The Ancient Americas

Many societies in the ancient Americas had rulers that controlled territories limited to a single ethnic group and geographic area. But some of these societies pushed beyond their traditional borders to incorporate neighboring cultures. Through military conquest and political alliances, these societies created empires.

Empires required new strategies to manage their far-flung, diverse populations. Taxation, religious control, and other tools and techniques helped governments maintain power over their expanding territories. In fact, these ancient American empires became the "superpowers" of their day. But holding such immense territories wasn't easy. Many empires were weakened by rebellion within or attacks from other states.

To explore two societies that became empires, select from the following:

	Overview Get the full story on why and how societies grew to become superpowers and discover the advantages and disadvantages of being part of an empire. You'll learn about the common attributes shared among some famous ancient American cultures.
	Featured Cultures Meet two fascinating societies—the Aztec and the Inca—and find out how they built powerful empires. You'll discover how religion, armies, roadways, bureaucracies, and more helped these empires maintain control over their vast territories.
	Image Gallery View beautiful textiles, jewelry, and ceramics that tell us about life in ancient American empires.

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