Incas and Aztecs: Are They Really so Similar?

When we think of the Inca, we think of the similarities between the Aztecs and the Incas when in reality; they were very different. Even if we just look at the foods they produced and ate we can see these differences. The Incas had large domesticated animals: the llama and alpaca, deer, and a guinea pig of sorts. Their main food staple was maize and quinoa. They had many different types of potatoes and greens. Whereas, the Aztecs had no large domesticated animals. They relied on turkey and enjoyed many varieties of fruit. At first, they were cautious of chocolate but soon came to love it and offer it as a drink for the gods. The Aztecs also appreciated insects; some of the ones that they consumed were: ants, grasshoppers, manuey worms, and jumil bugs. With their many differences, such as how the Incas focused on growing crops and the Aztecs concentrated on growing fruits, there were still some similarities. One that stands out the most is, how they both used maize as their main food supply. Although they are often combined in the same category, they are totally different cultures when it comes down to it; this is shown just through the foods they eat.

Christy S.
Period 8
http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodmaya.html