called the Olmecs settled in the rainforests of the Yucatan Peninsula of Central America.
About two thousand years later, around 400 BC, a new people suddenly appeared. These people were called the Mayas. They soon took over the Yucatan Peninsula of Central America.
The Mayas were very clever people. Their system of mathematics was among the most sophisticated in the ancient world. The Mayas were master builders. They did not have metal tools. Their tools were made of stone, bone, and wood. Yet they built beautiful structures, huge cities, and excellent roads.
Then, one day, the Mayas disappeared. A few people continued to live in the cities, but mostly, the cities were empty. The people had, for the most part, disappeared, gone somewhere else. Those who remained were unable or unwilling to repair the magnificent roads and buildings. The great Maya cities fell into ruin.
To this day, nobody knows where they came from, and nobody knows where they went. That's why the Maya are sometimes referred to as "the mysterious Mayas".
During the 1500 years or so that the Mayas made their home in Central America, they built hundreds of religious centers, each filled with huge pyramids, elaborate temples, and at least one ball court. Excellent roads ran for miles through the jungles and swamps, and linked these centers of religion and learning.
Daily Life in the Maya Empire
Class Society: The Maya had a class society. There were slaves, peasants, craftsmen, nobility, priests, and leaders. There were also warriors. At the top were the nobles and priests. The middle class had the craftsmen, traders, and warriors. At the bottom were farmers, other workers, and slaves.
Craftsmen: The Mayas wove beautiful fabrics. They made musical instruments like drums, shell horns, and castanets. Their statues were incredible and huge. Archaeologists can tell a great deal about the ancient Maya from their wonderful pottery and well-crafted clay figures. The art they created honored their gods, their leaders, and their daily life.
Slaves: Slaves were people who were captured from warring tribes. Slaves worked in the homes of noble families. Some slaves cared for the children. Some cleaned the house. Still others worked in the fields.
Around 1300 CE, about 200 years after the Maya Indians disappeared, a wandering tribe of Indians wandered into the Valley of Mexico. These people were called the Aztecs.
When the Aztecs arrived in the Valley of Mexico, other tribes were already in residence. They had already taken the best land. The Aztecs had to make due with the swampy shores of Lake Texacoco. They had to adapt to their environment. They built canoes, fished, and hunted birds that lived near the water. They created floating gardens for growing food. They created more land for agriculture by filling in the marshes. They built dikes to hold back the water. The Aztecs were a very clever people.
After a while, they began to conquer the neighboring tribes. They conquered first one tribe, and then another, and then another. They expanded and expanded until they had built an empire.
One day, around 1500 CE, Spanish soldiers arrived in the Valley of Mexico. They were amazed at what they saw. One soldier said, “There were soldiers among us who had been in many parts of the world, in Constantinople and Rome and all over Italy, who said that they had never before seen a market place so large and so filled with people.”
The Spanish brought guns, horses, huge fighting dogs, and disease. The Aztecs had never been exposed to childhood diseases like measles. Many became ill once the Spanish arrived; many died. As well, the Spanish had help from the other tribes in the area. These tribes saw a chance to get even, and perhaps even to rid themselves of the feared and hated Aztecs.
By the mid-1500’s, the Aztec Empire had collapsed, and the Spanish took over.
Today, there are around 1,000,000 (one million) descendants of the ancient Aztecs living and working in Mexico. Human sacrifice is no longer part of their festivals, of course. But the beautiful art and clever games the Aztecs created are still enjoyed today.
Aztec Daily Life
Like nearly all of the ancient civilizations, the rich lived in luxury and the poor worked. In the Aztec civilization, class structure was very important.
Homes:
The Poor: Homes of the farmers and other commoners were huts with thatched roofs. Furniture was limited. They might have mats on the floor and woven trunks to hold belongings. They had blankets and pottery for cooking. Everyone had a garden of their own, including farmers.
