Differences Between Incas And Aztecs

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by QCity Editorial Stuff

The Incas and the Aztecs are two of the most fascinating cultures in history. The Incas were mainly located in Peru, while the Aztecs resided primarily in Mexico. Both civilizations have a rich culture with many similarities, but there are also many differences between these two groups. 

The Incas built their empire on agriculture and textile production. They established large networks of roads to connect different parts of their empire because they lacked horses or other forms of animal-based transportation. The Aztec civilization was more reliant on trade for food and goods which is why they often conquered other tribes to take control over their land to gain access to natural resources like gold and silver mines as well as fertile farmland that could produce crops year-round without any need for irrigation.

The Incas and Aztecs were two civilizations that shared a common bond but also had many differences. The similarities between the two cultures are vast; both spoke different dialects of the same language, worshipped similar gods, and practiced ritual sacrifices as part of their religions. However, despite these similarities, there were many differences between the Incas and Aztecs such as dietary preferences, governmental structures, and how they dealt with conquered people.

Comparison Between Incas And Aztecs

Parameters of Comparison IncasAztecs
Civilization Incas were a civilization in the Andes mountains.Aztecs were a civilization that lived near the Gulf of Mexico.
Empire Longer Smaller and more centralized 
Currency Gold Gold 
King Had  king Had king 
America First civilization Last civilization 

What Are Incas?

What Are Incas

The Incas were an ancient civilization that lived in the Andes Mountains of South America. The Inca Empire was the largest in pre-Columbian America and one of the largest empires in world history. They had a highly developed culture with traditions, art, social structures, and religious beliefs. 

They speak Quechua which is still spoken by some people today. Some scholars believe they originated from another place like Asia or Africa but it’s not known for sure where they came from originally because there’s not much documentation about them before their rise to power around 1200 AD when they conquered other civilizations such as the Chimu and Chachapoyas cultures.

The Incas were a civilization that existed in South America from the 12th century until the 16th century. They were both an empire and a kingdom, with their capital city at Cusco. The people of this culture built great cities and roads throughout South America without the use of modern tools or technologies. Although they eventually succumbed to diseases brought by Europeans, they had previously thrived for hundreds of years as one of many civilizations on Earth during ancient times. 

The Incas are most well-known for their incredible architecture which was only made possible through precise measurements and advanced engineering techniques such as leveling terraces using inclined planes (Inca Roads). Their buildings included temples, palaces, baths, squares, and even fortresses like Sacsayhuanuum. 

What Are Aztecs?

What Are Aztecs

The Aztec civilization was the Mesoamerican culture that established an empire based in what is now central Mexico. Their capital, Tenochtitlan, was built on an island in Lake Texcoco. The people of this ancient civilization had quite an impact on our modern world; they are responsible for many words we use today and some interesting products that still exist today.

The Aztecs were an ancient Mesoamerican tribe whose influence can be seen throughout language and culture even to this day. They also brought us chocolate.

Aztecs were a Mesoamerican civilization that began in the 14th century. They are known for their distinctive art, complex architecture, and advanced writing system which is still used today. This civilization had three main cities: Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan. These cities formed the Triple Alliance of which all other political matters would be settled by a vote among these three cities’ rulers. The Aztec empire was ruled by an emperor who also served as a religious leader or chief priest of its people’s religion. A council of nobles made up the rest of the upper class while commoners did most menial tasks such as farming or making crafts to sell for money they could use to pay taxes. 

10 Differences Between Incas And Aztecs

1. Incas were a civilization in the Andes mountains.

2. Aztecs were a civilization that lived near the Gulf of Mexico.

3. The Inca Empire was larger than any other empire before it, at one point stretching across much of South America.

4. The Aztec Empire was smaller and more centralized than the Incan’s. 

5. Both civilizations used gold as currency, but for different reasons – while the Aztecs used gold to represent their wealth and power, the Incas believed that gold was sacred because it came from Pachamama (mother earth).

6. Both societies had an emperor or king who ruled over everyone else – however, while some versions of history say that only men could be emperors/kings in both empires, others say women could also rule in certain situations.

7. The Incas were the first civilization in South America, while the Aztecs were the last.

8. The Incas had a system of roads and bridges that linked their empire together while no such infrastructure existed for the Aztecs.

9. While both civilizations had social classes, they differed in how those social classes interacted with each other.

10. Both civilizations practiced human sacrifice but it was more common among the Aztecs than among the Incas.

Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of Incas

1. The Incas were the largest empire in Pre-Columbian America.

2. They built Machu Picchu, one of the most famous archaeological sites in South America.

3. It is believed that they worshipped over 400 gods and goddesses.

4. They had a system of roads that stretched more than 20,000 miles.

5. At its peak, its population was around 6 million people.

6. Their society was divided into four classes – peasants, warriors, artisans, and nobility.

Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of Aztecs

1. The Aztecs practiced human sacrifice as a religious ritual.

2. The Aztec empire was the largest in Mesoamerica.

3. Gold was so important to the economy that it became a currency for trade.

4. War captives were used as live sacrifices, and their blood would be poured into bowls and then consumed by nobles to show their strength.

5. It is said that Montezuma drank 50 golden goblets of wine each day. 

6. Some warriors could have up to four wives – one from each conquered tribe.

Conclusion About The Differences Between Incas And Aztecs

The Incan civilization was one of the largest civilizations in South America. The Aztec Empire, on the other hand, was located in what is now Mexico and Central America. Both cultures used human sacrifice to appease their gods but there are some differences between these two groups that make it difficult to compare them side by side. For instance, while both cultures practiced polygamy, only the Incas allowed women to be rulers which made it a matriarchal society. There were also different architectural styles employed by each group with the Aztecs being more influenced by Toltec architecture than anything else.

References:

Resource 01: https://www.history.com/topics/south-america/inca
Resource 02: https://www.guggenheim.org/publication/the-aztec-empire

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