Sources

1) http://www.history.com/topics/inca

2) http://www.history.com/topics/aztecs

3) http://www.history.com/topics/maya

4)http://www.aztec-history.com/olmec-civilization.html

5)http://www.britannica.com/topic/Olmec

6)http://www.allabouthistory.org/aztec-civilization.htm

7)http://www.livescience.com/41781-the-maya.html

8)http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/lost-inca-empire.html

9)http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Aztec_Civilization

10)http://www.aztec-history.com/mayan-civilization.html

The Inca Civilization

     When visiting ancient Inca ruins you can expect to see a breathtaking cultural site. There are many ancient cities that are made with perfect stonework still preserved today. You can see one of their holiest shrines in the Yurak Rumi, which is an intricately carved granite boulder the size of a city bus. You can see beautiful mountains surrounding the ruins. The most famous of the Inca ruins is Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is a city high in the Andes Mountains and is famous for its dry stone walls that stand without the use of mortar, its intriguing buildings, and it beautiful panoramic view.

    The Incas started out as hunter-gatherers. Later the Incas settled in a city known as Cuzco after processes of regional unification began from the late 14th century CE, and from the early 15th century CE, with the arrival of the first great Inca leader Pachakuti. The Incas began to expand in search of plunder and production resources, first to the south and then in all directions. They eventually built an empire which stretched across the Andes. The Incas were hit by an epidemic of European diseases, specifically smallpox, which had spread from central America even faster than the European invaders themselves, and the wave killed a staggering 65-90% of the population. Such a disease killed Wayna Qhapaq in 1528. Two of his sons, Waskar and Atahualpa, battled in a damaging civil war for control of the empire just when the European treasure-hunters arrived. It was this combination of factors - a perfect storm of rebellion, disease, and invasion - which brought the downfall of the mighty Inca Empire.

     The Incas had many contributions that influenced other cultures and societies. The Incas invented a network of roads and highways that connected their territory on a scale never seen before in South America. At its peak, the Incan highway system covered nearly 25,000 miles with roads that ranged from 3 to 13 feet in width and consisted of everything from simple dirt paths to passageways covered in fine paving stones. The Incas invented rope bridges as well. Longer than any stone bridge in Europe at the time, the Incan bridges spanned openings of at least 150 feet. The Incas also perfected terrace farming. The Incas actually invented freeze-drying food. They would leave their potatoes out at night under a cloth and in the morning, they would step on them to squeeze out any remaining moisture. This made an excellent backup food source in case of drought, natural disaster or any other type of crop failure.

     In Inca government, the Sapa Inca is the absolute ruler. Next in line came ten more kindred groups, more distantly related to the king and then, a third group of nobles not of Inca blood but made Incas as a privilege. At the bottom of the state apparatus were locally recruited administrators who oversaw settlements and the smallest Andean population unit the ayllu, which was a collection of households, typically of related families who worked an area of land, lived together and provided mutual support in times of need. Each ayllu was governed by a small number of nobles or kurakas, a role which could include women. Local administrators reported to over 80 regional-level administrators who, in turn, reported to a governor responsible for each quarter of the empire. The four governors reported to the supreme Inca ruler in Cuzco. 

     The economy of the Inca was heavily dependent on agriculture. Because different regions had such different climates, some farmers were forced to specialize in one crop. The whole empire traded within each other for different crops and goods through the road system that connected the whole empire. Although a certain degree of local barter was allowed, the state regulated the distribution of every important product.

     The Incas were polytheists. The Incas considered their emperors as demigods. There were many Inca gods and there was a main god, called Viracocha. He was above every other god, he had the biggest power. The Incas believed in afterlife. They cared deeply for their dead, whom they had embalmed before burial, mummified and had placed into tombs. Afterwards, the relatives had brought food and various other objects to their beloveds' resting place. They believed that the dead could hear them and would use the multitude of objects that were brought there. The religion of the Inca was preoccupied with controlling the natural world and avoiding such disasters as earthquake, floods, and drought, which inevitably brought about the natural cycle of change, the turning over of time involving death and renewal which the Inca called pachakuti.

     Inca art was practical. The Incas were an artistic people who used materials available to them in nature and blended them creating many artistic forms in utilitarian ways. Much of their artistic expression was used in everyday life and had a religious meaning.  Because they did not know science they had to attach powers to natural phenomena worshiping natural resources such as water streams or rocks, animals and almost anything related to nature and the best way to worship was to incorporate their best artistic creations in their offerings to the gods. Inca art is best seen in highly polished metalwork, ceramics, and textiles.

The Aztec Civilization

     When visiting Aztec Ruins, you as a traveler can expect to see similarities with the Olmec and Mayan ruins. The Aztec ruins have tall pyramids, richly decorated temples and palaces, ritual ball-game courts and gruesome sacrificial sites. Combine these interesting sites with a beautiful surrounding area with stunning forests and picture perfect skies, and you have yourself a once in a life time opportunity.

