What Are The Similarities Between The Inca And Aztecs

Long ago there were many great civilizations that populated the earth. Among those we the Mayans the Aztecs and the Incas. These civilizations are known for their advanced societies. Though many aspects of their ruling were similar, the three societies had different ways of life that brought their people success or lead to their downfalls. The Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas were known for their advances in their governments, their writing systems, and their craftsmanship.

Many years before the Aztecs and the Incas, Mayan civilization thrived in central America. Like many societies, the Mayan society was hierarchical, ranked by class and occupation. “Below the kind was a class of nobles; a middle class was composed of priests and commoners; at the lowest level were slaves.” (56) Unlike the Aztecs and the Incas, the Maya were never an empire. The cities shared the same culture but each ran separately. For hundreds of years, the Maya thrived. Over time they developed accurate calendars and practiced detailed religious rituals. They were advanced in writing; having created a “complex hieroglyphic writing used to record historical and religious events”.(57) They

even have their own mathematical system. The craftsmen of the Maya civilization produced fine goods of cotton clay wood and precious metals.

Hundreds of years after the fall of the Maya, a group of people in central Mexico began a new empire.

These people were the Aztecs. At its height, “the city covered about five square miles and had between 250 and 400 thousand inhabitants.”(58) Not only are the Aztecs remembered for their expansion and building, one of their accomplishments was their writing system. Much like the Maya, they used picture writing for documenting historical and religious history; they had and number system based on the number 20 and used calendars. They wove cloth made pottery made musical instruments and elaborate costumes. As for their government, the Aztecs were extremely harsh rulers. They used human sacrifice in many forms of religious ritual. The ways they ruled could have led been one of the main aspects of their

downfall.

It is said that the first Inca ruler moved his tribes to what is now Cuzco in the 12th century BC. At first, the Inca lived peacefully with their neighbors but then began a campaign of War and Conquest to expand their empire. At its height, the Inca Empire was over 2,000 miles long and governed millions. Because of their wide stretch of land, the Inca had an elaborate system of runners to send messages throughout the empire. Much like the previous civilizations, the Inca society was strictly hierarchical; “the godlike emperor at the top of the social pyramid, followed by the provincial governors, local rulers and leaders, and finally the common people”.(60) Though the Inca lacked a writing system, they did keep track of goods and stockpiles with a system of knots called a quipu. The Inca economy thrived with a strong agricultural population. Their craftsmen were skilled in architecture cloth making and other ornamental objects.

Though each civilization had weaknesses that led to their downfalls, their differences and similarities brought them success in the ancient times. These empires and civilizations left behind numerous pieces of evidence showing their greatness. Their advancement in governing, writing and craftsmanship are shown through many artifacts historians have come across since the times of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations.