The Aztecs lived in the Valley of Mexico, where their capital city of Tenochtitlan was located. According to legend, the Aztecs were guided to build Tenochtitlan after seeing an eagle holding a snake atop a cactus. The Aztecs created an empire through conquest and required tribute from conquered peoples. Their empire was eventually conquered by Hernando Cortes and the Spanish in the 1520s. The Inca Empire was located in the Andes Mountains of South America, with its capital at Cuzco. The Inca emperor had absolute power and claimed to be the son of the sun. The Inca built extensive road networks and structures using precise stonework without mortar

1. Aztec, and Inca
Civilizations

2. Aztecs

3. Where did the Aztecs live?
 The Aztecs lived in what is known as the
Valley of Mexico in central Mexico.

4. Tenochtitlan
 Tenochtitlan was the capital city of the
Aztec Empire.

5. Legend of Tenochtitlan
The gods told the Aztecs to search for an
eagle holding a snake in its beak perched
atop a cactus. This is where they were to
build their capital city. The Aztecs saw
this sign on a swampy island in lake
Texcoco.

6. Legend of Tenochtitlan

7. Tenochtitlan
 Today, Tenochtitlan is
Mexico City

8. Government
 The Aztecs created an empire through
conquest
 Conquered people and local rulers had to
pay tribute to the Aztecs
 The Aztecs had an emperor
 The Aztec Emperor’s main job was to lead
in war

9. Religion & Mythology
 Aztecs were polytheistic
 Huitzilopochtli was
the main Aztec god.
 The Aztecs built massive temples and
pyramids dedicated to their gods

10. Religion & Mythology
Pyramid of the Sun Pyramid of the Moon

11. Hernando Cortes
 Born around 1485 in Spain
 He came from a noble family
 Between 1504-1511, he made expeditions
to Hispaniola and Cuba
 In 1518, Cortes set sail to Mexico with 500
men and 11 ships

13. Conquering the Aztecs
 Upon arrival, the Spaniards formed alliances with
the Native People who hated Aztec rule
 Eventually the Spaniards reached the capital,
Tenochtitlan
 Montezuma, the Aztec leader, tried to get the
Spaniards to leave by giving them riches

15. Conquering the Aztecs
 Cortes then captured Montezuma and tried to
rule the Aztecs by giving commands through
Montezuma
 Eventually fighting broke out between the
Spanish/Spanish allies and the Aztecs in 1520
 The Spanish lost 1,800 men and left
Tenochtitlan

16. Conquering the Aztecs
 In May 1521, Cortes led his men back to Tenochtitlan
 The Aztecs became severely weakened by the spread of
small pox, which had been brought over by the Spanish
 Tenochtitlan fell in August 1521 and lay in ruins
 The Spanish built up the city again and called it Mexico
City

17. Aztec Video Clips
“Engineering An Empire”
http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?Vide
oID=6255
“What the Ancients Did For Us”
http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?Vide
oID=10964

18. Inca

19. Where did the Inca live?
 The Inca controlled an empire in the Andes
Mountain region of South America.

20. Government
 The Sapa Inca (emperor) had absolute power.
 The emperor claimed to be the son of the sun.
 The emperor was also the empire’s religious
leader.
 The empire was divided into four regions with
the capital at Cuzco.

21. Uniting the Empire
 The Inca built a massive road network
through mountains and across rivers and
gorges.

22. Stonework
 The Inca constructed stone temples without
using mortars yet the stones fit together so well
that a knife would not fit between the stones.

23. Religion
 The Inca were polytheistic.
 The primary god was Inti, the sun god.

24. Medical Advances
 The Inca performed successful skull
surgery.
 The Inca also used medicines to make
patients unconscious during surgery

25. Francisco Pizarro
 Was born in 1476 in Spain
 He came from humble/poor beginnings
 Desired to explore the New World in search of
fame and fortune
 Discovered the Pacific Ocean along with Vasco
Nunez de Balboa

27. The Fall of the Incas
 Pizarro came to Peru in 1531 with 180 men
 The Spaniards attacked, killed thousands of
Incas, and took the leader, Atahualpa captive
 Atahualpa gave the Spanish gold and treasures
to save his life but was killed anyway
 With Atahualpa dead, the civilization collapsed
and Spain took over Peru

28. Inca Video Clip
http://www.watchknow.org/Video.aspx?Vide
oID=2301