Early Civilizations of the Americas

Teotihuacan, Mayan, & Aztec

Timeline of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican PeoplesTimeline of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican Peoples

In the notes space: Make a hypothesis about 2 ways the societies on the timeline came to their “ends”

Where were the great Meso- and South American Where were the great Meso- and South American

Civilizations?Civilizations?

Circa 1500 CE

Mexico

Belize

Guatemala

Mexico

Peru Chile

1. Hypothesize 2 ways in which the Inca and Aztecs and Maya may have interacted.

2. What are 2 elements of physical geography that allowed the Incan Empire to remain relatively isolated from the rest of the continent?

TeotihuacanTeotihuacanSettlements begin circa 500 BCE

Pyramid building c 100 BCE

Pyramids honor sun, moon, butterfly, feathered serpent

Mysterious “death” approx 650 CE; site later used by Tolmec and Aztec peoples

Approx. population: 125,000 people, biggest city in world at time!

1. Hypothesize why pyramid building was a common style of architecture in early civilizations.

2. Hypothesize why early religions through out the world focused on nature deities.

Maya—200 CE- 900 CEMaya—200 CE- 900 CE

Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, HondurasBelize, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras

How do we know what we know? City ruins—temples, homes, streets Writing: Popol-Vuh holy book, glyphs Artifacts: art, sculptures, murals, pottery What was it like? Collection of city-states--centers of political,

religious, social, economic life Each city-state ruled by “god-king”

Tikal

1. What other ancient civilizations viewed their leaders as gods?

2. Do you think any countries today view their leaders as gods? Explain.

Maya: CultureMaya: Culture Polytheistic (100s of gods)

astronomers

Calendar: 365 day solar + 260 day religious cycle (like astrology)

A cycle lasts 5,125 years (2012 doomsday?)

What 2 things does the Mayan calendar tell us about their culture?

MayaMaya Writing

100s of glyphs represent sounds or words

--Numbers --base 20

What are 2 important functions of a written number system? (For what might the Maya have used their written number system?)

Aztecs: Greatest Empire of MesoamericaAztecs: Greatest Empire of Mesoamerica

Circa 1200 CE Aztecs (poor nomads from northern Mexico deserts known as the Mexica people) arrive in central Mexico Valley

Find remains (old buildings, some settlements of people) of Teotihuacan and Toltec societies and build civilization there

Cultural diffusion—Aztecs influenced by culture of Toltecs

What is an example of cultural diffusion that occurred when the Europeans started settling in North America?

Aztec Government & City structureAztec Government & City structure

Military powerhouse—took over smaller societies throughout Mexico

Demand “tribute” (gold, maize, cacao, cotton, jade) or respond with brutality

Rule by all-powerful Emperor

Cities will planned, engineered—center around Temples, rivers for transport, floating gardens for farming

Tenochtitlan—capital city built on an island (most ruins lie under modern day Mexico City)

Why might the Aztecs have build their capital city on an island?

Aztec Social HierarchyAztec Social Hierarchy

Emperor

Nobility: Military generals, priests, government officials

Commoners: merchants, artisans, soldiers, farmers who own land

Slaves

1. Why are military generals higher in social status than soldiers?2. How do you think they chose who to enslave?

Aztec CultureAztec Culture Polytheistic—thousands of gods

Ritual human blood sacrifice to Sun God—Huitzilopochtli

Need for sacrificial victims fueled war machine

Calendar similar to Mayans’

1. Why do you think the Aztec sacrificed people to the Sun God? (what do you think they thought they would get in return?)

2. What inference can historians make about the Aztec and Mayan just by the fact that their calendars were very similar?