Civilizations of the Americas, ca 400-1500
...pean script by a young Quiche’ noble. Scholars call this document the Maya “bible” because it gives the Maya view of creation of the world, concepts of good and evil, and the entire nature and purpose of the living experience. Milpa: A method used by Maya farmers to grow maize because of poor soil caused by heavy tropical rainfall and the fierce sun. Farmers cut down the trees in a patch of forest and set the wood and brush afire. They then used a stick to poke holes through the ash and planted maize seeds in the holes. Milpa refers to both the area and the method. It produced for only two years, after which it had to lie fallow for between four and seven years ( 421). Mitima: This was used by Pachacuti Inca, who reigned over the Incas from 1438-1471. It was a policy of colonization that was used along with the forced participation of local chieftains in the central bureaucracy to achieve imperial unification. To prevent rebellion in newly conquered territories, Pachacuti transferred all their inhabitants to other parts of the empire, replacing them with workers who had lived longer under Inca rule and whose independent spirit had been broken (438). Quetzalcoatl: This was a god of the people of Teotihuacan in central Mexico. The name meant “the feathered serpent” that was associated with the production of corn (424). Considered the god of civilization, Quetzalcoatl represented to the Mexica the forces of good and light. He was pitted against the Toltecs’ original tribal god, Tezcatlipoca, who stood for evil, darkness, and war (427). Tenochititlan: This was the island capitol of Mexica and was a city of the Aztecs that was called Mexico City (425, 434-435). When the Spanish entered this city had about 60,000 households and total population was around 250,000. It was approached by four great highways that connected it ...