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MesoamericaMesoamerica
Mesoamerica = Mexico & Central AmericaMesoamerica = Mexico & Central America
MesoamericaMesoamerica
Some of the greatest civilizations in Some of the greatest civilizations in the Americas developed in the Americas developed in MesoamericaMesoamerica
The The Maya Maya and and Aztec Aztec lived in the lived in the Mesoamerican regionMesoamerican region
Where did the ancient Where did the ancient MayaMaya live? live?
The The MayaMaya settled on the Yucatan settled on the Yucatan Peninsula Peninsula in central America.in central America.
Maya Political StructureMaya Political Structure
The Maya were NOT AN EMPIRE and The Maya were NOT AN EMPIRE and NOT UNITED politically…NOT UNITED politically…
Maya civilization was made up of Maya civilization was made up of city-statescity-states
Each city-state had its own rulerEach city-state had its own ruler
Maya ArchitectureMaya Architecture
built towering temples and palacesbuilt towering temples and palaces
Atop the temples, priests performed Atop the temples, priests performed religious ceremonies and sacrifices while religious ceremonies and sacrifices while people watched from the plazas belowpeople watched from the plazas below
Ceremonial platforms, temples, pyramids, Ceremonial platforms, temples, pyramids, observatories, ball courts all built by the observatories, ball courts all built by the MayaMaya
Maya ReligionMaya Religion
The Maya were polytheisticThe Maya were polytheistic The Maya practiced human sacrificeThe Maya practiced human sacrifice
Advances in learningAdvances in learning
The Maya created a writing system of The Maya created a writing system of hieroglyphicshieroglyphics
Advances in learningAdvances in learning
The Maya created a set of numeralsThe Maya created a set of numerals Also developed a 365-day calendarAlso developed a 365-day calendar
What happened to the What happened to the Maya?Maya?
The Maya abandoned many of their cities The Maya abandoned many of their cities around 900 A.D.around 900 A.D.
Archaeologists DO NOT KNOW WHY Maya Archaeologists DO NOT KNOW WHY Maya civilization declinedcivilization declined
Theory: Around 900A.D. there was a severe Theory: Around 900A.D. there was a severe drought. Many died due to starvation others drought. Many died due to starvation others migrated away.migrated away.
Maya todayMaya today
……more than 2 million Maya people live more than 2 million Maya people live in Guatemala and southern Mexico in Guatemala and southern Mexico today.today.
AztecsAztecs
Where did the Aztecs Where did the Aztecs live?live?
The Aztecs lived in The Aztecs lived in what is known as what is known as the the Valley of MexicoValley of Mexico in central in central MexicoMexico..
TenochtitlanTenochtitlan
TenochtitlanTenochtitlan was the capital city of was the capital city of the Aztec Empire.the Aztec Empire.
Legend of TenochtitlanLegend of Tenochtitlan
The gods told the Aztecs to search The gods told the Aztecs to search for an eagle holding a snake in its for an eagle holding a snake in its beak perched atop a cactus. This is beak perched atop a cactus. This is where they were to build their capital where they were to build their capital city. The Aztecs saw this sign on a city. The Aztecs saw this sign on a swampy island in lake Texcoco.swampy island in lake Texcoco.
Legend of TenochtitlanLegend of Tenochtitlan
How did the Aztecs build a city How did the Aztecs build a city in the center of a lake?in the center of a lake?
Tenochtitlan was built on an islandTenochtitlan was built on an island It was connected to the mainland by It was connected to the mainland by
causewayscauseways leading north, south, leading north, south, and west of the city. and west of the city.
The city was interlaced with a series The city was interlaced with a series of canals, so that all sections of the of canals, so that all sections of the city could be visited either on foot or city could be visited either on foot or by canoe. by canoe.
