Several civilisations have been in prominence in the Americas before Cortez’s arrival. The Olmecs, Mayans, Toltecs, Aztecs, and Incas were among these people.
Key Takeaways
- The Aztecs were in central Mexico, while the Incas were in the Andes Mountains in South America.
- The Aztecs had a hierarchical social structure, while the Incas had a more egalitarian one.
- The Aztecs practised human sacrifice, while the Incas did not.
Aztecs vs Incas
The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican civilization that thrived in the central region of Mexico from the 14th to the 16th centuries. The Incas were a South American civilization that dominated the Andean region from the 13th to the 16th centuries and was known for their advanced agricultural techniques.
The Aztecs forged a three-way coalition with the Texcocans as well as the Cubans in 1428, led by Itzcoatl, to fight the Tepanec, the province’s most formidable rivals for dominance, and take their city of Azcapotzalco.
The Incas constituted little more than a South American culture created by ethnic Quechuas, often referred to as Amerindians.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Aztecs | Incas |
|---|---|---|
| Year of Emergence | Aztecs were actually a Mesoamerican civilization in central Mexico around 1300 to 1521 during the post-classic era. | During the 12th century A.D., the Inca initially arose in what is now southeastern Peru. |
| Based on Empire | Aztecs had a commendable armed force under their leadership but were still behind Incas. | Incas, on the other hand, had a bigger empire compared to Aztecs. |
| Communication Skills | Aztecs were somehow less civilized and more on the rude side. | The Incas expanded their communication process by creating a runner system that conveyed dispatches to their capital and other parts of the empire. |
| Based on Locations | Aztecs lived around the Mexico Valley. | The Incas resided around the Andes Mountains. |
| For Documentation | Aztecs used Codex for documentation purposes. | On the other hand, Inca came up with the idea of quipus for documentation purposes. |
What are Aztecs?
The Aztecs appeared in Mesoamerica around the beginning of the 13th century, most likely as a nomadic tribe from northern Mexico.
The Aztec folk’s beginnings are unknown, but they have been thought to have originated as a northern tribe of hunter-gatherers named after their native land, Aztlan, which means “White Land” in the Aztec dialect of Nahuatl.
The Aztecs also were considered as the Tenochca (through which the identity of their country’s capital, Tenochtitlan, was inferred) or the Mexica (through which the initials of their provincial capital, Tenochtitlan, were abstracted).
Their emergence occurred shortly after the Toltecs, the previously dominant Mesoamerican culture, fell or may be aided in the fall of the Toltecs.
What are Incas?
The Incas are best known for founding the Inca Empire in pre-Columbian America, which lasted from 1438 to 1533 and was centred in what became Peru. It was the pinnacle of the Inca civilization.
The Inca Empire, which was centred on the Andean mountain range, used conquering and peaceful internalization to integrate the region of contemporary Peru, followed by a massive component of western South America, into their imperial power.
The final Sapa Inca (emperor) of the Inca Empire was caught and executed on the instructions of the conquistador Francisco Pizarro soon just after Inca Civil War, signalled the beginning of Japanese rule.
The empire’s remains fled to Vilcabamba’s isolated jungles, where they founded the little Neo-Inca State, which was defeated by the Spanish in 1572.
Main Differences Between Aztecs and Incas
- Aztecs lived around the Mexico Valley, whereas the Incas resided around the Andes Mountains.
- Aztecs used Codex for documentation purposes. On the other hand, Inca came up with the idea of quipus for documentation purposes.
- https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=IqecX148zLsC&oi=fnd&pg=PR8&dq=difference+between+aztecs+and+incas&ots=tCKIYyop_j&sig=y7v7FON56kMBcj1cq-3y1Kjf8_4&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=difference%20between%20aztecs%20and%20incas&f=false
- https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9780822379263-010/html
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
