Native Americans… Before Europeans

At the time of Spanish arrival (1492) New World Cultures At the time of Spanish arrival (1492)

New World Cultures Mayas Kukulkan Pyramid - Chichen Itza

New World Cultures Aztecs Ziggurats Pictographs (Writing System) Calendars

New World Cultures Aztecs

Human Sacrifices! New World Cultures Believed in many Gods = POLYTHEISTIC Human Sacrifices!

New World Cultures Aztecs The Aztec capital of Tenochitlan was very swampy = VERY DIFFICULT TO FARM

New World Cultures The Aztec built Chinampas, or floating gardens to adapt.

New World Cultures Inca Empire Amazon Rainforest Andes Mountains

New World Cultures Inca Empire “All roads lead to… Cuzco?

Inca achievements everywhere! New World Cultures Inca Empire Inca achievements everywhere!

Inca achievements everywhere!

Inca Empire (religion) New World Cultures Inca Empire (religion) Ancestor worship was a central part of Incan theology.  The souls of the dead played a protective role in the lives of their descendants.  The bodies of ancestors were mummified and entombed.

New World Cultures Inca Empire The Incas lived in the Andes Mountains. In order to farm they developed Terrace, or Step farming. Despite all of these achievements, the Incas did not having a system of writing.

Japan Geography: mountainous – adapted to their geography by terrace farming

1. In Latin America, the Maya and the Aztec civilizations were similar in that they showed little evidence of urbanization lacked a strong central government developed complex mathematical and calendar systems used military weapons superior to those of Europeans

“The challenges of the Andes helped the Incas develop a thriving civilization.” 2. Based on this statement, what does the author believe? Language and religion are important to national unity. Cultural diversity flourishes in areas of agricultural prosperity. People can overcome the limitations of their environment. Natural resources are necessary for economic independence.

3. The civilizations of the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayas were similar in that all spoke the same language followed a monotheistic religion built cities and complex governments used a complex system of writing

4. The Incas, the Romans, and the Mongols were similar in that each developed systems of writing extended control over neighboring peoples established industrial economies adopted democratic political systems

5. An effect of a mountainous topography on Inca and Chinese civilizations was the development of industrialization single-crop economy desalinization projects terrace farming

6. The Aztec use of the calendar and the Maya writing system both illustrate that pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas traded extensively with Africa flourished prior to European contact declined because of invasion and disease converted others to Islam

Encomienda System