TenochtitlanTenochtitlan
Today, Today, Tenochtitlan is Tenochtitlan is Mexico CityMexico City
GovernmentGovernment
The Aztecs created an empire The Aztecs created an empire through conquestthrough conquest
Conquered people and local rulers Conquered people and local rulers had to pay had to pay tributetribute to the Aztecs to the Aztecs
The Aztecs had an emperorThe Aztecs had an emperor The Aztec Emperor’s main job was to The Aztec Emperor’s main job was to
lead in warlead in war
Religion & MythologyReligion & Mythology
Aztecs were polytheisticAztecs were polytheistic Huitzilopochtli wasHuitzilopochtli was
the main Aztec god.the main Aztec god.(weets se lo poch tlee)(weets se lo poch tlee)
The Aztecs built massive temples The Aztecs built massive temples and pyramids dedicated to their godsand pyramids dedicated to their gods
Religion & MythologyReligion & Mythology
Pyramid of the SunPyramid of the Sun Pyramid of the MoonPyramid of the Moon
Human SacrificeHuman Sacrifice
Human sacrifice was a common practice of the Human sacrifice was a common practice of the Aztecs.Aztecs.
For the reconsecration of Great Pyramid of For the reconsecration of Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan in 1487, the Aztecs reported that they Tenochtitlan in 1487, the Aztecs reported that they sacrificed 84,400 prisoners over the course of four sacrificed 84,400 prisoners over the course of four days.days.
To give the sun strength to riseTo give the sun strength to rise
each day, human sacrifices wereeach day, human sacrifices were
offered.offered.
What happened to the What happened to the Aztecs?Aztecs?
Spanish conquistadors led by Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan Hernan CortesCortes conquered Tenochtitlan and conquered Tenochtitlan and defeated the Aztecs in 1521.defeated the Aztecs in 1521.
IncaInca
Where did the Inca live?Where did the Inca live?
The Inca controlled an empire in the The Inca controlled an empire in the Andes MountainAndes Mountain region of South region of South America.America.
GovernmentGovernment
The The Sapa IncaSapa Inca (emperor) had absolute power. (emperor) had absolute power.
The emperor claimed to be the The emperor claimed to be the son of the sunson of the sun..
The emperor was also the empire’s religious The emperor was also the empire’s religious leader.leader.
The empire was divided into four regions with The empire was divided into four regions with the capital at the capital at CuzcoCuzco..
Uniting the EmpireUniting the Empire
The Inca built a massive road The Inca built a massive road network through mountains and network through mountains and across rivers and gorges.across rivers and gorges.
StoneworkStonework
The Inca constructed stone temples The Inca constructed stone temples without using mortars yet the stones fit without using mortars yet the stones fit together so well that a knife would not fit together so well that a knife would not fit between the stones.between the stones.
ReligionReligion
The Inca were polytheistic.The Inca were polytheistic. The primary god was The primary god was IntiInti, the sun , the sun
god.god.
ReligionReligion
Inca believed in Inca believed in reincarnationreincarnation.. The Inca practiced The Inca practiced cranial cranial
deformationdeformation..-They achieved this by wrapping tight -They achieved this by wrapping tight
cloth straps around the heads of newborns cloth straps around the heads of newborns to alter the shape of their soft skulls into a to alter the shape of their soft skulls into a cone-like shape.cone-like shape.
Medical AdvancesMedical Advances
The Inca performed successful skull The Inca performed successful skull surgery.surgery.
The Inca also used medicines to The Inca also used medicines to make patients unconscious during make patients unconscious during surgerysurgery
OrganizationOrganization
Each family in a community was Each family in a community was assigned a specific job.assigned a specific job.
Government officials arranged Government officials arranged marriages.marriages.
The government organized mandatory The government organized mandatory public service building projects.public service building projects.
What happened to the Inca?What happened to the Inca?
Civil war in the empire broke out...Civil war in the empire broke out...
ANDAND
Smallpox spread, killing much of the Smallpox spread, killing much of the Inca…Inca…
Fall of the IncaFall of the Inca
BUT ultimately, it was Spanish BUT ultimately, it was Spanish conquistadors led by conquistadors led by Francisco PizarroFrancisco Pizarro that brought about the fall of the Inca that brought about the fall of the Inca Empire.Empire.
