Question

Please help!
Two World History Questions:
Compare how the Incas and Mayans built their governments.

To what degree did the arrival of the Portuguese impact the Swahili Coast in each of the following areas?
Politically, Socially, and Economically.

Answer 1

The Aztec founded their central city of Tenochtitlán, the site of Mexico City, about 1325. A poor nomadic (wandering) people before their arrival in central Mexico, the Aztec believed that the gods wanted them to settle on the Lake Texcoco. Before they built the great city, however, they first had to fill in the swampy land by creating artificial islands. In the 1500s, when the Spanish first saw Tenochtitlán, with its system of cause-ways (raised roads over wet ground or water), canals, bridges, and aqueducts (a large pipe or channel that carries water), they called it the Venice of the New World. (Venice is an Italian city noted for its canal system.) In addition to constructing this trade and cultural center, the Aztec were farmers, astronomers (people who specialize in the study of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars), mathematicians, and historians, who recorded the events of their civilization. Their religion was pantheistic, meaning that they worshiped many gods. Consequently, when the Spanish conquistadors (conquerors) arrived, the Aztec at first believed they were gods—or at least the heavenly hosts of the long-awaited god Quetzalcoatl—and welcomed them with gifts. The Aztec later rose up against the Europeans. Under the leadership of Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), the Spaniards ultimately conquered the Aztec, claiming Mexico in 1521.

The Inca developed one of the most extensive empires in all the Americas. During the hundred years before the arrival of the Europeans, the Inca expanded their territory along the western coast of South America to include parts of present-day Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Though it was a vast region, it was nevertheless a closely knit state ruled by a powerful emperor. The Incan government was subdivided down to the local level, but because the emperor required total obedience from his subjects, local rulers were kept under control. Like the Aztec in Mexico, the Inca constructed a network of roads, bridges, ferries, and irrigation (water supplying) systems. They, too, designed impressive buildings, demonstrating their abilities as engineers. For instance, they made a clay model of the magnificent city of Machu Picchu before starting construction. The Inca were also skilled craftspeople, working with gold, silver, and textiles (woven fabrics). Like the Aztec, the Inca worshiped many gods. When the Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro (c. 1475–1541) arrived in the region in 1532, he was at first welcomed as a god. By 1537 the Inca had been brought under Spanish control.

Answer 2

The east coast of Africa experiences seasonally alternating ‘trade’ winds which have enabled sailing dhows to travel up and down the coast, fostering the movement of people and goods between the countries of Arabia, the Western Indian Ocean and East Africa for many centuries. Long before the first Europeans arrived in the area a loose confederation of coastal city states had developed along the East African coast which formed the basis of the unique Swahili culture of coastal East Africa. Three of these ancient ‘city states’ are now designated as world heritage sites.

All three are located on islands off the coast, where they were established around natural sheltered harbours. They were all flourishing towns by the 13th century, 300 years before the arrival of the Portuguese. At this time they were the centres of trade between the African interior and the countries of Arabia and the East. There is evidence that Kilwa Kisiwani had strong trade links with the gold-rich empire centred on Great Zimbabwe, and there were other well-established trading routes into the African interior from which ivory, gold, foodstuffs and slaves were exchanged for pottery, porcelain and other manufactured goods.

Following the arrival of the Portuguese in the 15th century, the economic and political life of the ancient Swahili settlements was severely disrupted, as the Portuguese sought to control trade and commerce in the area. Kilwa Kisiwani went into terminal decline and only the ruins of its opulent splendour and heritage now remain. Lamu Old Town is thought to be the oldest and best preserved Swahili settlement on the East African coast, located on a small island off the north coast of Kenya. There are no vehicles on the island and goods are still moved through the narrow twisted alleyways of the town by donkey. Many of its cultural and architectural treasures – ornate courtyard homes with elaborately carved Arabic doors - date from the period of Omani Arab control from 1698 to the mid 1800s, during a Golden Age after the Portuguese had been overthrown.

The Stone Town of Zanzibar is today much bigger than Lamu, and its architecture includes a fusion of many different elements and influences. Much of it is more recent than Lamu, dating from the second half of the 19th century, after the Sultan of Oman had moved his sultanate to Zanzibar.

Answer 3

can you simplify the second answer?