What System Of Government Did The Native Americans Use? | 1491: Before Columbus | Timeline

Timeline - World History Documentaries・2 minutes read

The Americas housed diverse societies with unique structures, like the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Inca Empire, engaging in trade, politics, and cultural practices that shaped modern society through complex systems and connections. Traditional ceremonies and trade networks of indigenous nations like the Aztecs, Maya, and Hopewell Exchange played pivotal roles in shaping ancient and modern cultures, impacting global trade and governance.

Insights

  • The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, formed 900 years ago, stands out as one of the world's oldest representative democracies, showcasing the advanced political structures of indigenous societies in the Americas.
  • Trade played a vital role in connecting diverse indigenous societies like the Maya, Inca, and Aztec through vast networks, facilitating the exchange of commodities like maize, salt, jade, ceramics, and more, highlighting the intricate economic relationships that shaped pre-Columbian America.

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Recent questions

  • What were the key features of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy?

    The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, established 900 years ago, was one of the world's oldest representative democracies. Indigenous people formed clans, confederacies, alliances, and empires, connected through a vast trade network. The Confederacy was known for its unique social, cultural, and political structures, promoting peace among warring nations. Tadodaho, a chief resistant to peace efforts, eventually joined the Confederacy after the arrival of the Peacemaker and Aiionwatha. The Great Law of Peace was implemented with advice from respected figures like Jigonsaseh, shaping the Confederacy's governance.

  • How did the Inca Empire's society structure operate?

    The Inca Empire, founded by ambitious rulers from humble beginnings, had a structured society with the Royal Family at the top, followed by nobility, farmers, servants, and slaves. Tribute and labor were essential for the state's benefit, with a system of give and take where everything belonged to the Inca himself. This system benefited both the empire and the communities, especially during times of drought. The Inca society's focus on hierarchy and labor contributed to the empire's growth and stability.

  • What were the key elements of Maya trade routes?

    Maya society consisted of city-states in Mesoamerica, facilitating trade and commerce to serve a population in the millions. Trade routes of the Maya included transporting various commodities like shell, green obsidians, basalt, ceramics, and turquoise from different sources to the Maya region. Human burden-bearers were crucial for transportation, and trade extended beyond jade to include ceramics, rubber, copal, chocolate, and vanilla. Maize was a significant trade item central to Maya culture, spreading to North and South America through trade routes.

  • How did the Aztec Empire maintain its vast trade network?

    The Aztec Empire, founded 600 years ago in Mesoamerica, established complex spiritual beliefs and a system of conquest to become one of the largest societies in the Americas. Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, was a vast city with canals, pyramids, markets, and residential areas, fostering extensive trade within the empire. The Aztecs believed in sacrificing humans to create life, viewing blood and fluids as sacred energy for divinities. This belief system, combined with their organized society and strategic conquests, allowed the Aztec Empire to maintain a thriving trade network.

  • What were the significant trade items in global history?

    Salt, spices, and wine have been significant trade items globally for thousands of years, fostering important businesses and cultural exchanges. The Hopewell Exchange in North America involved trade networks along river valleys, connecting different groups and facilitating the exchange of materials like obsidian, iron ore, shells, and mica. Cahokia, a major trading center in North America, reached its peak as a hub for resources and trade, with a population of at least 20,000 people and extensive trade connections. The decline of the Hopewell trading system around 1500 years ago remains a mystery, but the extensive network connected peoples and cultures for over 500 years, influencing modern society.

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Summary

00:00

Pre-1491 Americas: Diverse Societies and Empires

  • The Americas were home to diverse societies with unique social, cultural, and political structures before 1491.
  • Indigenous people formed clans, confederacies, alliances, and empires, connected through a vast trade network.
  • The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, established 900 years ago, was one of the world's oldest representative democracies.
  • Tadodaho, a ruthless chief, resisted peace efforts until the arrival of the Peacemaker.
  • The Peacemaker and Aiionwatha worked together to promote peace among warring nations.
  • Despite personal tragedy, Aiionwatha joined forces with the Peacemaker to establish an intertribal alliance.
  • The Peacemaker sought advice from Jigonsaseh, a respected figure, on implementing the Great Law of Peace.
  • Tadodaho eventually agreed to join the Confederacy after a solar eclipse in 1142.
  • The Inca Empire, the largest in the Americas, was founded by ambitious rulers from humble beginnings.
  • The Inca society was structured with the Royal Family at the top, followed by nobility, farmers, servants, and slaves, with a focus on tribute and labor for the state's benefit.

19:51

Ancient Trade Networks in the Americas

  • The Inca empire operated on a system of give and take, with everything belonging to the Inca himself, benefiting both the empire and the communities during times of drought.
  • Maya society consisted of city-states in Mesoamerica, facilitating trade and commerce to serve a population in the millions.
  • Trade routes of the Maya included transporting shell, green obsidians, basalt, ceramics, and turquoise from various sources to the Maya region, relying on human burden-bearers for transportation.
  • Maya trade extended beyond jade, encompassing commodities like ceramics, rubber, copal, chocolate, and vanilla, traded by multiple canoes lashed together into platforms.
  • Maize was a crucial trade item in Maya society, central to their diet and culture, eventually spreading to North and South America through trade.
  • Salt, spices, and wine have been significant trade items globally for thousands of years, fostering important businesses and cultural exchanges.
  • The Hopewell Exchange in North America involved trade networks along river valleys, connecting different groups and facilitating the exchange of materials like obsidian, iron ore, shells, and mica.
  • Cahokia, a major trading center in North America, reached its peak as a hub for resources and trade, with a population of at least 20,000 people and extensive trade connections.
  • The decline of the Hopewell trading system around 1500 years ago remains a mystery, but the extensive network connected peoples and cultures for over 500 years.
  • The Aztec Empire, founded 600 years ago in Mesoamerica, established complex spiritual beliefs and a system of conquest to become one of the largest societies in the Americas.

35:27

Ancient Cultures: Deities, Trade, and Rituals

  • Tenochtitlan and the Aztecs maintained a system of deities, agriculture, polity, and kings, allowing for extensive trade within the Aztec empire.
  • The Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, was a vast city with canals, pyramids, markets, and residential areas, located in present-day Mexico City.
  • The Aztecs believed in sacrificing humans to create life, viewing blood and fluids as sacred energy for divinities.
  • The Pacific Northwest indigenous people governed society through ceremonies like the "potlatch," where wealth and power were displayed through gifts and titles.
  • Ceremonies like the tea ceremony in Japan, incense use in Egypt and Mesopotamia, and tobacco rituals in North America were integral to various cultures.
  • Indigenous nations like the Blackfoot, Kwakwaka'wakw, Aztec, Inca, and Maya developed complex political systems and trade networks that continue to influence modern society.
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