Chapter 8: The Americas

• Indians


  The indigenous people of America misnamed by Columbus. Collectively refers to all native people in America.
• Toltec culture


  The militaristic successor of Teotihuacan culture in Central Mexico. Includes the cult of sacrifice and influenced a large territory from 1000-1200 C.E.
• Tenochtitlan


  Major city of Aztec power on Lake Texcoco. Formed a 3-way alliance that controlled the central plateau of Mesoamerica.
• Tlaloc 


  Major god of the Aztecs associated with fertility and rain. Part of 1st group of agricultural deities.
• Huitzilopochtli


  The tribal patron god and the center of human sacrifice and war. Part of the 2nd group of gods (creator deities)
• Netzahualcoyotl


  15th century Aztec King. Wrote hymns to the gods, demonstrating spiritual unity
• chinampas


  The "floating islands" system made from aquatic weeds, mud, and earth. Allowed multiple harvest per year to support the growing population.
• pochteca


  Special merchant class specializing in long-distance trade. Distributed commodaties and tribute.
• calpulli


  Clans in the Aztec society including residents, warriors, kinship, etc. Distributed land and labor; performed important functions.
• Pachacuti


  Ruler of the Inca society, Military campaigns allowed the Inca control of a large region of land.
• ayllus


  Andean society households connected loosely by kindship. Defeated neighbors and formed Inca.
• Twantinsuyu


  The name for the Inca Empire. Land included present-day Colombia to northern Argentina.
• Split inheritance


  Inca practice of descent where titles and power went to the successor, but wealth and land went to male descendants. This caused rapid expansion.
• Temple of the Sun


  The center of state religion. Mummies of rulers for the cult of the sun.
• Tambos


  Stops like inns and storage used to supply Inca armies on the road. It also served as messenger points.
• mita


  labor required to everyone. All communities were expected to contribute, a staple for Inca political control.
• Inca socialism


  Spanish description of Inca society as an utopia. They saw Inca's organized system.
• yanas


  Artisans, workers, and servants separate from the ayllus to work for nobility. They enforced the nobilities' privilege.
• quipu


  A system of communication involving knotted strings. Used to record numbers, censuses, and financial records.
• Both the Toltec and Aztec culture had human sacrifice and were militaristic. Toltec culture mined obsidian and their burial sites had pottery and other goods. The Aztecs united every state/tribe under a supreme ruler on their Lake, Lake Texcoco.
• Aztec society sacrificed humans to appease their gods such as Huitzilopochtli, which is depicted in a lot of their art. It is still a debate whether or not the sacrifices were mostly for religion or political for priests. Their economy was based on their agriculture; with their chinampas they were able to grow more crops for their population.
• Aztecs aimed for political control, which allowed them to manage their huge population. Most of the power was in the hands of the emperor, though the calpulli was the major building block of the starting society; the calpulli controlled the political and economic tributes. The bridge between the nobility and pipiltin (peasants) increased as time wore on.
• Military expedition caused the Inca to expand 3000 miles. The Inca followed split inheritance, where the ruler's lands and possessions go to their male descendants and grave, which influenced many to rapidly expand for wealth and glory. They also had a solid irrigation and agriculture system.
• In North and Central America, hunting and gathering civilizations thrived and were complex because of the rich resources, not needing agriculture to be stable and create art. Similar chieftainships based on sedentary agriculture systems were found as well.