The Rise and Fall of Mesoamerica

I wanted to discuss Mesoamerica and how it evolved throughout history and how the empires located within Mesoamerica eventually fell. Mesoamerica was a key component of early civilization, unlike other civilizations during that time period; Mesoamerica was not connected through rivers and roads like much of the rest of the world. Because of this separation, the societies and empires throughout Mesoamerica were forced to grow and prosper all on their own. Conversely, the lack of communication and trade that Mesoamerica had with the rest of the world would ultimately lead to its demise. While the rest of the world was advancing in knowledge, technology and warfare, Mesoamerica was leading a simple and modest way of life. Those advances were devastating to the Mesoamerican culture once the Spaniards invaded in 1500 and wiped out the Aztec, Inca and Maya empires.

The first empire I would like to discuss is the Aztec empire. The Aztec people were forced to move from settlement to settlement because people were already inhabiting that land. When they finally founded and began cultivating a land of their own, they only had 12 square miles to meet all of their needs. They began to build a great city and it soon began to flourish and their culture constantly grew. At the height of success for the Aztec empire, an army of Spaniards led by Hernando Cortes invaded and ultimately conquered the Aztec empire. The fall of the Aztec empire was sealed due to the fatal illnesses the Spaniards brought to the empire and wiped out many of their citizens.

The Incans also experienced a rise and fall of their empire throughout history. There is not a lot of information found on the Inca because they did not yet possess a written language; however it is assumed that the Inca people began living in Cuzco Valley in A.D 1100. Over 300 years later their empire expanded over 30 miles and began expanding further through conquests. The peak of the Inca Empire was during the 1500’s,