The Rich: Homes of the nobles and wealthy were made of sun-dried brick. If you were very wealthy, you home could be made of stone. All homes were whitewashed to make them look clean and shiny. Each noble home had a separate room for steam bathing. Water was poured over heated stones. Bathing was an important part of daily life and of religion. Bathing was believed to clean both the body and soul.
Clothing:
Upper Class: People in the upper class wore clothing decorated with feathers and embroidery to show their status. They also carried fans made of feathers
Common People: It was against the law for commoners to wear feathers. It was against the law for commoners to carry fans. If commoners broke these laws, they were killed.
Marriage: At about age 20, men married women who were ages 14-15. A man could have more than one wife as long as he could support her. Weddings were arranged, usually with the help of a matchmaker. Matchmakers were usually old women. The bride’s family gave a party for three or four days before the wedding. The day of the wedding, the bride rode piggyback on the matchmaker to her new home. There, while they were wearing them, in the front the hearth (the fireplace), the bride and grooms coats were tied together. From that point on, they were married.
New Babies: The birth of a baby was a really big deal. The Aztecs welcomed all life. The birth of a boy or a girl was celebrated. This was true for nobles and commoners.
Correct Behavior: The Aztecs were very concerned that all their citizens behave correctly. This code of behavior was written down. And it was the law. Children were taught correct behavior in the Aztec schools.
Slaves: The Aztec nobles had slaves. Slaves were not captured people. They were Aztecs.
Poetry: For all their love of war, the Aztecs had a softer side. They loved to write and to read poetry. Much of their poetry was about a heroic act of love, war, or religion.
Games: The Aztecs loved games. They loved to give people a sporting chance. Some of the games they played included a ball game similar to one played by the ancient Maya. In fact, the game probably was borrowed from the Mayas (who most probably borrowed it from the Olmecs, the people before them.)
Schools: Kids went to school. To build the city they wanted, they knew that they would need many engineers, builders, and traders. To solve this problem, the Aztecs created schools for their children. Attendance at school was mandatory. All Aztec children had to attend school, even girls and slaves. The Aztecs were the only people in the world at this time in history to have free schools that every child had to attend by law.
The Aztec Capital City of Tenochtitlan
With the help of trained engineers, builders, and traders, the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan became a great city. It had huge temples, beautiful open plazas, and a huge bustling central marketplace. By the mid-1400’s, Tenochtitlan had a population of about 300,000 people, which made it the largest city in the world at that time!
When Spanish soldiers first arrived in the Valley of Mexico, they were amazed at what they found in the capital city of Tenochtitlan. Everything was clean. There were “eating houses” and hairdressers. You could buy medicines and herbs and all kinds of food. You could buy meat and game. There were streets that sold only pottery and mats. Painters could buy the paints they needed for their art.
Today, Mexico City is sitting on the site of the original Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. Mexico City has covered up the lake. All that is left are small pockets of water, and underground waterways. This has caused Mexico City a lot of problems. Mexico City today is experiencing the same problems as the ancient Aztecs did long ago. Mexico City is sinking. The city fathers keep shoring it up. No one wants to lose the city. It’s an absolutely beautiful city, rich in history and culture.
Since the Incas never developed a system of writing, archaeologists must study myths and legends and the artifacts they left behind for clues about the ancient Inca civilization.
Incan Tall Tales: The Incas loved stories. Special "wise men" created stories that were told over and over. They loved tall tales. Their emperors always did amazing things. Their battles were always bigger than life. The Incas believed in many gods. Some of their stories were about the wondrous feats of their gods. One Incan myth refers to an old man with long white hair, who was really a god. This god lived in a coal sack (the Milky Way). He created the Incan people.
Another popular myth tells a story about Manco Capac and Inti, the sun god. In that myth, the sun god created the Incan people. The story of Manco Capac is still told in Peru today.
A Little History: At first, the Incas were simply a small tribe that lived in the city of Cuzco. They worshiped gods of nature. They believed in omens and dreams. Around 1430 C.E, a neighboring tribe attacked the Incas. The Incas won! That was the beginning of the Inca Empire.