     The rise of the Aztec empire really began in 1150 with the fall of the Toltec empire. After the fall of the Toltec empire, there was a period of violence, with many tribes fighting for control. After much fighting, the Aztecs won and became the greatest state in all of Mexico. The Aztec civilization came to an end after the arrival of the Spanish in the Americas. Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes led a number of attacks against the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan with the help of native people who were enemies of the Aztecs. The Aztec ruler, Montezuma, was killed by Cortes's army in 1520, and the entire city was eventually destroyed in 1521. The Spanish also introduced smallpox, a deadly virus, to the Aztecs. The Aztecs bodies’ had no immunity to this virus, and between 10 and 50 percent of the Aztec population in Tenochtitlan died from the illness.

     The Aztecs had several contributions to society. They created floating gardens that supported their massive population even though they had poor soil. The Aztecs were the first to have universal education. Education was very important to the Aztecs and everybody, no matter what skin color, social status, or any other difference, attended a school to gain knowledge. The Aztecs also played a ball game similar to soccer. While it was played in Olmec and Mayan civilizations, it was popularized by the Aztecs. The Aztecs were the first to use plants to treat sicknesses and pains. One example of their brilliant herbal medicine is the use of the sap of the maguey (agave) plant as a disinfectant and wound treatment. Today this is used to kill both Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli bacteria. The Aztecs also introduced the modern red clothing dye to the world. Before the Spanish conquests, Europeans had never experienced fabric dyed a deep scarlet color. The best red dye Europeans had only produced a paler color than what the Aztecs were making.

     The family unit was the basic structure of Aztec society. After the family, the basic unit of ancient Aztec government was the calpulli. Families didn't individually own land, the land was owned by a group of families, the calpulli. The leaders of the calpulli were responsible to make sure taxes were collected from the families. After the calpulli came the nobility and the priests. But although the nobility provided leadership, each calpulli would have a leader, and those leaders would form a city council. Each council would have a kind of "executive council" within it.  4 members would be chosen who would lead, and out of those there would be one tlatcani - the leader of the city.  These leaders would not only control the city proper but the surrounding areas as well. After the nobility and the priests came the Huey Tlatcani. The Huey Tlatcani is the emperor of the empire and he is worshiped as a god. The Huey Tlatcani did have absolute power in a sense, however, he did come to power by a semi-democratic system, and he could be removed from power. 

     The economy of the Aztecs was heavily centered around trading and agriculture. Trading was very important in the Aztec empire and it kept society moving and pushing forward. The Aztec people would trade daily, visit the marketplace and use the various forms of accepted currency to make their purchases. This practice is of course not unique to the Aztec people, but with the marketplace being a large part of Aztec society it was as import here as anywhere.

     Ancient Aztec religion was polytheistic and focused on how the gods, humans and nature were interconnected.  There was a strong emphasis on the worship of Huitzilopochtli, the warrior sun who needed blood sacrifice in order to win the battle against darkness. Every 52 years people were terrified that the world would end. The military conquest and ritual sacrifices were all related, and in a great part focused on helping Huitzilopochtli keep the sun strong so that disaster could be averted every 52 years.

     A lot of the art that has been preserved was religion related. The gods were often depicted, and they themselves often resembled animals of various kinds. The drawings of the gods were often sharp and angular, brightly colored. Art would often show gods, or priests dressed as gods in a ritual, or Aztec warriors in their finery. They also often created animals such as jaguars, ducks, monkeys, snakes, deer, and dogs. Ancient Aztec art was also very lifelike.  Many of their statues of people, as well as animals, look amazingly realistic.  They also show age, and a huge amount of expression.

