Mesoamerica Claire Casper and Teddy Monteith

Location Central America and Southern Mexico Belize Guatemala El Salvador Some sections of: Honduras and Nicoragua

Culture Domestication of: Beans Chili Squash Maize Created: Complex mythological and religious practices A numerical and calendrical system Distinct architectural styles Tradition of ball playing

Culture cont… System of trade routes developed for luxury goods like: Obsidian Jade Cacao Cinnabar Shells Ceramics Lived in adobe houses

Government Lived in individual political states They were linked through: Trade Political alliances Tribute obligations

Government cont… Chiefdoms: leaders Believed that obedience was critical for harmony Human sacrifice was used to demonstrate power among rulers and Gods Aztec, Maya, Toltec Nacom: military commander Served three year term Responsible for military strategy and calling troops to battle

Government cont… Individual states had a high priest High priest led hierarchy of other priests Batabs Held administrative, judicial, and military authority

Aztec Capital: Tenochtitlan Language: Nahuatl Dominant language in Central Mexico by mid-1350s “Father of the Aztec Empire” Montezuma First European arrival: Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba March 1519 Hernan Cortes arrives Cortes trained an army 400 soldiers marched in with Malinche (translator)

Aztec cont… November 1519 they entered Tenochtitlan Montezuma treated them as honored guests (tradition) Cortes captured Montezuma and controlled Tenochtitlan Cuauhtémoc (nephew) took over and drove out Spaniards August 13, 1521 with help of Aztec native rivals Cortez defeated them once and for all

Toltec Central Mexico 10 th -mid-12 th century Capital: Tollán (place of reeds) Most info comes from the Aztecs First settlement: Colhuacan Population: 30,000-40,000 End of dominance is unknown 12 th century signs shown of violent distruction

Olmec First major civilization in Mexico Lived in south-central Mexico They existed from around 1200 BCE BCE They are known for their stonework La Venta was their capital

Maya They are the only known pre-Columbian Americans with a fully developed writing system Known for their mathematical and architectural systems They lived in present day southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize They existed from around 11,000 B.C A.D. The civilization disappeared mysteriously and the last recorded date on their calendar stela was 904 A.D

Mixtec They lived around the central highlands and southern plains of modern day Mexico They had a unique class system based on economic wealth They are known for their codices which are phonetic pictures They existed from around A.D

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