MesoamericaMesoamerica – advanced native – advanced native civilizations of Central America – Maya, civilizations of Central America – Maya, Aztec and Inca.Aztec and Inca.

Where did humans first originate?Where did humans first originate? How did people first come to America?How did people first come to America?

Maya Maya – 300 – 900 A.D bloody – 300 – 900 A.D bloody civilization on the Yucatan peninsula civilization on the Yucatan peninsula (Mexico).(Mexico).

Lived in the Lived in the rainforest and built rainforest and built cities in the junglecities in the jungle

*Gods fed on and *Gods fed on and survived on human survived on human blood– human blood– human sacrifice.sacrifice.

*Built pyramids*Built pyramids

Huge cities – many cities. Huge cities – many cities. Some with over 40,000 Some with over 40,000 peoplepeople

Chichen-ItzaChichen-Itza. . – – sacred Mayan sacred Mayan religious center.religious center.

Chichen-ItzaChichen-ItzaPok-a-tokPok-a-tok – – sacred ball game of the sacred ball game of the Maya. Maya. Using only head, knees and elbows get a rubber Using only head, knees and elbows get a rubber ball through a hoop thirty feet off the ground. ball through a hoop thirty feet off the ground.

Winners win great prizes. Winners win great prizes. Losers are sacrificed.Losers are sacrificed.

Brutal but brilliantBrutal but brilliant

Hieroglyph writing system – Hieroglyph writing system – One of only five original One of only five original writing systems invented.writing systems invented.

Maya math – used zero. Used Maya math – used zero. Used a form of decimal system a form of decimal system

= five = five = one = one

Great astronomers - predict eclipses of sun Great astronomers - predict eclipses of sun and moon. Believed the earth moved through and moon. Believed the earth moved through cycles of birth and destruction.cycles of birth and destruction. December 23rd, 2012 – Mayan Day of Doom December 23rd, 2012 – Mayan Day of Doom – – The end of this cycle according to the The end of this cycle according to the Maya.Maya.

Around 900 A.D. the Maya abandon their Around 900 A.D. the Maya abandon their cities and return to the jungle. No one cities and return to the jungle. No one knows why.knows why.

Empire ruled by an Empire ruled by an emperoremperor

Capital city of Capital city of CuzcoCuzco

Bodyguards wore Bodyguards wore golden armorgolden armor

•IncaInca - - 1200-1500 A.D. 2,500 mile long, 1200-1500 A.D. 2,500 mile long, 12 million people empire in the Andes 12 million people empire in the Andes Mountains in S. America. Mountains in S. America.

Farmed the Andes Mts.Farmed the Andes Mts. Lived and farmed Lived and farmed on the sides of on the sides of mountains – mountains – potatoes and potatoes and corncorn

Terrace farming Terrace farming – cutting steps – cutting steps into mountain into mountain sides for sides for farming.farming.

Inca never invented the Inca never invented the wheel!wheel!

Never invented the wheel – Never invented the wheel – used llamas as work animal.used llamas as work animal.

Great road systemGreat road system Road systemRoad system – – suspension bridges, suspension bridges, way stations, runners way stations, runners to carry messages.to carry messages.

No written languageNo written language QuipasQuipas – no written language – – no written language – knots and colored ropes to knots and colored ropes to keep track of goods and keep track of goods and records for business.records for business.

All Inca cities All Inca cities destroyed except…destroyed except…

Machu PicchuMachu Picchu – – religious city in religious city in the clouds. the clouds.

Not discovered Not discovered until 1911.until 1911. 50 ton blocks 50 ton blocks cut preciselycut precisely

No mortar! No mortar! Everything cut Everything cut perfectly.perfectly.

Incan mummies!Incan mummies! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK0PVKfN7M0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK0PVKfN7M0

AztecsAztecs – 1200 – 1500 A.D. – 1200 – 1500 A.D. – warlike empire conquered – warlike empire conquered all of Mexico.all of Mexico.

HuitzilopochtliHuitzilopochtli – –

sun and war god of sun and war god of the Aztecs. the Aztecs. Demanded constant Demanded constant feeding of human feeding of human blood.blood.

FEEEEDDD!!!! MEEEEE!FEEEEDDD!!!! MEEEEE!

Flowery DeathFlowery Death – the honor of – the honor of dying and feeding the god! dying and feeding the god!

Aztecs sacrificed sometimes Aztecs sacrificed sometimes thousands a day. thousands a day.

