compare and contrast Mesoamerica

Religion

• In the heterogeneous Inca Empire, polytheistic religions were practiced.
• Aztecs were a devoutly religious people,Religion permeated every aspect of Aztec life, no matter what one’s station, from the highest born emperor to the lowliest slave.
• The Mayans religion involved several aspects of nature, astronomy and rituals. Most Gods represented a form in nature.

Governments

• The Inca government was called the Tawantinsuyu. It was a monarchy ruled by a single leader called the Sapa Inca.
• The Aztec government was similar to a monarchy where an Emperor or King was the primary ruler. They called their ruler the Huey Tlatoani.
• The Mayans developed a hierarchical government ruled by kings and priests. They lived in independent city-states consisting of rural communities and large urban ceremonial centers.

Social Stratification

• The Inca society was a vertical hierarchical organization divided in four social classes. At the top of the stratum was the Sapa Inca, the most powerful person in the empire. Below was the royalty, comprised by the sons of the Sapa Inca and his close relatives.
• The Aztecs followed a strict social hierarchy in which individuals were identified as nobles, commoners, serfs, or slaves. The noble class consisted of government and military leaders, high level priests, and lords.
• Maya society was rigidly divided between nobles, commoners, serfs, and slaves.

Economics

• In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Inca Empire was the largest South America had ever known. Rich in foodstuffs, textiles, gold, and coca, the Inca were masters of city building but nevertheless had no money.
• The Aztecs traded everything, and it was an important part of their life, and their economy relied heavily on agriculture and farming.
• The Mayan economy was largely based on food and agriculture, this form is the same as the other earlier civil countries, like China and Egypt.