In the fifteenth century there were two distinct empires, the Aztecs and Incas. Both empires were often grouped together as early pre – European civilizations in the Americas. Although both empires shared some similarities, there were significant differences between the two empires. These similarities and differences are found by looking at the political systems used, the methods of rule and socialization, and religion.
The Aztecs and Incas shared some common aspects. Both empires exhibited an agricultural based economy controlled by a ruling elite as a whole. The Aztecs are ruled by a supreme ruler who has supreme power over everybody. The Aztecs did not rule directly over their empire, but indirectly through hegemony. It would conquer a city-state, but then reestablish the local ruler, only interfering with his governing when they did not pay their tribute to the Aztecs. While the Incas are ruled by a supreme ruler called the Inca and he was considered a deity descended from the sun who in theory owned everything, the Inca lived and ruled his people from the major temple, Cuzco. As stated in everyone, “...were all ordered to worship the sun as God...” (Pg. 598). The empires ruled for approximately one hundred years until both were conquered by the Spanish.
Distinct patterns emerges within each civilizations by theses given similarities. Politically, the Incas is a highly centralized empire where every decisions come from the Inca, himself. For example, “[The Inca] appointed those whose duty it was to punish wrongdoers, and to this end they were always traveling about the country”(Pg. 598). Both empires had strong social units based on kinship and hierarchy. Therefore both empire were dynastic, the succession of the throne was passed to the eldest son. The Aztecs and Incas relies heavily on the conquered nations. They both relied on tribute, “...so many leagues around the tributes were brought back to one of these capitals” (Pg. 598).
Religion played a big role in both the empires and was the key component of both civilizations. The Aztec and Incas had a similar religious sacrificing ritual. The Aztec sacrificial rites were a reflection of their world view of needing to constantly renew the world in order to postpone the destruction of the world. The Aztec often go to war to capture prisoners to be sacrificed. The ceremonial sacrifice is lead by the high priest to perform it by cutting out the victims heart,”...opened the chest and with amazing swiftness tore out the heart, ripping it out with his own hands” (Pg. 595). Thus doing this to offer the steaming fumes of the heart to the sun. Sacrificial rites were practiced differently in the Inca empire.
However the two empires had some differences that discrete them from one another. One of the difference is the ruler of the Aztec does not go out into public unless it is necessary and important. For example, “The king must never appear in public except when the occasion is extremely important and unavoidable”(Pg. 594). While the Inca, he “...traveled four leagues each day, or as much as he wished...” (Pg. 598). The Inca had more interactions with the people of the lower classes in the kingdom by,“...willingly listened to those who came up to him with complaints...”(Pg. 598). Furthermore the Incas were peace loving people, in which probably led to there easy downfall. The Incas tries to meet the need of people by taking, “...such care to see that justice was meted out that nobody ventured to commit a felony or theft” (Pg. 598). The Aztec has strict regulations on clothing, the clothing that each social class can wear. As said in the document,”Only the king and the prime minister Tlacaelel may wear sandals within the palace....”(Pg. 594). In the Aztec empire soldiery was the primary well honored class among the other two class to obtain honor and be rewarded. Stated in the document in which, “...the kings designated was soldiery” (Pg. 596). The other two class is becoming a priest and becoming a glorious merchant or trader. On the other hand the Incas ruling by elites, the aristocrats, priests, and peasants.
Although both of these empires shared many common characteristics of agrarian societies, they were two distinct civilizations. The Incas political belief of the emperor being the descendent from God and is believed to own everything on Earth. The Aztec were ruled by an emperor that was elected by the council. Overall both empires are ruled by an emperor as a whole, but are distinctively different in many ways.