America: The Post-Classical Era n B.C. n collapse of Teotihuacan n collapse of classical Mayan civilization

NATIVE AMERICANS Pre Columbus : n PALEO INDIANS n The first arrived 40,000 years ago traveling from Siberia, across the Bering Straight. n migrations began during the Ice Age, but later evidence suggests that there have been other migrations as well. They followed big game like mastodons, mammoths and others.

8000 BC and 1500 BC what is called the Archaic period n the Native American populating grew and experienced booms in agriculture and culture. n Developed social dynamics, hunting, gathering. n Women gathered and cared for the children. n Developed specialized tools. Trade developed. With trade came exchange of religious ideas, marriages across groups, spread of customs, traditions, laborers etc.

THE DEVELOPMENT of Agriculture n booms when the needs of groups outstripped the hunting. n Farmers in both south and North America learned to cultivate peppers, bean, pumpkins, squash, avocados, sweet and white potatoes, tomatoes, and some groups in Mexico grew cotton. Corn and Bean cultivation spread across the continent. n When farming improved, populations grew. Permanent villages appeared.

Mesoamerican Natives n Arctic and Subarctic were nomadic groups that followed big game and fishing. Fashioned tools from bones, clothing and hides from animal skins. n In densely populated North America groups like the Kwakiutls and Chinooks, lived in large communal houses. Had rivers to provide them with salmon and other fish, and cultivated plant life. n Present Day California- hunter gatherers lived in smaller villages ruled by chiefs.

Groups n Mayans- (peeked AD ) in the southern Yucatan- created advanced writing and calendar systems and developed the concept of zero. n Toltec, warrier people dominated after the demise of the Myans n Aztecs- Cultures of North America:

North America/ Carribian n Ancestral Pueblosans- lived in villages (new Mexico Chaco Canyon) Hopis, Zunis established trade with planes or nomadic Indians. Farmed corn, squash, beans, and sunflowers. n Plains Indians- moved frequently. Hunters. Mandan, Pawnees n Mound Building cultures- developed as agriculture spread. Cahokia dominated the Mississippi river Valley. n Great Lakes areas: Iroquois and Huron— Iroquois had five nations: Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayuga, and Seneca joined to create the Great League of Peace and Power around n n Caribbean Islanders- an estimated 4 million people lived in the Caribbean before the arrival of Columbus.

Mexico n appearance of new peoples in central America n Toltecs n Aztecs

The Toltecs n adopted sedentary agricultural practices n added a strong military and imperial culture – conquest of neighboring peoples n ritual wars – war....capture...sacrifice n “givers of civilization”

Toltec empire n central Mexico n expansion into former Mayan territories n northern Mexico – trade with the American Southwest – Chaco Canyon ???

Contacts with North America n Hopewell culture ?? n Mississippi culture n maize, beans, squash n ritual sacrifices and executions??? n Cahokia

Quetzalcoatl n The Feathered Serpent n Topiltzin: a priest – religious reformer – opposed to human and animal sacrifice n exiled to the east, with a promise to return on a specific date n same year as Cortez and the Conquistadors

The Aztecs n collapse of the Toltecs: 1150 A.D. n influx of nomadic invaders form the north n shift of power to central Mexico – large lakes – fertile agricultural areas n contests for control

The Aztecs: Origins n obscure background n claimed to have live in the area originally n exiled to the north to Aztlan n actually, nomads from the North n took advantage of the Toltec collapse n wrote history to suit their purposes

Origins n group who settled near Lake Texcoco n 1325 A.D. n competed with other Chichimec immigrants n small states – claiming connections to the Toltecs – speaking Nahuatl

Lake Texcoco n several tribes n small city-state n Azcapotzalco, Culhuacan n Culhuacan: control by diplomatic marriage n complex alliances, constantly shifting

Aztecs n new group n used as mercenaries and occasional allies n constant movement around the lake shore – driven by stronger powers n reputation: good warriors and religious fanatics

Aztec Settlement n the legend: an eagle on a cactus, holding a rattlesnake n an island in Lake Texcoco n Tenochtitlan – 1325 A.D. – Tlateloco: a second settlement

Aztec expansion n more active role in regional politics n rebelled against Azcapotzalco n emerged as an independent power n political merge: 1434 – Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, Tlacopan – Aztecs dominated the alliance

Social and Political Change n imperial expansion n subject peoples paid tribute, surrender land, and do military service n stratified society – under the authority of a supreme ruler – Tlacaelel: advised rulers and rewrote histories – the Aztecs had been chosen to serve the gods n human sacrifice greatly expanded

Human sacrifice n role of the military n role of expansion n flower wars n means of political terrorism n cult of sacrifice united with the political state

Religion and Conquest n little distinction between the natural and supernatural n traditional gods and goddesses n 128 major deities

Gods n male/female dualism n different manifestations n five aspects – four directions – the center n gods as patrons n complex ceremonial year

Gods, con’t n gods of fertility and agriculture n gods of creation – cosmology and philosophical thought n gods of warfare n Huitzilopochtli: their tribal deity – identified with the Sun God

The Sun God and Sacrifice n a warrior in the daytime sky n fighting to give life to the world n enemy of the forces of night n the sun needs strength n 52 year cycle of the world – required blood to avert destruction

The Sun God, con’t n sacrifice for sacrifice n the gods need nourishment – human blood and hearts n adoption of longstanding human sacrifice n expansion to “industrial” proportions – 10,000 people on one occasion

The Empire: the Economy n high population density n combination of tradition and innovation – chinampas – 20,000 acres – four crops a year n food as tribute

The Fall n 20 million people n large cities n appearance of the Spanish n disease and European military technology

South America: the Incas n Cuzco: original home – 1350 A.D. n expansion by 1438 n Incan empire – ruled million people

Religion and expansion n cult of ancestors n “split inheritance” – position to successor – land and wealth to descendants to care for the dead n new land necessary for each ruler

Religion n animism n sun worship

The Empire n four provinces n decimal organizations n Ouechua: the official language n colonists

The Empire con’t n infrastructure: roads and bridges n communications by runners – 10,000 n purpose: land and labor n little actual tribute

Inca “socialism” n empire claimed all resources n redistributed them evenly to all peoples n local independence n access to new goods and services

Weakness n top-heavy with royal and noble families n low level of technology n easy prey for the Spanish