The Aztec and Mayan Civilizations in the Americas Ashley M. Carpenter Western Civilization II National University June 2, 2012 Abstract From 250 A.D. to the late 1500’s A.D. the Mayans and the Aztecs controlled Central and South America. Each was unique, but still shared a few of the same traits. Both had their own calendar system, counting system, and Polytheistic religious beliefs along with similar temples built to worship their deities. While the Aztecs were the most prominent users of human sacrifice, the Mayans also participated in such rituals. A few differences between these civilizations were the social structure, natural resources, and differing cultural strengths.
The calendar system was big and they did pottery that was religious based. They had a well-organized empire through the years. The Incas were located Andean highlands. Genius for state organization and bureaucratic control over peoples of different cultures and languages. They split the land into four providences and ruled by a governor.
However, Shang had human sacrifices, usually prisoners of war, as a way of honoring the gods. The culture and politics were fairly different in many ways, which gave each civilization its own
Their "calendar year" consisted of fifty-two years. However, the Olmec had three hundred and sixty days in their year, as opposed to the modern-day calendar of three hundred and sixty-five days. Because they had no writing system and much later, they used a few symbols to represent numbers. The belief system which practically all Mesoamerican nations would follow was the Olmec's polytheistic religion. Of the many gods that the Olmec worshiped, the principle god was the Earth god, who took form as a half-jaguar, half-serpent being.
The Aztecs transformed their political organization by introducing a monarchial system similar to that found in more powerful neighboring states. Aztec rulers did not have absolute power, and royal succession was not based on primogeniture. A council of powerful aristocrats selected new rulers from among male members of the ruling lineage. Once selected, the ruler was forced to renegotiate the submission of tribute dependencies and then demonstrate his divine mandate by undertaking a new round of military
Ancient Egyptian Religion The Force Behind Everything As the ancient Egyptian religion was an important part of everyday life for all Egyptians (rich and poor), they built a great many temples and had shrines in their homes. The term used to describe ancient Egyptian theology is Polytheism. This just means that they believed in many Gods. Gods were not only formless entities with certain roles - but the Gods were also the forces of nature, the elements, and the characteristics of certain powers. Some Egyptian Gods merged with foreign Gods too.
This social order was strict in the areas of marriage and punishments (Document 12). In Document 3, the Lords of Mexico explained that some parts of their history that were recorded were not acceptable for their people to see. So they were very precautious when it came to what their people knew about their history and what they didn’t. The map in Document 1 shows the territory that the Aztecs acquired, and most of them were taken by force. The Aztecs would also “demand tribute from conquered territory,” as stated in Document 10.
Within the cities were centralized large pyramid structures. While the Egyptians used their pyramids mostly for the tombs of great kings, the Maya used their pyramids or both tombs and religious ceremonial centers. The Mayas pyramids were for sacrifices, praises, and in a sense ancestor veneration centers for the elites. Also, the Egyptians and the Maya both had calendar systems, although they were very different. The Egyptians calendar revolved around the annual flooding of the Nile river which brought rich silt to the valley, and was the beginning of the agricultural season for the Egyptians.
The Aztec empire is a vast civilization located east of Mexico City. It possesses a mass population of over 200,000 that spoke their native language Nahautl. The Aztecs were an intelligent indigenous population who had their own calendric system. They worshipped three main Gods known as Tezcatlipoca, Tlaloc and Quetzalcoatl. Their purpose was to learn, live, and worship.
Ancient Egyptian religion Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature. The myths about these gods were meant to explain the origins and behavior of the forces they represented. The practices of Egyptian religion were efforts to provide for the gods and gain their favor. www.wikipedia.org Egyptian religion made an importance through the centuries and today in a way that it was the basis from where Egyptian civilization derived.