Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans
... built on a marshy island with limited resources, they had to be very creative in finding ways to survive. They created a remarkable system of agriculture by using all available land and elaborate systems of irrigation and reclamation of swampland. Their agricultural system was called Chinampas. Large wooden stakes were driven into the soft ground to provide secure foundations for new buildings. However, many larger buildings sank below ground level, and the Aztecs had to continually renovate and repair them. Their religion was the basis for the creation of their calendar which is arguably what they are known for most. The calendar was based on the previous Mayan calendar. Their calendar was based on an elaborate round of rituals and ceremonies that occupied the priests. It had 365 days in a year. There were 260 days in a sacred year. The two yearly cycles running in parallel produced a larger cycle of 52 year. The Aztec empire was still expanding when the Spanish arrived in 1519. Incas- The Incas lived in the central Andes Mountains from north Ecuador to Chile. Their capital was Cuzco which was founded in modern day Peru. They ruled this area from1440-1532. Most villages grew in coastal valleys where irrigation was available. Terraced fields, some more than 50 steps still climb the mountainsides today. They are attributed to domesticating many types of plants and animals. They also knew how to smelt metals and cast in molds. The Incans built paved roads with suspension bridges and post houses over the wildest mountain ranges and through the coastal desert. They also had no form of writing. Instead they kept records by using an intricate system of knotted cords called quipus. By the time the Spanish arrived the Incas were already weakened by civil war. Francisc...