History of Civilizations, 111 (Compare/Contrast Aztec and Inca)

There are many different approaches to creating and maintaining an empire. In the Americas, there were two societies which had very contrasting approaches to these issues. These societies were the Aztecs of Mexico and the Incas in the Andes of South America.

The Aztecs were a military powerhouse, they conquered a territory then established balance of power with intermarriages and by installing locals into ruling positions. Groups absorbed into their empire were allowed relative freedom so long as they payed their taxes regularly to the main state, in turn they gained access to trade items they may not have other wise and the right to keep their lives. Those taxes were generally paid with feathers, gold, and tributes for sacrifice. In addition to the psychological aspect of sacrifice to keep their states in line, the Aztecs believed human blood was needed to sustain the status quo in the universe with their gods.

The Inca were also a strong military power, but unlike the Aztecs, they had an approach similar to the Romans in conquest. They built roads all across the Andes to connect their cities and suyu, or city-states, and used a system of knots in thread to communicate across distances in lieu of writing. The Inca did practice human sacrifice very sparsely, often sacrificing children for as the most pure of beings, the difference being they were not appeasing gods nor using it for psychological warfare. Being chosen was viewed as an honour and a way for the the children to transcend to live with the gods in paradise. These rituals were often held at volcanoes.