Both Mesopotamia and Egypt developed along parallel lines. These civilizations, as they became more complex, created centralized governments which provided order within the realms. Centralized governments in Mesopotamia and Egypt could not have risen without advancements in agriculture. Advancements in agriculture provided a larger yield of crops which in turn provided a surplus. This surplus caused a population increase.
• • The Incas and Aztecs, empires that both peaked in the 16th century, shared many differences and similarities socially and politically. The Incas were the more powerful empire because the Aztecs were more focused on their religion and had a better social system. • • The Incas were at first a little tribe that was a chiefdom, or form of political organization with rule by a hereditary leader. They used Andean social and economic customs. Incas were pastoralists meaning their military strength and success based on how many llamas and alpacas you had.
The Mayans had a writing system which was Hieroglyphics, however the Incans did not. Although the Incans did not have a written language they had a verbal language called Quechua. The Incans had a road system that transported goods and ideas, however, the Mayans did not develop a road system and it slowly declined due to slow technological advancements. The Mayans were able to record history because they had invented hieroglyphics. The Incans were not able to because they had no written language which led to the lack of knowledge about this civilization.
Tree, the Aztecs also had merchants and trade; which was promoted by the Aztecan Empire and the traders supplied a number of different items. Four, the Aztecan people all had occupational specifications which were luxury artisans, merchants, and commoners.
Aztec and Inca social, political, and economic systems, both the Aztecs and Incas had fundamental similarities between them such as the success of imperial and military organization as a way of ruling, an intensive agricultural system and achievements. These agricultural bases were both organized by the state that collected the extra food production and regulated the circulation of goods and the distribution of these goods to the social hierarchy or the citizens. Trade in the Aztec civilization was dominated by the merchant class called pochteca that specialized in long distance trade with luxury items and goods. The Incas and the Aztecs both had establishments that were older kinship-based, the ayllu and the calpulli, or clans, which made nobles to rise in power because of this social hierarchy. The nobles became the main subject and high class of the society in both civilizations.
Mayan society was divided into different social classes. Priests were at the top of Mayan society. The priests performed the religious ceremonies that the Mynas believed were needed for their crops to grow and their warriors to be successful in battle. Government officials, warriors and nobles were also in the upper classes of Mayan society. People of high social class would were special clothing to set them apart from the other Maya.
The colonial labor systems began taking shape during the first waves of settlers when they realized that the greater wealth and profits would come from the exploitation of agriculture and silver mining. These would provide such funds for the colonies, settlements and the Crown. However to fulfill the greedy needs of the Europeans they would need free or cheap labor and in large masses. That is when the Europeans implemented the “encomiendas”. The “encomiendas” granted the conquistadores a group of Indians to do manual labor solely for that encomendero, either working at the mines or agricultural settings.
As serf population grew, society was fed and protected by wealth from the land they harvested: “Here is subscribed the inquisition of lands as the barons of the king . . . how many serfs,
AP UNITED STATES HISTORY Question 1: Describe the Aztec civilization and the effect that European conquest had on it. While the Aztecs shaped a sophisticated civilization with advanced agricultural practices, elaborate cities, talented mathematicians, sacrificial religious rituals, and far-flung commerce, European conquest brought negative things like death, along with positive things such as animals, language, and laws. The Aztecs based their agriculture primarily on the cultivation of the Indian corn, maize, which fed huge populations. Even though they didn’t rely on large draft animals like horses and oxen, and didn’t have the invention of the wheel, these people were able to create complex cities and carry commerce to great lengths. Also, some of their people were talented mathematicians that made extremely accurate astronomical observations.
Building cities, educating locals and preaching religion were presented as an enlightening of indigenous savage people, even if they had their own civilization (Kipling 1998). Of course, after alteration of government system and infrastructure of the colony, they need to be educated to work in British system. However, high skill professions were not taught to locals, because they had to stay dependent on imperialist