ASÍ ERA AMERICA DURANTE LA EDAD MEDIA EN EUROPA…

Summary

This video explores the stark contrasts between Europe and pre-Columbian America during the Middle Ages. It delves into the distinct lifestyles, social hierarchies, and governance systems in both continents, highlighting the differences in politics, economy, hygiene, and violence. While European societies were shaped by feudalism, the indigenous cultures in America thrived through powerful empires like the Aztecs, Maya, and Incas. The video emphasizes the technological, cultural, and social advancements that marked both regions, revealing how their historical paths diverged and influenced their futures.

Takeaways

• 😀 The arrival of the Spanish in 1492 marked a pivotal moment in history, altering the course of global events.
• 😀 The medieval period in Europe, lasting nearly 1000 years, was one of the most enigmatic and controversial times in history.
• 😀 Pre-Columbian America was inhabited by diverse indigenous tribes that later formed powerful empires like the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas.
• 😀 The Aztec Empire, while powerful, was also notorious for its cruelty, particularly in warfare and human sacrifice.
• 😀 In contrast to nomadic tribes in America, Europe after the fall of Rome (476 AD) was divided into numerous kingdoms.
• 😀 Both the Aztecs and Europeans had hierarchical social structures, with rulers, nobility, common citizens, and slaves or lower classes.
• 😀 Europe's feudal system was characterized by lords controlling vast land and peasants working for protection, whereas the Aztecs had a similar hierarchy but without feudalism.
• 😀 The Americas, especially the Aztec Empire, had abundant natural resources, including precious metals like gold, silver, and copper, but no widespread use of metal currency.
• 😀 Unlike in Europe, where metal coinage was essential to trade, in the Americas, resources like cacao, salt, and textiles served as currency.
• 😀 Hygiene in medieval Europe was poor, with cities often dealing with waste in streets, while the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, had an advanced drainage and waste management system.
• 😀 Both continents faced issues with plagues, but while insects and rats were a major problem in Europe, they were sometimes seen as food sources in the Americas.
• 😀 Violence was prevalent in both Europe and the Americas, but the indigenous people of the Americas, particularly the Aztecs, were known for their brutal wars and human sacrifices.
• 😀 The comparison between Europe and pre-Columbian America highlights how different cultures adapted to their environments and challenges, with distinct approaches to governance, economy, hygiene, and warfare.

Q & A

What significant event in 1492 changed the course of history for both Europe and America?

In 1492, the arrival of the Spanish in America marked a turning point, bringing an end to the medieval period in Europe and initiating the age of colonization in the Americas.

How were indigenous societies in America different from European societies during the Medieval period?

Indigenous societies in America, such as the Aztec, Maya, and Inca empires, were organized into large, advanced civilizations. In contrast, Europe during the Medieval period was fragmented into many smaller kingdoms rather than large, unified empires.

What was the role of the 'Toaní' in the Aztec Empire?

The 'Toaní' was the highest-ranking individual in the Aztec society, akin to a ruler or emperor, and was at the top of the Aztec hierarchical structure.

What is the concept of 'feudalism' in Medieval Europe, and how did it differ from the systems in America?

Feudalism in Medieval Europe was a socio-economic and political system based on hierarchical relationships between lords and vassals, with lords owning land and vassals offering service in return. In contrast, there was no feudal system in pre-Columbian America, but indigenous societies also had distinct social hierarchies.

How did the distribution of wealth differ between Europe and the Americas during the Medieval period?

In Europe, wealth was often tied to land ownership and the mining of precious metals like gold and silver. In the Americas, wealth was not based on metal resources but rather on agricultural products such as cacao, textiles, and salt, reflecting a different economic model.

What were some key differences in hygiene between Medieval Europe and pre-Columbian America?

While Europe during the Medieval period had poor hygiene, with cities often being unsanitary, pre-Columbian American empires like the Aztecs had advanced systems of sanitation, including waste disposal and clean water sources like man-made canals.

How did the handling of water and sanitation differ in Europe and America during the Medieval period?

In Europe, water contamination and poor sanitation were widespread, with people often drinking alcohol instead of water to avoid contamination. In contrast, pre-Columbian societies in America carefully managed water resources and used clean springs for drinking water.

What was the role of violence in the cultures of Medieval Europe and pre-Columbian America?

Violence was prevalent in both regions, but for different reasons. In Europe, violence was often related to wars and crimes but tempered by the fear of divine judgment. In contrast, pre-Columbian American societies, like the Aztecs, engaged in brutal rituals, including human sacrifice and war, often for spiritual or political reasons.

Why were indigenous societies in America able to develop large empires despite being isolated from the rest of the world?

Indigenous societies in America, such as the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans, were descendants of Siberian hunter-gatherers who migrated across the Bering Strait. Their isolation allowed them to develop advanced societies that were capable of creating massive empires, driven by complex social, agricultural, and technological advancements.

What role did resource management play in the development of the two regions during the Medieval period?

In Europe, resources like metal for coinage and agricultural land were vital for economic stability. In the Americas, despite the lack of metal resources, civilizations relied heavily on agriculture, including cacao, salt, and textiles, to manage their economies and trade.