Life in Latin America Prior to European Contact

But during the earlier years, the Aztec became one of the most advanced civilizations because of their religion, war, and agriculture. In the Aztec religion, they performed human sacrifices for the gods daily. Sacrifice was one of the main events in the Aztec religion. They believed that the people being sacrificed, were their messengers to the gods. In basic ceremonies, slaves or victims of war were used to sacrifice.

The powerful king, Sargon, during 2350 B.C.E., practiced religious rituals as well as any king and priest by kings marrying goddesses and being buried religiously. Similar, in the Americas, there were many powerful kings like Lord Shield Jaguar, c.725, who was known as a shaman and practiced too religious godly rituals but differed such that those in Mesoamerica were more harsh sacrifices. A strong government was held in both regions such that they administered large city-works. In Mesopotamia, Sumer the powerful leaders had to organize all the large canal systems and undertook large construction of religious temples. In Mesoamerica too, they had a large administrative power, but they mainly administered different types of construction that were dedicated much work as large massive temples, plazas, and island creation.

• More than 6 million Aztecs lived under the rule of the empire and some if not most not happily as the commoners were forced to pay tribute to the emperor and the city. If they failed to do so they would become prisoner or sacrifices. • The Aztecs were extremely skilled craftsmen as they created enormous and delicately sculptured architecture, detailed and ornate jewelry and most of the artifacts excavated after the downfall of the Aztec empire was related to astronomy and their religious beliefs. • The Aztecs had a hierarchical system in which different groups of people would be placed depending on the wealth and power of each person. Each class would dress, eat and work in a different matter to those above and below them.

The Incas, like many other tribes, built great structures mostly as religious shrines or temples. Some well known areas are especially laden with these structures: Machu Picchu, Cuzco, and Lima. The religion of the Incas is may seem familiar to anyone who has heard of any indian religion, but it does contain a flavor that separates it from other religions. The Incas were a polytheistic culture, believing in one supreme god, and a few lesser gods. When referring to the Supreme Being, the Incas called him Viracocha.

For the Egyptians, art was made to serve a particular purpose, usually a religious one. Religious beliefs largely dictated what artists created, especially the paintings that filled Egyptian temples and tombs. Temples were decorated with paintings and filled with statues of gods and kings in the belief that doing this served the gods, showed devotion to the king, and maintained the order of the universe. The Egyptian belief in life after death was perhaps the most important part of their culture and probably helped to stabilize their society for so many centuries. The laws and rules of code the ancient Egyptian’s lived by daily also helped them to understand the seemingly ambiguous nature in The Tale of Sinuhe (1875 BC).

The finest example such mechanics is shown in the construction of the revered pyramid. These three factors, all belonging to the religious architecture of ancient Egypt, do nothing else but prove its greatness. Egypt's grand architectural design was a result of the religious values and beliefs that were in place at the time. Thousands of years ago, 'Ancient Egypt accepted the challenge of reeds and swamps, hot sands and floods, and build the 'first' nation' (Romer:75, 1982). There were few things to impress themselves upon the Egyptian mind; their psychological impact however was immense.

The Ancient Civilizations of Central and South America Central and South America was once home to some of the ancient world's most magnificent and glorious civilizations. The Incas, Aztecs, and Mayas were just three of these civilizations. These civilizations ruled the area for many years, and flourished greatly in their own different ways. They were the cause for much advancement in arts, architecture, politics, religion, and society in the world. These civilizations created pyramids, temples, and monuments in honor of their gods and rulers.

The main two groups of people that comprised the Aztecs were the Mexica and the Nahuatl-speakers. Politically, socially and economically, the Aztecs were strong and prominent. This is what helped them stay in power for so long, but also eventually led to their ultimate demise. They took over much of central Mexico; conquering parts of Oaxaca, Guatemala and the Gulf Coast. They built temples, roads, worked on religious hierarchy and created a working society.

Tlaloc was the god of new life and birth. The Aztecs held strong beliefs regarding human sacrifice. They felt that it was the best way that they could please their gods particularly their sun god- Huitzilopochtli. One thing that the Aztecs are well known for is the magnificent pyramids that they built ...

Stone was typically reserved for temples and tombs. The interior and exterior walls of these structures were covered in frescoes and hieroglyphs. The pyramids of Giza testify to the masterful engineering techniques developed by the ancient Egyptians. The largest of these, the Great Pyramid of Giza, was completed around 2500 BCE. Rulers built pyramids as a testament to their earthly power, and as a way to make their names famous long after they were dead.