Ronit Tiwary Mrs.

Karakashian Social Studies-6th hour 30 May, 2013 Differences in Maya and Aztec cultures There are many characteristics that distinguish one culture from another. One of the characteristics is writing and language. The Mayans developed the most advanced writing system in the ancient Americas. The Mayans used hieroglyphs, which enabled them to combine 800 glyphs to form any word in their language. The Aztecs did not have a well-developed writing system. They had some symbols to represent ideas but not an actual written language. They believed oral language was more important than a written language. Another characteristic that distinguishes one culture from another is geography. The Mayans settled in the dense rain forests which had a hot and wet climate. The soil in the rain forest was not fertile so the Mayans used slash and burn agriculture, in which trees are burned and the ash is used to fertilize the soil. The Aztecs first settled in hill in the Valley of Mexico. Because of its altitude, the valley had a cool temperature. Water flowing from the mountains and volcanic ash made the soil fertile so the Aztecs did not have to worry about farming. The last characteristic that distinguishes one culture from another is government. The Mayans had a king for each city-state they had. Kingship was usually passed down from father to son. Mayans king fought over trade routes and land to increase their power. The Aztecs government rotated around the

triple alliance. The triple alliance consisted of the Aztec king, Texcoco king, and the Tlacopan king. They agreed to send troops or other reinforcements during times of need. These are one of the many things that distinguish one culture from another.