Size of the Inca Empire: Over the next 100 years, the Inca Empire grew into a vast empire. The Incas were able to build a vast empire by demanding loyalty from conquered people. At the height of their power, the Inca Empire was 2,500 miles long, 500 miles wide, and home to 12 million people. These people called themselves "the Children of the Sun".
Land of the Four Quarters: The land the Incas ruled became known as "the land of the four quarters". It was named that because the Inca Empire was divided into four parts for ruling purposes. Cuzco was still the capital.
Sapa Inca and his Government: The Incas had a strong central government. The leader of the Inca people was the Inca, sometimes called the Sapa Inca (the only Inca), the emperor. His was not an elected position. The Inca was born to the job. The Sapa Inca was all-powerful. Everything belonged to the Sapa Inca. He ruled his people by putting his relatives in positions of power. Because punishment was harsh and swift, almost no one broke the law. The government was responsible for taking care of the people, including the poor, the sick, and the elderly. The government built roads and bridges and aqueducts to carry water to the people. In times of drought, the government distributed food. In times of natural disaster, such as earthquake, the government sent troops with food and blankets.
The Common People: In exchange, it was the people's job to work for the government. The common people worked very hard. But no one went hungry and no one was homeless in the Inca Empire. The state made sure everyone had enough food to eat and warm clothing to wear. It was important that people stay healthy. They were needed as workers.
Service Tax: The nobles who ruled the provinces conducted a census so that all people could be taxed. A census is an official count of all the people in an area and how they make a living. The Incas loved gold and silver, but they had no use for money. All Incan men gave the government some of their time each year in physical labor. This was how they paid their tax - with their service or their labor. The government built great palaces, public buildings, and the famous Incan roads with this labor.
Terrace Farming: To feed the millions of people in the Inca Empire, the Incas invented terrace farming so they could grow crops on the steep mountain slopes. They used systems of irrigation to catch the rainfall and the spring run off from the snow-capped Andes mountaintops.
Religion: The Incas believed that their ruler was the direct descendant of the sun god, Inti. Their ruler was a god. The Incas believed in many gods. They believed in the god of nature, the moon, of weather, of rainbows, and of planets. Every mountaintop was a god. All Incas had little statues in their homes that were the homes of little spirits. Anything might house a god. Just to be safe, they prayed to all their gods every day. Every month, the Incas held a huge and public religious festival honoring one of their major gods. At the festival, there was dancing and feasting and sacrifice. Mostly, the Incas sacrificed animals. Sometimes, if something really important was going on, they sacrificed people.
Crime and Punishment: There was almost no crime in the Inca Empire. Inca laws were very harsh. Punishment was swift.
Fall of the Inca Empire: The Spanish conquered the Incan civilization. Francisco Pizarro led the Spanish invaders. After a series of fierce battles, the Incas were defeated in 1531. The ancestors of the Incas still live in the modern day country of Peru today.
Machu Picchu
The ancient city of Machu Picchu was discovered in 1911. Archaeologists were so excited about finding the ruins of this city. Some believe it was a country estate. Some believe it was a religious retreat. Some believe it was a city high in the Andes Mountains that was somehow overlooked by the Spanish. It was quite a find!
Explorers found ruins of temples, palaces, fortresses, and a royal tomb. They found remains of the stone aqueducts that brought water into the city from over a mile away. They found remains of terrace gardens, and homes for farmers, nobles, and priests. They found wonderful pottery.
They also found an Intihuatana. This was an exciting discovery. An Intihuatana was the ceremonial pyramid the Incas built to speak to their sun god. Once, there were Intihuatanas all over the Incan empire. But Machu Picchu is the only place one of these has been found intact. The rest were destroyed by the Spanish invaders. The carved rock at the top was used by Incan astronomers to predict the best times to plant crops. In Machu Picchu, the Intihuatana was angled and built so that people in the palace had ring side seats - from the palace, it would have been easy to see the ceremonies conducted on the very top of the Intihuatana.
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