Civilizations of Early America

- Migration during last Ice Age - Beringia land bridge Global Warming Middle America Geography - 30,000 years ago - Migration during last Ice Age - Beringia land bridge Global Warming Earth warmed Killed off large animals (mammoth)

Agricultural Revolution Cultivate land Domesticate Animals Farmed since large animals died Corn, beans, tomatoes, squash South America - llama Farms led to villages and cities (Civilization)

Olmecs Oldest known civilization Lead by priests, very religious Calendar, writing, temples

Maya Temples and Palaces Largest City - Tikal Huge Pyramids for burial or sacrifice Covered in carvings = historical record

Social Classes Ruling Chief in each city Nobles – military, government officials Priests – great power, elaborate ceremonies Farmers

Advances in Learning hieroglyphic writing system, books accurate calendars, numbers, zero Astronomy

Decline 900 A.D. – left cities No known reason for leaving Still exist in Central America

The Mayans Video

Aztec Culture Teotihuacán large, well planned city in Mexico Valley temples, wide roads, apartment buildings

Arrival of the Aztecs “Eagle perched atop a cactus holding a snake in its beak” Built Tenochtitlan in middle of a lake, present Mexico City Chinampas – floating garden Filled in lake and built canals Conquering an Empire War and Alliances – 30 million people in 1500 Tribute – payment from conquered people

The World of the Aztecs Government and Society One ruler of whole empire Nobles, Warriors, Commoners, Slaves Ruler Nobles Warriors Commoners Slaves

Religious Beliefs Chief God Huitzilopochtli battled each night, reborn in the morning No guarantee the sun would rise so– Sacrifice 1000s, mostly prisoners Always at war = more sacrifices Rebellion and discontentment

Education and Learning Priests wrote all history Taught noble’s children Medical advancements – herbs and steam

The World of the Incas Early People of Peru Western South America Andes, Jungle 200 kinds of potatoes

Chavin 850 BC – earliest culture Stone carvings and pottery Fierce god – Jaguar/Human Mochica North coast of Peru Skilled Farmers Artistic – cloth, pottery, gold Nazca Glyph – pictograph carved in to a surface Huge pictures from the air No idea what purpose was

The Incan Empire Government Pachacuti – founder of Incas Hierarchy of rule Quipu – set of colored, knotted strings for keeping records

Roads and Runners Quechua – language 12,000 miles of road bridges and steps Runners delivered messages all over empire Regular people couldn’t use roads

Daily Life Farming Metalworking Step terraces All land belonged to Emperor Took food and divided among population Metalworking best metalworkers in the Americas Alloy – blend of metals

Daily Life Medical Advances Religion Surgery on Skull could put people to sleep Religion polytheistic Inti – sun god, most important god “Chosen Women” served the gods Many festivals

Peoples of North America The Desert Southwest Hohokams = “Vanished Ones” Gila River, Arizona Temple mounds, ball courts, irrigation

Anasazi Four corners region Cliff Dwellings Pueblos – large villages Crescent-shaped compounds raising 5 stories Kiva – large underground chamber. Anasazi Cliff Dwellings built into side of canyon wall Up to 200 rooms Left due to drought

The Mound Builders - Mississippi and Ohio Valley Adena and Hopewell Indians Great Serpent Mounds – ¼ mile

Cahokia 40,000 people 60 mounds Houses of rulers and temples on top Heirs of the Mound Builders Mississippians didn’t leave a record Disappeared by the time Europeans came

Diverse Regional Cultures 10 Culture areas based on environment Artic, Subartic, Northwest Coast, California, Great Basin, Plateau, Southwest, Great Plains, Eastern Woodlands, Southeast Adapted to region

A Frozen World Inuits Sea animals, kayaks, igloos

A Land of Plenty Northwest coast hunters Potlatch – Trading ceremony

The Iroquois League Eastern Woodlands Constant warfare lead to an alliance Five nations Started just as Europeans showed up