Final answer:
Mayan, Aztec, and Incan farmers suffered from the absence of livestock and metal tools, which made farming more labor-intensive. They were part of hierarchical societies with obligations to ruling classes, and in some cases, such as the Incas, lacked a market economy to sell surplus crops. This distinguished them from farmers in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as from the societies of North American Natives.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mayan, Aztec, and Incan farmers faced several disadvantages when compared to their counterparts in Europe, Asia, and Africa. A notable challenge was that they had very little livestock and did not utilize metal tools. The absence of large domesticated animals meant that they could not employ these for plowing or transport, resulting in more labor-intensive agricultural practices.
Instead, the indigenous peoples of the Americas, such as the Maya, relied heavily on cultivating crops like corn, which was central to their diet and culture. Furthermore, the complexities of the terrain, like the dense jungles of the Mayan Empire or the Andes Mountains, required innovative farming techniques, such as terrace farming by the Incas, to cultivate the land effectively despite the lack of large farm animals and metal implements.
In addition to agricultural challenges, the societal structures imposed certain economic limitations on these farmers. The Mayan, Aztec, and Incan societies were highly hierarchical, with nobility and priests holding significant power. Farmers typically had the obligation to hand over part of their harvest to the ruling class, further constraining their economic freedom.
The Inca, in particular, had no economic markets or money, with the state providing for many needs, which restricted individual economic opportunities. Unlike these civilizations, North American Natives lived in more dispersed societies with less centralized authority, leading to differences in agricultural practices and societal organization.