Some were volunteers. Others Some were volunteers. Others were captured from war.were captured from war.

Aztecs conquer an empireAztecs conquer an empire Obsidian swordsObsidian swords – didn’t have – didn’t have metal. Made swords from metal. Made swords from volcanic rock obsidian. volcanic rock obsidian.

Extremely sharp swords but brittle. Extremely sharp swords but brittle. Also wore cotton quilt armor.Also wore cotton quilt armor.

What do you do with an What do you do with an empire?empire?

TributeTribute – nation is – nation is forced to pay heavy taxes forced to pay heavy taxes to prevent invasion. to prevent invasion.

Gold and in captives for Gold and in captives for sacrifice. Aztecs were sacrifice. Aztecs were hatedhated by the people they by the people they ruled.ruled.

Put all that cash into Put all that cash into the Aztec capital the Aztec capital city!!!!city!!!! TenochtitlanTenochtitlan –great capital city of –great capital city of the Aztecs built in the middle of a the Aztecs built in the middle of a lake. Held 300,000 people with lake. Held 300,000 people with canals for streets.canals for streets. •Aqueducts Aqueducts

brought water to brought water to the citythe city

•Hundreds of Hundreds of pyramids to pyramids to different gods. different gods. Some coated in Some coated in gold!gold!

•Where present Where present day Mexico City day Mexico City isis

Spanish invasions!Spanish invasions!

ConquistadorsConquistadors: conquerors. : conquerors. Given the right by Spain to Given the right by Spain to hunt for treasure.hunt for treasure. keep 1/5 of all treasure found.keep 1/5 of all treasure found.

What treasure be there?What treasure be there? El DoradoEl Dorado: legendary : legendary 7 cities of gold in 7 cities of gold in the Americas.the Americas.

Hernando CortezHernando Cortez – – Spanish conquistador who Spanish conquistador who landed in Mexico in 1519 landed in Mexico in 1519 A.D. Has an army of 500 A.D. Has an army of 500 men, 16 horses and 14 men, 16 horses and 14 cannon. cannon.

Conquer or die!Conquer or die! Cortes lands in Mexico. Burns Cortes lands in Mexico. Burns his ships.his ships.

Befriends native tribes.Befriends native tribes. Met by emissaries of the Met by emissaries of the Aztecs. Cortes asks if they Aztecs. Cortes asks if they have any gold. They say lots.have any gold. They say lots.

““Bring it to us, for I and my Bring it to us, for I and my companions suffer from a companions suffer from a disease of the heart that can disease of the heart that can only be cured by gold.”only be cured by gold.”

Cortez welcomed into Cortez welcomed into Tenochtitlan!Tenochtitlan!

MontezumaMontezuma: Aztec emperor! : Aztec emperor! Believes whites Believes whites represent powerful represent powerful nation. nation.

Cortes also shows up in Cortes also shows up in the year of the god the year of the god QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatl

QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatl: white : white skinned god who once skinned god who once ruled over the Aztecs. ruled over the Aztecs.

Spanish have horses, Spanish have horses, guns, and armor. Could guns, and armor. Could Cortes be Quetzalcoatl? Cortes be Quetzalcoatl?

Spanish horrified by Spanish horrified by sacrifice and order it sacrifice and order it stopped. It is. stopped. It is. Montezuma taken prisoner.Montezuma taken prisoner.

Months pass becomes Months pass becomes obvious Cortes just obvious Cortes just greedy white guy. Aztecs greedy white guy. Aztecs chase them out.chase them out.

A year later Cortes A year later Cortes returns with a native returns with a native army of 100,000. army of 100,000.

But, most of the Aztecs But, most of the Aztecs are dead…are dead…

SmallpoxSmallpox

PizarroPizarro: : Conquistador who Conquistador who conquers the Incas conquers the Incas with 350 men. Tons with 350 men. Tons of Gold.of Gold.

Gold, gold, gold Gold, gold, gold flows into Spain flows into Spain making Spain a making Spain a superpower. superpower.

Spanish empire!Spanish empire!

Columbian exchangeColumbian exchange – – gifts gifts exchanged by the Old World and the New exchanged by the Old World and the New World.World.

Europe getsEurope gets TomatoesTomatoes CornCorn PotatoesPotatoes SquashSquash ChocolateChocolate TobaccoTobacco

America getsAmerica gets SlaverySlavery SmallpoxSmallpox ConquestConquest HorsesHorses