Religion Notes

Overview

1. Religion was central to life across the Americas before European contact. Most Indigenous societies were polytheistic, believing in many gods associated with natural forces.
2. Unlike later Western traditions, religion was not separated from daily life. It shaped farming, politics, warfare, and art.

The Gods and Their Realms

• Aztec Religion
  • The Aztecs worshipped a vast pantheon of gods. Two of the most powerful were Huitzilopochtli, the god of the sun and war, and Tlaloc, the god of rain and fertility.
  • The Aztecs believed that keeping these gods satisfied was essential to survival; without constant offerings, the sun might fail to rise or the rains might not come.
• Inca Religion:
  • The Incas centered their faith around Inti, the sun god. The emperor, or Sapa Inca, claimed to be Inti’s divine son, giving his rule a sacred mandate. This connection between god and king allowed the emperor to command obedience not just through politics, but through religion itself.

Religion as Part of Daily Life

• Religion shaped the farming calendar and agricultural practices. Every stage of planting and harvest was marked by rituals and prayers to the gods for fertility and good weather.
• Festivals were not occasional events but regular, community-wide expressions of gratitude and devotion. They involved music, dance, and offerings, reinforcing cultural unity.
• For the Maya, Inca, and Aztec peoples, building temples and performing ceremonies were acts of devotion that also displayed a city’s power and prestige.

Power, Priests, and Political Control

• Rulers claimed divine authority, often presenting themselves as chosen by or descended from gods. This religious legitimacy strengthened political control and justified warfare and conquest.