Words to Compare and Contrast

These are the contrast words.

These are the compare words.

My teacher Ms. Jennifer Kelly asked me to compare and contrast the Vikings, Aztecs, and Mayans. I wanted to find the words to help me do this. Contrary to popular belief the Vikings did not wear horned helmets. It was something created by painters, because before the Viking civilization, Nordic priests wore them in ceremonies. However I think there were probably times when the Vikings wore horned helmets. Unlike the Vikings, Aztecs wore feathered headdresses. But the Mayans liked to wear the green feathers of the quetzel bird. Yet it is interesting to see how these cultures differ while having somethings in common. Although the people lived in different places, they shared some things in common. For example, they all had slaves. Slaves are bad for the community in my opinion, because all humans should be treated the same. Slavery and wars are both very destructive. There! I used all the words to contrast.

Both the Mayans and Aztecs ate corn, or Maize in Spanish. And this same food was the most important staple to feed the people. Like the Aztecs and Mayans, the Vikings had a similar need to get from place to place. One thing they had in common was the use of boats. Aztec and Mayan boats were basically the same. But Viking boats were much larger, as well as faster. There! I used all the words to compare. And that's it.  

What's for Dinner?

This is Viking stew with four egg yolks in it.

These are the ingredients of the Vikings

VIKINGS

Vikings ate two meals a day, one was porridge, and the main meal was a big kettle of stew called skause. The ingredients were vegetables and meat, and at dinner they would talk, tell stories, play   games and music. They made lots of bread from oats, rye, barley, and wheat. The drank butter milk, and milk came from not only cows, but also sheep, goats, and horses. The eggs they ate were from chickens, geese, ducks, and gulls. The meat they enjoyed was pig, sheep, goat, cow, and horse. They hunted rabbit, boar, wild birds, squirrel, deer, and in the far North reindeer, seal, and polar bear.They loved fresh water fish, like salmon, trout, and eels. The favorite drink was weak ale, and even kids drank it.

These are the Cocoa beans. They make chocolate.

Here is a basket of corn. 

Here are three Aztecs making tortillas from corn plantations.

AZTECS

The most important food of the Aztecs was corn called maize. Corn was ground into flour to make tortillas, tamales, and even drinks. The also ate beans, squash, chiles, tomatoes, limes, cashews, and regular and sweet potatoes. They loved peanuts and chocolate. They had bees for honey, and turkeys for meat, and eggs, also dogs and ducks. The hunted and fished for deer, rabbits, iguana, fish, and shrimp. Can you believe they ate insects?!? It's true. They ate grasshoppers and worms. They collected algae from the lake Texcoco to make bread and cheese. Food was cooked inside Maguey cactus leaves. One of the best things that Mexico gave to the world was chocolate. The cocoa bean was even traded as money.

These are Mayan Tamales. The Mayans cooked them from maize.

Squash was an important ingredient. Here is a yellow and green one growing.

MAYANS

The main ingredients of Mayan food are like the Aztecs. Corn, beans, and squash. Corn was made into tortillas and filled with beans and squash like a burrito. They also ate chiles, avocados, papayas, and guavas. For meat they liked turkey, rabbit, armadillo, monkey, taper, and macaws.

If I had to pick my favorite foods from these cultures, it would be the Aztecs. They had more variety and delicious things like chocolate, tortillas, fish and shrimp, tamales, and I know these foods, 'cause I come to Mexico every year.

I am eating flor de calabaza [squash blossom] soup that is Pre-Hispanic

Here I am with fresh handmade tortillas. I squeeze lime on them and add salt. Delicious!

What to wear

Vikings, Aztecs, and Mayans were all weavers of cloth. Because of the weather, the Vikings had to wear warm clothing. The wore furs for example, while the Aztecs and Mayans could wear only a loincloth, because the weather was warmer. Viking trousers fit tight, where the Mayans wrapped loose cloth around their waist. Vikings wore helmets or fur hats, and the Aztecs and Mayans liked feathered head dresses. Both Aztecs and Vikings wore capes. Viking woman wore long sleeves, but Mayan and Aztec women had no sleeves or short sleeves. Probably this fact was because of the weather. I would rather dress as the Vikings, because I wouldn't feel so naked.

