Imagine you went back to 1800 B.C. to witness the daily life of many early empires. It would surprise you that they share many characteristics of modern-day life! Many civilizations developed calendars, hierarchies, and governments, which are still around today. The development of empires influenced future societies because of their government structure, the use of religion, and architecture.
First, the most successful empires used a government system to rule over their people. The Aztecs turned each town into a city-state. Then, each city-state became unified into an empire. They had a supreme political leader who represented the gods. To decide, a council of people aided the emperor. (Aztec Source C & F). They organized the Mayan empire into 18 city-states. Each was independent and did not unify into a single Empire. The Mayans also had a Halach uinic, which acted like a King with a council to help decide (Maya Source D). In most countries, each one has a system of government to rule its people. Although they may not share some characteristics of ancient empires, they still received a
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The Aztecs had a polytheistic belief and used human sacrifices in their rituals. They used these sacrifices to “feed” the sun god so that it continued to move and provide warmth (Aztec source H). The Mayans also believed in many gods, making them polytheistic like the Aztecs. The Mayans were also animistic, thinking that every object had a soul. Instead of using human sacrifices, priests led festivals and rituals that honored the gods (Maya source H). Third off, the Incas were very religious. They connected most of community life to religious beliefs. They promoted religion so much that the state endorsed it. (Inca Source I). Overall, the use of worship was something that carried on throughout history. Although these empires did not pioneer religion, they still influenced why it is still around