The AMERICASThe AMERICAS

American CivilizationsAmerican Civilizations

Enormous land area, many different regionsEnormous land area, many different regions

First Americans are believed to have crossed First Americans are believed to have crossed a land a land bridgebridge in the in the Bering Strait Bering Strait between the Asian and North between the Asian and North

American continents during American continents during the last Ice Age the last Ice Age when the when the sea level was lowsea level was low

North AmericaNorth America The Inuit – lived in The Inuit – lived in the Arctic regions and northwestthe Arctic regions and northwest

Built Built igloosigloos = houses made of ice blocks, became = houses made of ice blocks, became skilled hunters and fishersskilled hunters and fishers

Other types of peoples Other types of peoples include the Aleut and the include the Aleut and the IngalikIngalik

The Mound Builders – eastern woodlandsThe Mound Builders – eastern woodlands Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, lived in the Ohio Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, lived in the Ohio

and Mississippi river valleysand Mississippi river valleys Built earth mounds asBuilt earth mounds as homes homes and built some of the and built some of the

earliest cities in North Americaearliest cities in North America One early group of mound builders was called the One early group of mound builders was called the

Hopewell peoplesHopewell peoples. Another group was called the . Another group was called the Mississippians Mississippians

The Iroquois – eastern woodlands (northeast)The Iroquois – eastern woodlands (northeast) Built Built longhouseslonghouses Women Women owned the dwellings and harvested the owned the dwellings and harvested the

cropscrops Three Three ““sistersister”” crops: crops: corn, beans, and squashcorn, beans, and squash

Men Men hunted and protected the communityhunted and protected the community Made up of five different nations:Made up of five different nations:

Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and CayugaCayuga

Formed a Formed a joint govjoint gov’’t t called the called the Iroquois LeagueIroquois League Created to Created to end warsend wars, was a council of , was a council of

representatives that met regularly to settle representatives that met regularly to settle disputesdisputes

First experiment with First experiment with democracy in North democracy in North AmericaAmerica

The Plains Indians – lived in the Great PlainsThe Plains Indians – lived in the Great Plains Consisted of different tribesConsisted of different tribes

Sioux, Omaha, Comanche, Crow, and BlackfootSioux, Omaha, Comanche, Crow, and Blackfoot DidnDidn’’t all speak the same language, so developed a t all speak the same language, so developed a

form of sign language form of sign language to communicateto communicate Built Built teepeesteepees HuntedHunted buffalo buffalo with the introduction of horses from with the introduction of horses from

the the EuropeansEuropeans Used the buffalo for Used the buffalo for food, clothing, shelter, and food, clothing, shelter, and

toolstools

The Desert WestThe Desert West AnasaziAnasazi

Developed Developed pueblospueblos = aboveground structures = aboveground structures with many roomswith many rooms

Also had Also had cliff dwellingscliff dwellings Other peoples = Apache, the Shoshone, and the Other peoples = Apache, the Shoshone, and the

HohokamHohokam

Used materials that were availableUsed materials that were available Great Plains Indians built teepees and the Iroquois Great Plains Indians built teepees and the Iroquois

built longhousesbuilt longhouses

MesoamericaMesoamerica Name used for areas of Name used for areas of Mexico and Central AmericaMexico and Central America

Site of the firstSite of the first farming farming settlements in the Americassettlements in the Americas Maize, or cornMaize, or corn, was the first domesticated crop, was the first domesticated crop

Olmec – first, appeared around 1200 BCOlmec – first, appeared around 1200 BC Farmed along the Farmed along the Gulf of MexicoGulf of Mexico, disappeared around 300 , disappeared around 300

ADAD

Zapotec – lived in Zapotec – lived in southern Mexico southern Mexico from 1500 BC to 750 ADfrom 1500 BC to 750 AD Their capital Their capital was the first true city was the first true city in Mesoamericain Mesoamerica

Toltec – lived in the Toltec – lived in the highlands of Central Mexico highlands of Central Mexico from 900 – from 900 – 1200 AD1200 AD Established Established military dominance military dominance over a large regionover a large region

The MayaThe Maya One of the most advanced civilizations in the AmericasOne of the most advanced civilizations in the Americas Developed around 1000 BC, built most of its cities Developed around 1000 BC, built most of its cities

between 300 – 900 ADbetween 300 – 900 AD The Mayan civilization came to include much of The Mayan civilization came to include much of Central Central

AmericaAmerica and consisted of and consisted of 10 million people 10 million people and and 40 40 citiescities

Practiced Practiced slash-and-burn agriculture slash-and-burn agriculture to farm the rain forestto farm the rain forest Burning vegetation to clear the land for cropsBurning vegetation to clear the land for crops

