Meso-America Chapter 8 Lesson 1 & 2

Learning Objectives In what ways were civilizations in early Mesoamerica and South America complex? How were civilizations in early Mesoamerica and South America influenced by previous cultures?

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RISE Flourished between A.D. 300 and 900 Yucatan Peninsula. One of the most sophisticated civilizations in the Americas. Built temples, pyramids, developed a complex calendar. Declined due to: Invasion Internal revolt Natural disaster (volcanic eruption & overuse of land.)

Political & Social Structure Composed of city-states ruled by hereditary ruling class. Rulers claimed to be descendants of gods City-states often at war. Captures soldiers were enslaved War Leaders / Nobles used as human sacrifice

Civilization included Nobles Artisans Government Officials Merchants Workers Most people were Farmers = Peasants Men= fighting & hunting Women= homemaking & raising children

Religion & Culture Belief: all life was in the hands of divine powers. Human sacrifice appeased the gods War Captives tortured, beheaded Their supreme God was Itzamna (“Lizard House”) Mayans were polytheistic Believed in many gods

Writing & Calendar Wrote on bark with thin plaster Carved into clay, jade, bone, shells, stone Sophisticated writing system based on hieroglyphs (pictures) Destroyed by the Spaniards Two ways of measuring time: Solar calendar of 365 days Sacred calendar of 260 days based on cycle of creation and destruction. Calendar: world was created in 3114 BC downward cycle on Dec. 23, 2012 AD

Explain why the Mayans were a sophisticated civilization?

Toltec 950-1150 AD War –like people Tula center of empire Near Central Mexico Extended conquest into Mayan lands Brought metal working to Mesoamerica. First people to work with gold, silver, and copper Fighting leads to decline in 1250 A.D. Aztec people emerged carrying many Toltec traditions

RISE Capital at Tenochtitlan Island in the middle of Lake Texcoco, settlement of Aztec. Now the location of Mexico City. Built magnificent cities with: Temples Roadways of stone to link Islands to the mainland. Excellent warriors

Political & Social Structure Authoritarian Government Monarch/King claimed to be descendant of the Gods. Held all power. Council of officials assisted King. The rest of the population: Nobility: held positions in government Indentured workers: (landless laborers), worked on nobles land Slaves Commoners: mainly farmers of chinampas (swampy islands)

Boys: trained to be warriors Girls: worked at home, weaving and raising children

Highly developed trading system Tropical feathers Cacao beans Animal skins Gold

Religion & Culture Polytheistic: Believed in many Gods Ometeotl: supreme god, represented all- powerful forces of the heavens Quetzalcoatl: God of day and night Huitzilopochtli: god of the sun and war (feathered serpent) Religion unending struggle between the good and evil Good and Evil caused creation and destruction of four worlds,. To postpone destruction of fifth world, human sacrifice was practiced

Aztec made advances in astronomy Priest observed movements of stars and planets Calendar showed days, months, cosmic cycles Like Mayans, the Aztec also had a number system based on units of 20.

Decline Due to arrival of the Spaniards 1519. Hernan Cortes arrived at Tenochtitlan Aztec King: Montezuma offered gold and gifts Montezuma believed Cortes was a representative of Quetzalcoatl (God). Eventually Spanish took Montezuma hostage and began to sack the city. Aztec revolted drove Spanish out. Aztec fell sick and died diseases of Europeans.

The First Spanish Conquests: The Aztecs vs. Hernan Cortes Montezuma II

How did the Aztec continue the tradition of building successful civilizations in Mesoamerica?