Mesoamerica North America S. America

Mesoamerican Civilizations 1500 B.C. – 800 A.D. The birth of civilized man may have begun in Asia and spread to Africa and beyond but in the middle (meso) land that joins the two American continents (North & South America) there were also similar advanced societies developing with their own distinct cultures.

I. Early Mesoamerican Cultures A. Olmec 1500 B.C.E – 400 B.C.E. an agricultural society that developed in Central America along the swampy river valleys near the Gulf of Mexico Society - signs of an advanced people existed a. stone drains were built b. early forms of hieroglyphic writing

d. religion – stone carvings, figurines, c. calendar d. religion – stone carvings, figurines, and stone murals suggest religion may have had an important role in their society 2 primary Olmec sites (San Lorenzo and La Venta) - Evidence suggests that the population at each site was only 1,000 at their peak. 2. Economy – based on agriculture & trade farmers of this society practiced what’s known as slash and burn farming - where brush/trees are cut down, dried and then burned to help fertilize the soil

Slash & Burn Farming

Terrace farming

b. maize was planted in the fertile ashes of the burned brush after a few years of using this process in the same area they would rotate to new lands d. trade was common in Mesoamerica as Olmec artifacts were discovered in later societies within the region

Maya 300 A.D./C.E. – 900 A.D./C.E. another agricultural society that developed and adapted to its environment on the Yucatan Peninsula of what is present day Mexico. The Maya were not unified in one empire. Instead, they were a society of city-states and kingdoms linked by culture, political ties, and trade. 1. religion - was at the center of Mayan life a. Maya believed in 2 levels of existence. b. Daily Physical life that they lived. c. Otherworld or spiritual world (gods, souls of ancestors, and other supernatural creatures). d. Mayan kings were also their spiritual leaders.

e. human sacrifices were practiced to please the gods and renew life f. Images on Mayan temples, sacred objects, and pottery provide clues about Mayan beliefs and practices. 2. Sciences – Like the Greeks, the Maya believed that the movements of the sun, moon, and planets were journeys of gods across the sky. Since gods controlled nature – including harvests – charting the movements of the celestial bodies was essential.

c. Invented a number system using 20 as a base b. In order to chart the movements Mayan priests became excellent mathematicians and astronomers c. Invented a number system using 20 as a base instead of 10. They had 3 symbols used to represent numbers. A dot stood for 1; a bar was 5; and a shell figure stood for 0 d. developed calendars - a sacred 260 day calendar as well as a 365 day calendar (they were used to predict eclipses, schedule religious ceremonies, and determine times to plant and harvest).

b. slash and burn farming continued in some 3. economy – based on agriculture and trade besides maize grew beans, squash, pumpkins, chili peppers, and tomatoes b. slash and burn farming continued in some areas. While raised plots surrounded by canals (irrigation) produced large harvests. c. sold surplus crops in outside markets d. Maize and other produce were traded for cotton cloth, jade ornaments, pottery, fish, deer meat, and salt.

e. Mayan merchants also participated in long distance trade throughout Mexico and Central America. Traders transported cargo by canoes on rivers and coastal waterways. Overland, goods were carried by humans (wheeled vehicles and beasts of burden were unknown). Do you know why?

4. Writing a. The Maya were one of the first Native American peoples to develop a writing system. They wrote accordion-folded books made of flattened bark covered with a thin layer of plaster. 4 have survived. They also carved inscriptions in clay, and on jade, bone, shells, and on large stone monuments. The Maya recorded royal genealogies, mythology, history, ritual practices, and trade.

5. Collapse a. By A.D./C.E. 900 the Maya in the lowlands showed signs of collapse. b. They stopped building and moved elsewhere. c. warfare among rival city-states led to the eventual abandonment of its cities. d. Agricultural breakdown – caused by erosion and over-farming, may have also produced rising malnutrition, sickness, and death rates.

OTHER MESOAMERICANS C. Teotihuacanos - centrally located on the Mexican Plateau just 30 miles north of present-day Mexico City. 1. society advanced like the Mayans At its height their main city, Teotihuacan, had an estimated 120,000 to 200,000 inhabitants. b. The city was laid out on a complex grid. Excavations of ruins have revealed 600 pyramids, 2,500 apartment compounds, 500 workshop areas, and a huge marketplace.

2. economy a. agriculture b. trade c. obsidian – volcanic glass used for sharp tools and easily used as a trading resource Collapse a. Historians are uncertain about the reasons for its decline. Drought may have been the cause, or invasion by the Toltec, a people from the north.

Toltec - settled on the Mexican Plateau near present day Mexico City   1. society powerful army – conquered lands as far south as the Yucatan Peninsula. 2. economy a. Mining – The capital city of Tula was the center of this powerful mining and trading empire. b. Trade 3. Religion - Polytheistic Would be adopted by the Aztec. a. Quetzalcoatl – “plumed serpent” god of air b. Tezcatlipoca – the god of war

E. Aztec 1325 A.D-1521 – were early hunters/warriors who founded a city in central Mexico they would turn into an agricultural center and marketplace. Today it is the site of present day Mexico City. 1. economy/society a. agriculture – built chinampas or artificial islands, by piling mud from bottom of the lake onto rafts secured by stakes. These became floating gardens where farmers grew a variety of crops, including corn and beans. b. with an agricultural surplus their population grew and people moved to the mainland c. A network of canals, bridges, and causeways was built to connect the mainland with the capital city.

a. Tenochtitlan – city founded on an 2. Empire a. Tenochtitlan – city founded on an island in Lake Texacoco Estimates of the city’s population by A.D./C.E. 1500 range from 120,000 to 200,000. Goods and tribute came to the city from all parts of the empire.

3. Government and Society Aztec civilization was organized as a hierarchy – divided into levels of authority, each level was more powerful than the level below it. Emperor was at the top – his power came from his control of the army and was reinforced by religious beliefs. Aztec social order had 4 classes: nobility, commoners, serfs, and slaves.

Land could be owned by noble families and commoners Land could be owned by noble families and commoners. Commoners included priests, merchants, artisans, and farmers. Serfs were farmworkers tied to noble lands. The lowest class included criminals and debtors, as well as female and children prisoners of war. Male prisoners of war were sacrificed to the Aztec gods. 4. Religion and the Arts Believed that live human sacrifices were needed to keep the gods pleased and to prevent drought, floods, and other natural disasters. Main deity (god) was the sun god Huitzilopochtli, whose giant pyramid-temple arose in the center of Tenochtitlan.

c. Priests used a 360-day religious calendar to determine appropriate days for activities, such as planting crops or going to war. d. Had a 365-day solar calendar that was made up of 18 months of 20 days plus 5 extra days. e. Aztec artists decorated temple-pyramids with scenes of deities or battles. Writers glorified Aztec victories in their works. 4. Collapse a. Revolts in outlying areas weakened Aztec control b. In A.D./C.E. 1521 the rebels joined the Spaniards in destroying the Aztec heritage.

Mayan Ruins

Mayan Pyramids

Aztec Warriors

Aztec Pyramid

Aztec Sacrifice