Mayan & Aztec Compare & Contrast Essay

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From 250 CE to 900 CE, the Mayan civilization dominated the vast and varied landscape in the highlands of Guatemala. The Aztecs founded their capital, Tenochtitlan, in Lake Texcoco and expanded across central Mexico from 1325 to 1521. Although the Mayans and the Aztecs were similar culturally, technologically they had distinctive differences. The Mayans and the Aztecs shared many cultural similarities. They both had polytheistic traditions. Their beliefs in the gods were strong, which contributed to the growth and prosperity of their civilizations. Like the Mayans, the Aztecs practiced human sacrifice. They believed shedding blood brought rain and maintained agriculture and continued the existence of the world. These sacrifices connected societies with their gods, which upheld and strengthened their empires. These civilizations were categorized by social classes. These social structures kept their societies highly structured and organized, maintaining controlled societies. The tradition of the ball game was used in both civilizations. These games held deep religious significance and often settled political and religious affairs, maintaining peace and resolving conflicts. Despite their cultural similarities, the Mayans and Aztecs were different technologically. The Aztecs invented chinampas, yet the Mayans developed hillside terraces. Chinampas were rectangle-shaped areas of fertile arable land built from dredged silt to cultivate crops, such as maize, beans, and squash. These artificial islands were very efficient, providing society with an abundant and rich source of agriculture. Terraces were cultivated areas of land used for soil conservation and cultivation. These hills prevented surface runoff of irrigation water and enhanced agricultural production, supplying civilians with plentiful amounts of resources to sustain society. Unlike the Aztecs, the Mayans

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