3 Major Pre-Columbian Civilizations: Maya, Aztec, Inca Find these locations and label them on your map.

Early Human Migrations

A.D A.D. 900

Lands of the Mayans The Yucatan Peninsula

Tikal, Guatemala

Map of Tikal Temple of the Masks

Tikal: Temple of the Masks

Tikal - Wall Mask of the Rain God

Tikal Jungle View at Sunset

Chichen-Itza - Pyramid Cities were religious centers. Pyramid style Temples stood in the middle of the city. Worshiped many gods and performed rituals including human sacrifice to their gods.

Pakal: The Maya Astronaut

The God of Wisdom & Learning Quetzalcoatl: The God of Wisdom & Learning

Every Spring and Fall equinox, the sun hits the pyramid just perfectly that a snake is formed on the edge of the staircase. The head is down on the bottom of the staircase. Architects still aren’t exactly sure of how the Mayans figured out how to build this.

Chichen-Itza - Observatory Mayan priests studied the stars and planets. Designed an accurate calendar to determine cycles.

Mayan Mathematics First number system with a 0

Mayan Hieroglyphic Writing System sky king house child city sky king house child city

Chichen-Itza - Ball Court Game: Pok-ta-Pok

Mayan Cultivation of Maize Chac, God of Rain  Farmers worked in fields surrounding the city. Maize most important crop. Also grew squash, beans, peppers, avocados, and papayas.

Mayan Underground Granaries: Chultunes Ground the corn into flour to make tortillas.

Mayan Drinking Cup for Chocolate

The Great Mystery of the Mayas: Collapse of the Mayan Civilization Suddenly left their cities. Why??  Enormous Population –Lack of Resources (water, food, materials)  Revolution against the Government –Peasant uprising against nobles & priests  Invasions  Natural Disaster (earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanos etc.)  Disease  Calendar Prophesies - Mayans believed they were headed for collapse because their calendar said they were, therefore they thought they should move to new centers

Maya Review

A.D – A.D.1521

Lands of the Aztecs

Aztec View of Tenochtitlan Aztec View of Tenochtitlan Island in Lake Texcoco Population 200,000

Tenochtitlan: The “Venice” of the Americas

Ruins of the City Center, Tenochtitlan

Aztecs Human Sacrifice of Neighboring Tribes to the Sun God

Aztec Sun Motifs

Heart Sacrifice on an Aztec Temple Pyramid

Wall of Skulls, Tenochtitlan

Sacrificial Statue, Tenochtitlan

Aztec Chinampa or Floating Garden: 15ft. to 30ft. wide

Tenochtitlan – Chinampas of maize, squash, & beans

Aztec Medicine Aztec doctors made more than 1,000 medicines from plants. Also set broken bones and practiced dentistry.

Aztec Math Aztec Writing

Aztec Codex (15c Manuscript)

Aztec Sun Stone -- Calendar

The Aztecs Were Fierce Warriors

Aztec Gold

Aztec Trading

 Montezuma II Aztec Ruler 1519  Hernan Cortes formed an alliance with the peasants and defeated the Aztecs in 1521 Aztec Collapse

A.D A.D.1535

Lands of the Incas

Cuzco: Ancient Capital of the Inca Stone Architecture with no mortar or cement. Architecture Stonework and earthquake proof structures – trapezoid doors and windows & walls tilted in at 80 degrees instead of 90 degree straight walls.

Machu Picchu: rediscovered 1911

This city is built into the mountainside with over 3,000 steps connecting the different levels of the city.

Machu Picchu

 Many Gods  Human Sacrifice  Inti – god of sun: most important god  Viracocha – god of Andes people Incan Religion

Incan Road System 15,000 miles of roads. Runners used to relay messages over vast empire.

Incan Suspension Bridges

Incan Terrace Farming

Incan Digging Sticks

Maize in Incan Pottery & Gold Work

Over 100 Different Types of Potatoes Cultivated by the Incans

Produce from a Typical Incan Market Peppers, Tomatoes, Peanuts

Incan Ceramic Jars PeanutPeanut PotatoPotato SquashSquash Cacao God Cacao Pod

Incan Aqueducts

The Quipu: An Incan Data Collecting Method

Inca Gold & Silver

 Francisco Pizarro –Guns, cannons, and horses –European diseases Incan Collapse: 1535

Incan Mummies

The End