The Mayan Civilization

     When traveling the Mayan ruins you can expect to see many unique things. You will see many ancient pyramids and ancient monuments. You will also see many ancient architectural structures. As you are surrounded by forests, there is a beautiful, serene prescence of the whole area.
   Similar to the Olmec, the Mayans settled in one place and began agriculture and cultivated crops like maize. Many small villages began to join and create larger cities until eventually, incredibly large cities like Tikal came to exist. The main reason for the decline of the Mayan Empire is a major drought. This drought was caused by the mass deforestation by the Mayans to expand their cities.
     The Mayans were a very large civilization with many contributions to later societies. They perfected the use of zero nearly a thousand years before the Europeans. The Mayans invented chocolate, herbal medicine, and they might have possibly invented basketball. The Mayans also had astronomers who tracked all visible celestial objects correctly. The Mayans also managed to build massive pyramids and cities with only primitive tools.
     Ancient Maya government was formed on the basis that rulers were thought to have been god-like, which to some might suggest one unified state. However, the consensus amongst anthropologists supports that each major Maya city remained its own independent and sovereign entity with its own unique struggles for political power. The Maya belief in god-like rulers also made it important to keep the line of power in the family, which would occasionally include a woman ruler. The rulers would make all important government decisions.
   The economy of the Mayans was heavily dependent on trading. The Mayans had about 72 major political units. These cities did not all exist simultaneously. Researchers believe that about 50 cities existed together at one point. The 72-city figure doesn't include the smaller, less politically stratified units, however. Because these cities would trade with each other as well as non-Maya cities and were independent from each other, the Maya civilization is seen as an internationally trading civilization.
     The Mayan religion was Polytheist, and they worshiped more than 165 Gods. The Gods were human-like. They were born, grew up and died. Gods would do other human like activity that were deemed acceptable behaviors. This included: creating, planting and harvesting maize, performing divination, conducting business, fighting wars, forming alliances and intermarrying. This behavior led to the Gods having interrelated jobs within their hierarchy. The Mayan religion believed that most peoples souls’ were vanquished to spend their afterlives in the underworld. Even the rulers souls’ ended up there. Only those who died at childbirth or were sacrificed would have escaped the underworld. Sacrifice was conducted using blood-letting (ritualized cutting) performed by the community, but run by the priest. The underworld is filled with with evil Gods, represented as jaguars, the symbol of the night. The jaguar was also shown on the Kings helmets.
     Mayan art was primarily focused on religious themes. At this time, the Mayans depicted such activities as human sacrifice, warfare, daily life, and religious rituals with startling realism. All of the great Mayan cities created great sculptures. Sculpturing embellished Mayan temples, monuments, and buildings. Sculptors produced amazing images of mythological creatures, deceased rulers, deities, and supernatural animals. Mayans also created  ceramics. The Mayan ceramics are considered to be the most beautiful pottery made in ancient Mesoamerica. They were primarily decorated in animal deities, grotesque monsters, nobles and priests, and scenes of human sacrifice, in the colors of orange, yellow, and red.

The Olmec Civilization

     When visiting Olmec ruins you can expect to see quite a few different things. One thing you will see is the beautiful surrounding areas. A combination of scenic desert mountains and beautiful clouds create a synergistic effect that boosts the beauty of the Olmec Ruins. You can also see ancient pyramids built by the Olmec people that only add to the intrigue of the area.
     The beginning of the Olmec civilization was traced to the area of the San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan city. The civilization’s rise in this area was influenced by the alluvial soil, which was watered well, plus by the fact that the Coatzacoalcos river allowed for easy transportation in the area. You can easily compare these conditions with others, that allowed the formation of civilizations in the Indus, Nile, Mesopotamia and Yellow River areas. With an area so productive, the civilization expanded quickly. While the fall of the Olmec Civilization is not exactly known, there are several theories as to why they disappeared. It likely was a combination of natural ecological changes and human actions. The Olmecs relied on a handful of crops for their basic sustenance, including maize, squash and sweet potatoes. Although they had a healthy diet with this limited number of foods, the fact that they relied so heavily on them made them vulnerable to climate changes. A severe drought could have had a huge effect on the crops of the Olmec people.
     The Olmecs had several contributions. They were the firs civilization in the Western Hemisphere to create a writing system. They developed the long count calendar, which was later used by the Mayans. They were one of the first civilizaitons to use the concept of zero. They also developed a ball game used by other cultures of the region later on.
     The government of the Olmecs is very primitive. Families with the best land became wealthy and ruled over the other people. This formed a class and this class with a group of rulers and priests ruled over all. In the early time period of the Olmec Empire kings and priests were viewed as the same. Later, they were fused into one ruler, a priest-king. It was believed that a priest-king had divine powers and they justified their rule with divine right. The social elite lived in teh great cities and the farmers in the surrounding outer areas. The farmers provided labor for ceremonial center, food, and goods for the elite class.
     The economy of the Olmecs was based and centered around trading. the Olmecs had three major cities in San Lorenzo, La Venta, and Tres Zapotes. All of these cities were located in different areas with different natural resources that each city needed. The three cities traded within eachother to get the different foods and goods they needed and desired.
     The Olmec people were polytheistic. The names of the different gods are not known but they are known to represent phenomena in in nature like rain and especially maize. Religious activities were performed by rulers, full-time priests, and shamans. The priest-king is the most important religious figure in the Olmec Empire because of divine rule. The Olmecs often associated the top predators with divine beings.
     Much of the Olmec art is made of jade, clay, basalt, and other rocks and minerals. Much of the Olmec art expresses anthropomorphic creatures that are highly stylized and reflect religious meaning. Some common patterns in Olmec art are a down turned mouth and a cleft head. The most recognized aspect of Olmec art and their civilization are the colossal helmeted heads. All of the heads are not explained as to why they were sculpted. They can range in size from small to very large. They are made of boulders of volcanic basalt.

The 4 Ancient Mesoamerican Civilizations

     My name is Alex Gonzalez and I'm part of Mrs. Whitlow's 3rd block class. I'm here to guide you through the four ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. In this blog we will travel through time and visit the Olmec, the Mayan, the Aztec, and the Incan civilizations. We will visit different locations within the ancient civilizations and will look at the civilization as a whole. I had a blast revisiting these civilizations and I hope you do to.