Long before Columbus arrived, unique and advanced civilizations had flourished in the Americas. However, European conquest caused these civilizations to collapse rapidly, and the indigenous population declined sharply.
Indigenous Civilizations of the Americas
- Aztec civilization（present-day central Mexico）：Its capital was Tenochtitlan. It had temples, advanced agriculture, and its own writing system and calendar. Its population exceeded 1 million at its height
- Inca civilization（present-day Peru〜Chile）：Its capital was Cusco. The empire was governed through the Quechua language, stone architecture（Machu Picchu）, and a "road network." It had no writing system and managed information with quipu（knotted cords）
- Maya civilization（present-day southern Mexico〜Central America）：It had a precise calendar, the concept of zero, and pyramid-shaped temples
Collapse Caused by the Conquistadors
・Hernán Cortés（Spain）：Conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521. Epidemics such as smallpox caused the indigenous population to decline sharply
・Francisco Pizarro（Spain）：Conquered the Inca Empire in 1533. He took advantage of technological superiority in guns, iron, and horses, as well as internal conflict
After the conquest, Spain and Portugal introduced the encomienda system（forced labor by indigenous people）. It is estimated that more than 90% of the indigenous population was lost after Columbus's arrival.
・Hernán Cortés（Spain）：Conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521. Epidemics such as smallpox caused the indigenous population to decline sharply
・Francisco Pizarro（Spain）：Conquered the Inca Empire in 1533. He took advantage of technological superiority in guns, iron, and horses, as well as internal conflict
After the conquest, Spain and Portugal introduced the encomienda system（forced labor by indigenous people）. It is estimated that more than 90% of the indigenous population was lost after Columbus's arrival.
Legacy of Colonial Rule
Enslaved people were brought from Africa to the Americas, where plantation agriculture developed（the Atlantic slave trade）. Through this "Columbian Exchange," potatoes, maize, tobacco, and cacao were brought to Europe, while horses, cattle, and smallpox were brought to the Americas.
Practice
- Give the name of the capital of the Aztec civilization and the name of the Spanish conquistador who conquered it.
- What did the Inca civilization use to manage information instead of writing?
- Give two main causes of the sharp decline in the indigenous population.