Built splendid Built splendid pyramids, temples, and palacespyramids, temples, and palaces Mayan cities functioned as Mayan cities functioned as city-states city-states and were often at and were often at

war with each otherwar with each other The kings of the Mayan city-states claimed The kings of the Mayan city-states claimed to be to be

descended from godsdescended from gods

Had many rituals to satisfy the godsHad many rituals to satisfy the gods One ritual involved One ritual involved piercing the tongue or skin to piercing the tongue or skin to

offer blood to the godsoffer blood to the gods Another was a Another was a game involving a rubber ball that game involving a rubber ball that

you had to get through a stone hoop using only you had to get through a stone hoop using only your elbows, knees, or hips – the losing team your elbows, knees, or hips – the losing team often were killed and their hearts sacrificed to often were killed and their hearts sacrificed to the godsthe gods

Practiced human sacrifice to Practiced human sacrifice to appease the godsappease the gods Among the first people to come up with the concept Among the first people to come up with the concept

of of zerozero and had a and had a 365 day calendar365 day calendar Declined due to either Declined due to either overuse of resources, too overuse of resources, too

much warfare, or peasant rebellionsmuch warfare, or peasant rebellions

The AztecThe Aztec Dominate from the 1100s to the 1500sDominate from the 1100s to the 1500s At its height the Aztec controlled At its height the Aztec controlled 5 million people 5 million people and and

hundredshundreds of cities of cities Forced conquered people to Forced conquered people to pay tributepay tribute, which was the , which was the

basis of the Aztec economybasis of the Aztec economy The capital city of Tenochtitlan was one of the largest in The capital city of Tenochtitlan was one of the largest in

the world at the time, withthe world at the time, with 200,000 200,000 inhabitantsinhabitants A system of A system of roadsroads helped with trade helped with trade The king, although he was elected by a group of nobles, The king, although he was elected by a group of nobles,

claimed to be claimed to be descended from godsdescended from gods Religion was based on a belief in the unending struggle Religion was based on a belief in the unending struggle

between forces of between forces of good and evilgood and evil

Aztec religious ceremonies were particularly bloodyAztec religious ceremonies were particularly bloody Believed that the gods needed Believed that the gods needed human bloodhuman blood, ,

hoped human sacrifice hoped human sacrifice would postpone the day would postpone the day of reckoningof reckoning

Aztec sacrificed as many as 20,000 victims a year Aztec sacrificed as many as 20,000 victims a year – 54.79 people a day– 54.79 people a day

Mostly used Mostly used slaves or prisoners of war slaves or prisoners of war as as sacrificessacrifices

WarriorsWarriors were responsible for capturing the were responsible for capturing the victimsvictims

South AmericaSouth America Chavin – 900 to 200 BCChavin – 900 to 200 BC

Moche – 400 BC to 600 ADMoche – 400 BC to 600 AD

Nazca – 200 BC to 600 ADNazca – 200 BC to 600 AD Best known for the huge designs they made on the Best known for the huge designs they made on the desert floordesert floor These Nazca lines show These Nazca lines show geometric shapes and outlines of animalsgeometric shapes and outlines of animals

The Inca – 1300s to 1500sThe Inca – 1300s to 1500s Starts out in Peru, eventually includes 12 million peopleStarts out in Peru, eventually includes 12 million people

Capital at CuzcoCapital at Cuzco

– The Inca Empire was built on warThe Inca Empire was built on war

• Used a system ofUsed a system of resettlement resettlement to limit to limit the power of local leaders they the power of local leaders they conqueredconquered

– The emperor had most of the powerThe emperor had most of the power

• Believed to related to the Believed to related to the sun godsun god

• MummiesMummies of dead kings kept at Cuzco of dead kings kept at Cuzco and worshippedand worshipped

– Used the Used the quipuquipu to keep track of the to keep track of the movement of goods throughout the empiremovement of goods throughout the empire

• Quipu = Quipu = set of colored and knotted set of colored and knotted cordscords

• The colors and knots represented The colors and knots represented numbers or datesnumbers or dates

There were There were no slaves no slaves in the Inca in the Inca Empire, but most people belonged to Empire, but most people belonged to the lower classesthe lower classes

ReligionReligion was a key element of the Inca society was a key element of the Inca society People worshipped many gods, although the People worshipped many gods, although the sun sun

godgod was the most important was the most important PriestsPriests performed ceremonies, which included performed ceremonies, which included

sacrifices of llamas, cloth, or foodsacrifices of llamas, cloth, or food Only practiced Only practiced human human sacrifices on rare occasions sacrifices on rare occasions

Built 24,800 miles worth of Built 24,800 miles worth of roadsroads Had rest houses a day apartHad rest houses a day apart

The arrival of the The arrival of the SpanishSpanish brought an end to the brought an end to the empireempire