"The Great Civilizations of Mesoamerica: Maya, Aztec, and Inca"

🌄The Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations were highly complex and had their own distinct characteristics and histories.

📜The Maya had a fully developed writing system, the Aztec had a partially developed system, and the Inca had no writing system.

🗺️The Maya were known for their impressive cities built in the Yucatan Peninsula, while the Aztec built their capital city of Tenochtitlan on an island in Lake Texcoco.

🌐The Maya civilization lasted for centuries, but their cities eventually declined due to droughts. The Aztec empire was conquered by the Spanish after about a hundred years of existence.

⛰️The Inca Empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America, spanning across much of the South American west coast. Their unique engineering feats included terrace farming and suspension bridges.

What were the main differences between the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations?

—While all three civilizations were located in Mesoamerica, they had distinct characteristics and achievements. The Maya were known for their advanced writing system and impressive cities, the Aztec built a vast empire with incredible architectural achievements, and the Inca had an extensive road network and unique agricultural practices.

How did these civilizations decline?

—The Maya cities declined due to droughts and the inability to sustain a growing population. The Aztec empire was conquered by the Spanish, who brought diseases like smallpox that severely weakened the population. The Inca empire fell due to civil war and the invasion of the Spanish.

Did the Aztecs and Incas have a writing system like the Maya?

—While the Maya had a fully developed writing system, the Aztec had a partially developed system that used pictographic writing. The Inca, on the other hand, did not have a writing system and instead used a system of knotted cords called 'khipus' to record information.

What were the major achievements of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations?

—The Maya excelled in architecture, mathematics, and astronomy. The Aztec built an extensive empire with an impressive capital city and had a complex social and tribute system. The Inca developed advanced agricultural techniques, built grand cities, and created an efficient road network.

How did the Spanish conquest impact these civilizations?

—The Spanish conquistadors brought diseases like smallpox that devastated the native populations. They also imposed their own language, religion, and political systems, leading to the decline and eventual disappearance of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations.

00:00Introduction to the great civilizations of Mesoamerica - the Maya, Aztec, and Inca.

06:49The Maya were the oldest civilization in Mesoamerica, known for their complex society and impressive cities.

08:30The Aztec empire was founded in Central Mexico and built the magnificent city of Tenochtitlan.

09:29The Inca Empire started in Cusco, Peru, and expanded to become one of the largest empires in the world.

10:50The Spanish conquest led to the downfall of these civilizations, with diseases and wars causing their decline.

11:15Debate in Spain regarding the morality of the conquest and its impact on the indigenous populations.