Ancient Civilizations of Latin America Inca, Aztec, and Mayan

Inca Civilizations At the height of its existence the Inca Empire was the largest nation on Earth and remains the largest native state to have existed in the western hemisphere Located in the Andes Mountains – from Ecuador to Chile Terrace farming

Economy Based primarily on farming The Andes are some of the tallest, starkest mountains in the world… Yet the Incas, and the civilizations before them, coaxed harvests from the Andes’ sharp slopes and intermittent waterways through a system of terrace farming. 240 varieties of potatoes 20 varieties of corn Squash Beans Peppers cassava

Terrace farming

Society The Inca had a very advanced road system The people traveled by foot from village to village Lived in clans Calendar based on the sun and moon Very skilled artisans Highly organized government There were over 14,000 miles of roads for travel by foot. One road ran almost the entire length of the South American continent Runners delivered messages based on a language call quipu (kee poo) a series of knots in a colorful ropes There was no need for prisons, criminals were simply thrown off a cliff!!

Major Accomplishments Irrigation systems System of language Domesticated the llama and alpaca Used for clothing

Maya Civilization Located in Central America and southern Mexico

Economy Based on trade and agriculture Traded precious stones, exotic birds, and vegetables Farmers were key to the economy since they were the ones actually growing the food for the civilization. Many domestic animals such as cows, pigs, goats, and chickens were unknown to Mayans. The only animals they raised were turkeys, guniea pigs, ducks, and edible dogs. Bees were also raised to produce honey for themselves or for trade. Mayans hunted deer and wild boar as game meat using dogs and clubs. Blow pipes and pellets made of clay were used to hunt birds. The Mayans also fished.

Accomplishments Architecture – step pyramid Hieroglyphics Fully developed written langauge. Astronomy noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and math/astronomy systems.

Calendar…The Mayans did not predict the end of the world in 2012… Mayan were skilled mathematicians. Invented a 360 day calendar – very similar to the one we use today. Their calendar did not predict the end of the world. The calendar cycle simply ended . In the Mayan calendar, the long calendar count begins in 3,114 BC and is divided into roughly 394-year periods called Baktuns. Mayans held the number 13 sacred and the 13th Baktun ends next year. Sven Gronemeyer, a researcher of Mayan codes from La Trobe University in Australia, who has been trying to decode the calendar, said the so-called end day reflects a transition from one era to the next in which Bolon Yokte returns. "Because Bolon Yokte was already present at the day of creation ... it just seemed natural for the Mayan that Bolon Yokte will again be present," he said. Of the approximately 15,000 registered glyphic texts found in different parts of what was then the Mayan empire, only two mention 2012, the Institute said. "The Maya did not think about humanity, global warming or predict the poles would fuse together," said Alfonso Ladena, a professor from the Complutense University of Madrid. "We project our worries on them."

Aztec Civilization Located in Central and Southern Mexico

Economy Based on agriculture, fishing, and trade Capital city – Tenochtitlan was built on an island in the middle of a lake Grew corn, beans, squash Fish was a major source of protein

Accomplishments Credited for the discovery of chocolate Cacao beans were more valuable than gold – acquired through trade Advanced political system with an emperor