5. America before Cristóbal Colón’s arrival An inhabited continent In 1492, the American continent was inhabited by numerous peoples. (21) They are known as pre-Columbians because they lived there before Colón arrived . Many, such as the Caribs or the Tainos, had basic ways of life. Others had a complex social structure and a rich culture. 21. Pre-Columbian civilisations WORK WITH THE IMAGE Look at the map. In which territories did the Incas, the Mayas and the Aztecs live? Use an Atlas. Which countries do these territories belong to today? Find out the names of other American peoples that existed in 1492. Where did they live? Society. Mayan society consisted of independent cities (28), each ruled by a chieftain. Below the chieftains there were nobles, (22) priests, craftspeople, peasants and slaves. Economy. Agriculture, crafts and trade were the main activities. Culture and art. They were polytheistic. They excelled in mathematics, astronomy, etc. They built palaces and temples in the form of step pyramids. (29) The Inca Empire Society. Their emperor was the Inca, who was believed to be the son of the Sun. He had the highest authority over the nobility, the people, the peasants and the slaves. Economy. Peasants grew crops such as corn and potatoes. (23) Llamas and alpacas were used as a means of transport. They also provided food and wool. The Incas were skilled goldsmiths and potters. Culture and art. The Incas were polytheistic. They built palaces, temples and fortresses, such as Machu Picchu, (30) as well as an extensive network of roads. The Aztec Empire Society. The Aztecs were organised into tribes and groups: nobility, merchants, peasants, craftspeople and slaves. The emperor had political and religious power. Economy. Agriculture was the main activity, but goldsmithery and pottery were also important. Culture and art. They were polytheistic. (26) They built walled cities, palaces and temples, many in the form of pyramids. 22. Mayan sculpture of a member of the nobility SOURCE: JOSÉ RAMÓN JULIÁ (dir.), Atlas de Historia Universal. Amazon PACIFIC OCEAN ATLANTIC OCEAN Cuzco Chichén Itzá Tenochtitlán Chichimecas Chibchas Guaraní Caribs Tropic of Capricorn Equator Tropic of Cancer Paraná Orinoco Araucanians Tainos 312659_05_p252_civilizaciones_precolombinas Aztec Empire Inca Empire Mayan civilisation 312659_05_p252_leyenda_civilizaciones_precolombinas The Mayan civilisation 138
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