Aztecs vs Incas essays

Aztecs vs Incas essays Two of the biggest and greatest civilizations in the Americas were the Aztecs and the Incas. These two civilizations were both said to be conquered by the Spanish, but it was not just the Spanish who conquered them. They both also fell from a combination of a weak government, lack of technology, new disease introduced by invaders, and not being prepared for the invasion of their empires. For many centuries the Aztec civilization revolved around an ideological, social, and political system in which expansion was the cornerstone. Expansion was the cornerstone of their whole civilization because their religion requested that a large number of human sacrifices were to be made to the gods. To get these sacrifices the Aztec went to war with other tribes in Mexico. The people that they captured became sacrifices to the gods. With each conquest more sacrifices and more land was added to the Aztec kingdom. The Aztecs had a strong civilization that was familiar with organized, large scale war, had specialized war chiefs, and a well organized system of territorial levy in which large armies could be brought together in a short period of time. Although, they may have been well prepared or organized for a war, but they were not prepared for internal changes in their civilization. When expansion was no longer an option, their system crumbled. Without expansion they could no longer give the human sacrifices in the same amount in which they used to. Upon the arrival of the Spanish the Aztec government was falling apart, and Montezuma II (ruler of the Aztecs) programs of internal military consolidation and administrative and social stabilization had failed. . The Spanish used the Aztecs own legends to take advantage of them and gain the upper hand. Montezuma believed that Hernando Cortes, leader of the Spanish army, was the God Quetzalcoatl. An Aztec legend said that Quetzalcoatl was driven away by another rival g...

Winter Weather Terminologies

Winter Weather Terminologies The terms winter storms and snowstorms may mean roughly the same thing, but mention a word like blizzard, and it conveys so much more than just a storm with snow. Heres a look at the flurry of winter weather terms you may hear in your forecast, and what each means.   Blizzards Blizzards are dangerous winter storms whose blowing snow and high winds lead to low visibility and white out conditions. While heavy snowfall often occurs with blizzards it isnt needed. In fact, if strong winds pick up snow thats already fallen this would be considered as a blizzard (a ground blizzard to be exact.) In order to be considered a blizzard, a snowstorm must have: heavy snow OR blowing snow, winds of 35 mph or more, and a visibility of 1/4 mile or less, all lasting for at least 3 hours. Ice Storms Another type of dangerous winter storm is the ice storm. Because the weight of ice (freezing rain and sleet) can down trees and power lines, it doesnt take much of it to paralyze a city. Accumulations of just 0.25 inches to 0.5 inches are considered to be significant, with accumulations over 0.5 inches considered as crippling. (Just 0.5 inches of ice on power lines can add up to 500 pounds of extra weight!) Ice storms are also extremely dangerous to motorists and pedestrians. Bridges and overpasses are especially dangerous when traveling since they freeze before other surfaces. Lake Effect Snow Lake effect snow occurs when cold, dry air moves across a large warm body of water (such as one of the Great Lakes) and picks up moisture and heat. Lake effect snow is known for producing heavy bursts of snow showers known as snow squalls, which drop several inches of snowfall per hour. Noreasters Named for their winds which blow from the northeast, noreasters are low pressure systems that bring heavy rain and snow to the East Coast of North America. Although a true noreaster can occur any time of the year, theyre most fierce in the winter and spring and can often be so strong that they trigger blizzards and thundersnow. How hard is it snowing? Like rainfall, there are a number of terms used to describe snowfall depending on how fast or intensely it is falling. These include: Snow Flurries: Flurries are defined as light snow falling for a short duration. They can also be tiny snowflakes falling for longer periods of time. The most accumulation that can be expected is a light dusting of snow.Snow Showers: When snow is falling at varying intensities for brief periods of time, we call it snow showers. Some accumulation is possible, but not guaranteed.Snow Squalls: Often, brief but intense snow showers will be accompanied by strong, gusty winds. These are referred to as snow squalls. Accumulation may be significant.Blowing Snow: Blowing snow is another winter hazard. High wind speeds can blow falling snow into almost horizontal bands. In addition, lighter snows on the ground may be picked up and redistributed by the wind causing reduced visibility, white out conditions, and snow drifts. Edited by Tiffany Means