Primary and Secondary Source Readings

Answer the following questions directly into this assignment tab.

Source A – Aztec Tribute Record (Codex Mendoza, c. 1541)

“Each province shall send to Tenochtitlán every eighty days: 8,000 cloaks of cotton, 20 jars of honey, 400 baskets of maize, and 40 bags of cacao beans.
The tribute is received by the royal stewards and placed in the warehouses of the Huey Tlatoani. The goods sustain the army, the temples, and the noble households, and the scribes record each delivery so that none may defraud the empire.”

“The conquered towns provide not only goods but also laborers for the roads and canals. In return, the Mexica promise protection and participation in the markets of the capital. Thus, tribute and service bind the peoples of the valley to the rule of Tenochtitlán.”

Questions:

1. What administrative strategies are shown in this source?
2. How does tribute collection support the Aztec economy and political control?
3. What evidence here shows a reciprocal (two-way) relationship between rulers and subjects?

Source B – Inca Imperial Edict on Mit’a Labor (Chronicler’s Account, c. 1470)

“Let each community send a portion of its people to work for the state. One shall build terraces and walls for the fields; another shall carry stones for the temples of the Sun. Those who labor in the name of the Inca do not lose but gain, for their families are fed from the storehouses of the empire.”

“The officials of the Sapa Inca record the labor of each man with cords and knots upon the quipu. The mit’a binds all the people together in service and gratitude. When the Inca commands, the mountains move — for his word is both law and blessing.”

Questions:

1. What does this source reveal about how the Inca organized labor and economy?
2. How does the mit’a system reflect both continuity and innovation?
3. In what ways is the Inca system similar to or different from the Aztec tribute system?

Source C – Maya Stela Inscription from Copán (c. 800 CE)

“Behold the divine ruler, who speaks with the gods and measures the heavens. On the day 8 Ajaw, he offered incense to summon the ancestors, and the maize sprouted in the fields. His name shall endure upon this stone, for he brought peace and filled the granaries of the people.”

“Let this monument remind the generations that the ruler governs through wisdom and piety. The temples rise not by conquest but by ceremony, and the people labor willingly in the service of the divine order. The King’s authority is as the sun — it rises, shines, and gives life to all.”

Questions:

1. How does this inscription show the relationship between religion and kingship?
2. What values are emphasized as sources of power for Maya rulers?
3. How does this approach to power differ from that of the Aztec and Inca empires?

Reflection and Analysis

1. How did the Aztec, Inca, and Maya each demonstrate continuity, innovation, and diversity in their state systems?
2. Which empire’s system of governance seems most effective for maintaining long-term stability? Why?
3. What role did religion play in legitimizing power across all three civilizations?