THE PRE- COLUMBIAN AMERICAS Mr. Ermer World History Miami Beach Senior High

MESOAMERICA Teotihuacan – Chinampas increase agricultural production – Stone apartment building, aristocratic rule – City comes to a violent end The Mayas – Farming practices unsustainable – “Long Court” calendar – Cities abandoned, civilization destroyed The Aztecs – Self-Identified as the Mexica – Establish civilization around Lake Texcoco Build twin capitals, Tenochtitlan & Tlatelolco As Aztecs conquer land, monarchical system gains power – Emperors do not have absolute power, kinship ties loose import – Social mobility is possible through military service, priesthood

THE ANDES The Andean region’s hostile climate/geography produces complex administrative structure and social relationships – Accurate calendar needed for agricultural production – Terraced farming at varied altitudes – Freeze-dried veggies and meats – Khipus (quipus) record keeping system – Complex transportation network; roads & bridges – Ayllu (clan) primary social unit, extended family Mit’a system of labor obligations Territorial states wished to exploit variety of ecological zones – Coastal Region: fish, maize, and cotton – Mountain Valleys: tubers (potatoes) and quinoa – High Altitude Region: wool and meat – Amazonian Region: coca and fruit

THE ANDEAN PEOPLES The Moche – Occupied the coastal region – Theocratic government with highly stratified social structure Priests and military leaders = social elites – Women in charge of textile production – Metallurgy included gold and copper for weapons and tools – Series of natural disasters causes Moche civilization to collapse The Tiwanaku and Wari – Tiwanaku located near Lake Titicaca, at about 13,000 ft. Agricultural production through raised, lakeside fields Mostly copper tools and weapons, stone-based large-scale building Colonies in other ecological zones provides regional trade network – Wari = similar culture to that of Tiwanaku, conflict b/w both = fall The Inca – Developed vast imperial state, 6 million people by 1525 – 1400s: Inca chiefdom begins to militarily conquer other areas – Pastoralists, mit’a labor makes large urban areas like Cuzco work – Incorporate cultural elements of conquered peoples – Sophisticated urban design, architecture, bronze work

THE TRIBES OF NORTH AMERICA The Southwestern Desert – The Hohokam Salt and Gila river valleys, strong Mesoamerican influence – Ball courts and platform mounds – The Anasazi Agricultural economy based on maize, beans, squash Social life centered around buildings called kivas – Many Anasazi town built into canyons Decline as a result of drought, warfare The Mississippian Mound Builders – Chiefdom based government – Networks of trade tied together by urban centers Urban core built atop raised mounds, commoners live below on outskirts Barter system, flint = big commodity – Hunter-gatherers with limited agriculture in beans, squash, maize

On page 158, write and answer questions 1-9 CHAPTER 8 ASSESSMENT