Viking man clothing

VIKINGS
The Vikings wore clothes made from coarse wool. The women were very good at weaving, and the children helped make wool into yarn. Using dyes from plants they could change the color of the cloth. In Winter it was cold. So the Vikings hunted animals to get their fur. This kept them warm. They stretched the animal skins to make leather. Shoes and boots were made from leather and goat skin. They carried leather purses or knives in their belt. Jewelry was made from medal and wood, including brooches to fasten their cloaks. Vikings wore a knee length shirt called a Kirtle. Then they wore a T-shit made of linen or wool, and cloth trousers that fit tight. Their cloaks were made from wool or animal skin. The Vikings had long hair, neat beards, and long mustaches. On their head they wore a helmet, hood, or fur cap.

Viking Women Dress

Viking women wore a loose wool or linen dress. Then they put on an overdress that was decorated at the bottom. They wore a scarf on their head, and jewelry of gold and silver.

Aztec Men and Women

AZTECS
Aztec clothing was loose and did not completely cover their bodies. They were made of cotton or ayate fiber made from the Maguey cactus.Woman wove the cloth and had a rainbow of bright dyes so their clothes were very colorful. Slaves wore a loincloth tied in the front. Rich men decorated their loincloth with embroidery. They had a cloak called a tilma which they also used to carry things. Women wore skirts and a sleeveless blouse. The upper class had gold clothing, feathers, and fur. Aztec masks were used in ceremonies.



MAYANS
Mayan women wore a blouse called a huipil, a square piece of cloth with a hole in the center for her head and a skirt. They decorated it with embroidery.
Men wore a piece of cloth called a breech-clout. It was wrapped around their waist and between their legs. It was decorated with feathers on the ends for rich men. Poor men wore undecorated loincloths. They wore sandals that went between the first and second toe with the other strap between the third and fourth toe.

Huipil

Breech Clout and Headress

The Joy of Making Stuff

I made this birdhouse with my Dad in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Transportation

Here is an ancient picture of a Viking ship

Today lets talk about how these people use transportation. Vikings in their home village would walk. If they wanted to travel far, they would sail in longships. They used their ships like we use cars. They had a ship called a Knarr that was like a moving van to transport supplies, animals, furniture, etc. Another boat called the Drakkar was a warship. For local travel for one to six people they used a Faering.

This is an image of an Aztec canoe

The Aztecs got around in canoes through canals, because their main city was an island. The canoes of the Aztecs were much smaller than the Vikings', and could only hold five people. Viking ships were so big, people could sleep on deck. Aztecs did not have wheels for transportation, so they had to walk. They didn't use horses or other animals. The would hire human bearers to carry heavy loads on their backs. The Vikings sometimes used packhorses, but not often as the were masters of the sea. Mayans traveled on foot or donkey. Mayans who lived on the coast used canoes, just like the Aztecs.

These are Mayans in a canoe with wild parrots. The two canoes are heading for a Spanish ship.

In my opinion, the Vikings had the best transportation, 'cause their ships had plenty of room, and were bigger and sturdier to travel far.

Location and Weather

The Mayans were located in Central America in a place called Mesoamerica. This includes the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras.

The Aztec people lived in the heart of Central Mexico. The big city, Tenochitlan, was located where modern Mexico City is today. It's four hours by bus from where I am now.
My dad was born in Mexico City.



The Vikings homeland was Scandinavian, including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The Vikings loved their ships and had great navigation skills. My mom's ancestors come from Sweden.

I thought that the Vikings lived somewhere that was frozen and very chilly. Then we read about the Viking world, and I learned that the Vikings lived during the Medieval Warm Period. Vikings traveled to Iceland during this time. We can measure the climate of the past from tree-rings, pollen and by looking at the ice core.

 











Where the Mayans lived it was very wet but then the weather changed to dry and the lack of rain might have made their cities die. The Aztecs lived in a valley 7000 feet above sea level surrounded by mountains on all sides, except the North. Because it was high, it was cool. They had a rainy season from May to October.


P.S. Blah, blah, blee, bloo!