1. Aim: How much did geography affect early Mesoamerican and African civilizations?
Period 1: Technological and Environmental Transformations, to c. 600 B.C.E. Key Concept 1.3. The Development and Interactions of Early Agricultural, Pastoral, and Urban Societies

2. Mesoamerica Physical Map

3. The Olmecs 1775 – 400 BCE
“Olmec” has been translated to mean “rubber people” or “mouth of the jaguar” in Nahuatl (a language also spoken by the Aztecs who settled in the area much later). They were the first major civilization in Mesoamerica, and therefore often referred to as the “mother civilization” of later pre-Columbian civilizations. They lived close to the Gulf of Mexico.

4. Olmec Government & Economy Olmec Culture, Religion, & Society
City-states ruled by priest-kings.
Carved giant stone heads with large lips and noses; possibly to revere rulers.
First civilization in Mesoamerica to build step pyramids
Created a calendar, but no writing system

5. Mother Culture, or Only a Sister?
“Dr. Blomster's team [of Olmec archaeologists] analyzed the chemistry of 725 pieces of pottery decorated in the Olmec style... They determined that most of these were not imitations of the Olmec style made by local potters. In a significant number of pots, the clay matched the chemistry of material found around San Lorenzo. "The evidence is overwhelming that San Lorenzo, the first Olmec capital, was doing the exporting," Dr. Blomster said. "The Olmecs were disseminating their culture to others.”… But Dr. Diehl said in an interview that the "connections we are seeing may not have lasted more than a generation, perhaps the time of a particular ruler, and at most, not more than a century or century and a half.” … Dr. Grove disputed Dr. Blomster's conclusions, saying that the research demonstrated only that Olmec pottery was traded, not that the trade disseminated Olmec political and religious concepts around the region…” – John Noble Wilford, NY Times March 15, 2005
What would it mean if the Olmec pottery was only traded? Would that mean that the Olmecs were not a “mother culture” of Mesoamerica? Would it really matter?

6. Teotihuacan
“It was massive, one of the first great cities of the Western Hemisphere. And its origins are a mystery. It was built by hand more than a thousand years before the swooping arrival of the… Aztec in central Mexico. But it was the Aztec… who gave it a name: Teotihuacan… Teotihuacan reached its zenith between 100 B.C. and A.D It covered 8 square miles and supported a population of a hundred thousand… "It was the largest city anywhere in the Western Hemisphere before the 1400s”… Oddly, Teotihuacan, which contains a massive central road (the Street of the Dead) and buildings including the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon, has no military structures—though experts say the military and cultural wake of Teotihuacan was heavily felt throughout the region.” – [*Scholars are still unsure if the Toltec or another culture built it.]

7. Pyramid of the Sun Teotihuacan, Mexico

8. Chavin Civilization 1200 BCE – 200 CE
Government & Economy
Culture, Religion, & Society
Ruled by Priest-Kings
Polytheistic, with a pantheon of Gods
Economy based on hunting, fishing, and irrigation used to farm
First distinctive art style in Peru made from metals, including gold
Most famous archaeological structure was the complex at Chavin de Huantar

9. Chavin de Huantar

10. Chavin de Huantar

11. III The Empire of Nubia/Kush 3000 BCE – 300s CE
Nubia/Kush was an ancient African empire that grew along the upper Nile river valley. It’s northern neighbor was Egypt, which led to a lot of cultural diffusion.
By 1500 BCE, Egypt had conquered Nubia. However, in 730 BCE Nubia was able to conquer Egypt (for 60 years).
In the 4th century CE, King Ezana of Aksum conquered Nubia
"Having traversed this part in forty days as I have said, you take a boat again and so travel for twelve days until you come to a great city called Meroë, which is said to be the capital of all Ethiopia."
- Herodotus, ancient Greek Historian
A Nubian Pharaoh

14. The Empire of Nubia/Kush Continued…
D) While the Nubians had many things in common with the Egyptians, there were some differences.
Ancient Egyptians
Nubians
Polytheistic
Hieroglyphic writing
System of writing using an alphabet
Built pyramids to house their mummified pharaohs. 81 Egyptian pyramids have been found.
Built pyramids, but smaller than those of Egypt. 228 Nubian pyramids have been found.

15. The Egyptian Pyramids at Giza vs. Nubian Pyramids
Are the Nubian pyramids more alike or different from the Egyptian pyramids?

16. Nubia Today
The Aswan Dam was completed in It controls the flooding of the Nile River, and produces hydro-electric power. Unfortunately it displaced many Nubians, forcing them to move from their traditional homes. Today most Nubians are Egyptian, though many have kept their own language and cultural traditions.

17. Focus Questions
Which civilization had the greater geographical advantage?
Was Nubian culture more similar or dissimilar to ancient Egyptian?
Why is it that most people are aware of ancient Egypt but not of Nubia? Does Nubian civilization deserve equal status?
KEY VOCABULARY
Aswan Dam
Chavin
Chavin de Huantar
King Ezana
Kush
Mesoamerica
Nahuatl
Nubia
Olmecs
Pre-Columbian
Teotihuacan