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THE AMERICASBefore Contact with Europeans
Introduction Migration to the Americas
Early migrations from northern Asia to Alaska – occurred 35,000 to 15,000 years ago
Some contact with Polynesians possible Geography
Great geographical diversity – frozen regions, tropical rain forests, vast plains, heavily forested areas, and high mountain ranges○ Made farming impossible in some areas○ Long distance between arable areas made contact
between groups difficultTwo main areas of agriculture
○ Mesoamerica- Mexico and Central America○ Andean Mountain region – along the west coast of S.
America
Olmecs
Early American Civilizations Olmecs (1200-400 BCE)
Society○ Authoritarian and Hierarchial
Priestly classRuler and his familyArtisans and merchants Labor class
Political○ Form of kingship○ Giant sculptures of heads. Evidence of
power of the ruling family.○ Fall was due to internal conflict
Early American Civilizations Olmecs
Cultural – SEE MAYANS!!Economic
○ Agricultural-based economyNo large beasts of burden (horse, oxen)No wheeled vehiclesHuman labor did all the work
- BUT: Built elaborate drainage systems
○ Traded various products – salt, cacao, clay and limestone
○ Developed religious centers which grew into city-states
Chavin
Early American Civilizations Chavin (900 – 250 BCE)
Social○ Hierarchal
Ruler and his familyPriestly classArtisans and merchantsCommoners
Political○ Empires were created to control 3 ecological zones
(coastal plains, mountain valleys, and tropical rain forests and connecting trade routes)
○ Some evidence of irrigation projects and organized militaryShows political power of the central government
Early American Civilizations Chavin
Cultural○ Chavin religion spread to other areas,
perhaps Meso-AmericaEconomic
○ Chavin capital, Chavin de Huantar was situated along long distance trade routesTrade between west coast of S. America
and Andes mountain region○ Agriculture-based economy
Used llamas to carry things up and down the mountains
Mayan Empire
Classical American Civilizations Maya (300-900 CE)
Social○ Rigid and strict classes
Political○ Rulers performed both priestly and political
functionsRulers NOT divine but able to communicate with gods
and ancestor spirits
○ Fall of the Mayan EmpireAround 800 CE – Mayan population moved out of
cities which soon fell into decline- No evidence as to why – possible explanations
include foreign invasion, civil war, disease
Classical American Civilizations Maya
Cultural○ Religion
PolytheisticSome rituals called for human sacrifice
- Victims were prisoners of warMayan priests constructed very advanced calendar for
religious ceremonies, planting/harvesting cropsEconomic
○ Agriculture-based economyPracticed slash and burn agricultureAlso built terraced fields along the river banks
○ Cities – built large citiesPrimarily religious and administrative cities
Classical American Civilizations
MayaEconomic
○ Cities (cont.)Little trade conducted within the citiesIncluded large pyramids, houses for the
elite, ritual ball courts Memorial alters and pillars
- To honor great actions of leaders- Inscribed with pictograms (similar to
hieroglyphics)
Classical American Civilizations Teotihuacan (300-750 CE)
Social○Priests were an important part of the
elite classPolitical
○Teotihuacan was the name of the capital city
○City was well plannedEvidence of group of powerful families
ruling cooperatively
Cultural – See Aztecs!!
Teotihuacan
Classical American Civilizations
Teotihuacan
Economic○Agriculture-based economy
Irrigation produced abundance of crops
○TradeUnlike the Mayans, the Teotihuacan
had a large class of professional merchants who traded their products
Toltecs
Post-Classical American Civilizations
Toltecs (950-1150 CE)Social
○ The priestly class was important part of the elite class○ Emphasis on military prowess
Led to rise of an elite warrior class from which rulers would emerge
Political○ Created an extensive Empire from Central Mexico to
Yucatan Peninsula to Guatemala○ A strong militaristic legacy
Allowed the Toltecs conquer or intimidate neighboring peoplesRequired “tribute” – in the form of treasure, food,
prisoners/slaves
Post-Classical American Civilizations
ToltecsPolitical
○ Had 2 rulers instead of 1, leading to internal conflicts
○ Decline due to internal fragmentationCultural
○ Relied heavily on religious sacrifices to satisfy the gods
Post-Classical American Civilizations
ToltecsEconomic
○Agriculture-based economy○The exchange of turquoise with
people in the American Southwest○Tributary payment from
surrounding areas was a large part of the Toltec economy
Aztecs
Post-Classical Civilizations Aztecs
Social○ Militaristic aristocrats headed the social structure○ Priests were advisors to the king and performed
religious rituals○ Warrior class – came from ordinary freemen who
proved themselves in battle○ Merchant class – conducted long-distance trade○ Serfs/Freemen○ Slaves – mainly prisoners of war or debtors○ Women were subservient to men but those who
bore warrior sons were given higher status
Post-Classical American Civilizations
AztecsPolitical
○ Tenochtitlan was the capital city○ Emperor appointed military governors to rule
over conquered peoples○ Empire stretched from Central Mexico to
Guatemala○ Aztec military power - Led to tributary empire
Conquered peoples had to pay tribute – such as food, luxury goods, and prisoners
Post-Classical American Civilizations Aztecs
Cultural○Religion played an extremely important
role in Aztec cultureLarge step pyramidsReligion provided political legitimacyHuman sacrifice practiced extensively
- Victims were mainly prisoners of war
Post-Classical American Civilizations
AztecsEconomic
○ Agriculture-based economyInnovations include chinampas – floating islands for
growing food- Led to increase food production
○ Tribute systemGov’t controlled the distribution of tribute to the
population – noble class received the majority and commoners received much less
○ Long-distance tradeTraded for luxury goods with neighboring peoplesCarried by slaves or serfs because there were no
beasts of burden
Inca Empire
Post-Classical American Civilizations Incas (1100-1540 CE)
Social○ INCA (Emperor) was on top○ Aristocratic class – served emperor as advisors and
governors○ Priests○ Warrior class○ Peasants – organized into communities○ Patriarchal but women did have the ability to inherit
property
Post-Classical American Civilizations
IncasPolitical
○ Cuzco was the capital○ The Inca/Emperor owned all property and the commoners worked
for the IncaMit’a system = all commoners owed required labor to the state for a
certain number of months each year, to build temples, roads, etc.
○ The Inca/Emperor controlled the empire with:Vast and powerful militaryExtensive network of roads
○ Alliances were made with neighboring rulers who swore allegiance to the Inca and were allowed to keep their ruling positions
Post-Classical American Civilizations Incas
Cultural○ Religion played an important role in the Inca
EmpireTemples were built for religious ritualsHuman sacrifice was practiced but NOT as much
or as frequently as the Aztecs- Victims were mainly prisoners of war or as
tribute given by neighboring peoples
○ The Incas had no written languageRelied on system of knots (quipu)
Post-Classical American Civilizations
IncasEconomic
○ Agriculture-based economyInnovations included terraced farming to utilize the
mountainsAgricultural surplus was owned by the state and stored in
state storehouses- For use in times of shortages or famine
○ Mit’a system created a more socialized economy – people didn’t “own” property but instead worked for the good of the Inca people
○ No distinct merchant classLong distance trade was LESS important than the Aztecs
due to self-sufficiency and state regulation of production and surplus
