Ancient People of Latin America Earliest: Olmec and Zapotec -Mexico, Nazca and Moche -Peru Aztecs – Central Mexico Mayans – Southern Mexico/Central America Incans – West Coast of South America

Olmec and Zapotec Along the Gulf of Mexico C. 1200-400 BC Built mounds, pyramids and large monuments with columns, courtyards and large statues Half jaguar/half man god was central to their religion Prosperous people that had a large trading area In the Oaxaca valley c. 600 BC – 600 AD Built temples, large stone platforms, monumental sculptures- developed a hieroglyphic writing system and a calendar c. 500 BC

Nazca and Moche Along Southern coast of Peru c. 200 BC-600 AD Developed irrigation systems w/underground canals Nazca lines that can only be seen from above C. 100-700 AD along Northern coast of Peru Wealthy people that were great artisans

Aztec Central Mexico Preceeded by the Teotihuacan and Toltecs Teotihuacan was a city of 125,000 and had extensive architecture and a large trading network Mysteriously declined and abandoned c. 750 CE Toltecs were a more aggressive people and conquered other groups to form an empire Toltecs worshipped a war god that demanded blood and human sacrifice

Aztec C. 1200 AD originally a nomadic people called Mexica from northern Mexico Founded Tenochtitlan on an island in the middle of a lake Gradually increased their empire and in early 1400’s formed an alliance with 2 other city-states to form a large empire with 38 provinces and around 10 million people Highly structured society with military leaders forming the majority of the nobility Believed that the sun-god required human sacrifice on a large scale to make the sun rise This demand for more and more tributes led to rebellion and then the Conquistadors arrived

Mayan C. 250 AD – some Olmec influences Built large cities wi/ pyramids, temples, palaces, ball courts and stone carvings City-states formed alliances and trade networks Religion based on daily experiences and calendars were key to predictions Some human sacrifice but less gruesome Advanced Math and writing systems Suddenly abandoned many of their larger cities c. 800 AD, likely due to infighting and advancing Toltec invaders Only small cities remained by the time the Spanish arrived

Incan C. 1200 AD, named after the original ruling family Believed their kings were descendants of the sun-god and dead kings were mummified and worshipped Conquered people, but then allowed them to retain their possessions and way of life in exchange for loyalty Unified their territory with an official language, schools and smaller govt divisions under a central power Had an extensive road system and a postal service of sorts Govt controlled the economy in a pseudo-socialistic manner No writing system, but had calendars, extensive oral histories, and quipu for record keeping Empire declined in early 1500’s with the death of the last great emperor and was already weakened by the time the Spaniards made it there