1. Chapter 14

2. Geography of the Americas
Chapter 14 Section 1
Geography of the Americas

3. Geography of the Americas
Mesoamerica is the region that includes the southern part of what is now Mexico and parts of the northern countries of Central America.
Fertile mountain valleys
Terrace farming

4. The First People Arrive
A land bridge may have brought people from Asia to North America

5. The Olmec The Olmec first civilization in Mesoamerica
Made sculptures with huge stone heads
They had a large trading network

6. Chapter 14 Section 2
The Maya

7. Trade
Maya cities in the highlands traded with those in the lowlands

8. Cities
Maya cities each had its own government and king

9. Warfare
Maya often captured enemy prisoners and killed them in religious ceremonies as a sacrifice to their gods
Warfare tore up the land and destroyed crops
contributed to end of Mayan civilization

10. Chapter 14 Section 3
Maya Life and Society

11. Upper Class Priests, warriors and merchants were upper class
Believed their rulers were related to the gods

12. Lower Class
Most belonged to lower class families

13. Religion
Maya believed their king communicated with the gods
ANIMISM

14. Writing and Oral Traditions
Kept records on large stone tablets
Writing System
Unique Number System

15. Explore Chichen Itza Mayan Math Mayan Chocolate
Stations
Explore Chichen Itza
Mayan Math
Mayan Chocolate