In central Mexico, specifically around Lake Texcoco by the 15th century, a new civilization emerged, replacing the Mayas of the 8th century; the Aztec Empire became an independent group in 1428 C.E. and built their empire with the help of alliances made with other conquered regions and military conquest. Meanwhile, in the Andes mountains of western South America, another empire was emerging; around the 13th century, the Inca Empire came to life, eventually spanning 2,500 miles and having up to 13 million people under their rule. When analyzing these empires, many similarities and differences begin to appear. The Aztec and Inca Empires shared some similarities, such as their foundations in agriculture and efficient military organization, but …show more content…
The Aztecs displayed the strength of their military by forming a powerful army of devoted and trained warriors who believed in the "flowery death," which describes how dying in battle was considered an honorable fate that led to their automatic passage to the highest heaven. They also conquered surrounding lands through skilled operations. Similarly, the Incas demonstrated stronger military organization by forming alliances and using advanced military tactics to expand their power across the region of the Andes. Despite their similarities, these 2 empires also varied in certain aspects, such as their geography and trading life. The Aztec Empire flourished within a valley, surrounded by lakes and mountains of Mesoamerica. This is high in contrast compared to the Incas, who were located in western South America among rougher terrains such as jungles and deserts with their empire spanning from what is now Ecuador to Chile. Furthering their individuality, the conditions of their trade differed; the Aztecs established a trading network with a more advanced market system than the Incas, where various goods were exchanged, including luxury items such as cocoa beans and gold