THE AMERICAS Chapter 16

The First American Civilizations South America The Maya Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico Disappeared from their lands in the 900s CE The Aztecs Controlled Central Mexico Empire included over 5 million people The Inca Located in the mountains of Peru Largest empire of the ancient Americas

The Maya and Aztec Aztecs Mayas

The Inca Empire

The First American Civilizations continued South America The Toltecs Took Mayan lands until 1200CE The Olmecs 1200-400BCE Developed in present day Mexico

North America Southwestern US East of the Mississippi Anasazi – New Mexico, lived in pueblos East of the Mississippi Hopewell or “mound builders” Alaska and Canada Inuit, traveled by dog sled and lived in Igloos Northeast The Iroquois set up a confederation - a government that links several groups

Anasazi

The Iroquois The Mound-builders

THE INUIT

THE MAYANS Present day – Guatemala City- states & worshipped gods, especially the sun god Learned astronomy and developed the calendar System of mathematics and hieroglyphic writing Paddled in canoes as far as present day US By CE900s the Maya has mysteriously disappeared Mayan cities had many ball courts for sport

Mayan ruins at Tikal

Mayan Step Pyramid

Mayan Ball Court

THE AZTEC In present day Mexico 1250-1519ce Large population of people Greatest city of the empire was Tenochtitlan Polytheistic Religion Major God was the sun god - Quetzalcoatl Believed in the use of human sacrifice Death was considered honorable Roles of men and women Boys were trained as soldiers Girls learned to work in the household

THE INCA In present day Peru Culture Polytheistic Religion Had a vast system of roads that stretched over 2,500 miles Culture Quechua – Incan language Quipu – rope used to keep records Polytheistic Religion Human sacrifice in honor of gods Government and Society Pachacuti – “Earthshaker” greatest Inca leader Society was divided in 12 job categories

Machu Picchu

The Spanish Arrive In 1492 Soon after 250,000 people lived in Aztec empire Columbus arrives Soon after Arrival of the Conquistadors

What Did the Spanish Want? THE 3 G’S Gold God Glory

Cortes Defeats the Aztec Hernan Cortes April 1519 550 soldiers, 16 horses, 14 cannons Germ warfare? Thought Cortes might be returning Aztec God Spanish conquered the Aztec in June 1521

Pizarro Conquers the Inca 1530s, Incas thought to have ruled the “known world” Francisco Pizarro – had great knowledge of Native Americans Atahualpa – Inca Emperor Spanish attack at an arranged meeting (1532) Atahualpa is captured offered riches for his release Pizarro takes riches has emperor executed

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