1. 3:14 The Americas

2. Mississippian Culture (800-1600 CE)
Mississippian Culture ( CE)—North American natives in the MS River valley, moundbuilders
large scale agriculture: maize, beans, squash, tobacco
diffusion—the introduction of something new to a culture
long-distance trade: pottery, bears teeth, tortoise shells

3. Mississippian Culture (800-1600 CE)
society: animism, rigid matrilineal social structure, women farmed/gathered, men hunted
decline: MS River flooding, European arrival

4. Toltec ( CE)
Toltec ( CE)—Mesoamerican warrior aristocracy, capitol at Tula; Mayan heritage
tribute: from surrounding Mayan settlements
religion: worshipped Mayan Quetzacoatl, polytheistic
agriculture: maize, beans, squash

5. Toltec ( CE)
women: made textiles/pottery, household duties, religious rituals (upperclass)
achievements: astronomy, calendar, long- distance trade
decline: invasion of the Aztec

6. Aztec (or Mexicas) (1325-1500s)
Aztec, aka Mexicas ( s)—Mesoamerican nomadic warriors, conquered the Toltec region, capitol at Tenochtitlán
govt: decentralized theocracy, military conquerors became political leaders
tribute: labor, agriculture, luxury goods went to aristocratic local leaders
agriculture: chinampas (Lake Texacoco)

7. Aztec (or Mexicas) (1325-1500s)
religion: “Great Speaker” king, polytheistic, mass scale human sacrifice (POWs, debtors)
achievements: used Mayan calendar, Mayan writing, long-distance trade
women: priestesses, midwives, healers, merchants, scribes
decline: too large to govern, POW rebellion, arrival of Europeans (Spanish Hernán Cortés)

8. Inca (1438–1572)
Inca ( )—South American militaristic empire, capitol at Cuzco
Pachacuti ( )—first emperor to unite four Incan provinces
govt: emperors military conquerors; large, well trained armies
mita system—mandatory public service for POWs, used communal land for tribute labor/agriculture

9. Inca (1438–1572)
religion: ancestor veneration, animism, sun god Inti, mummification, animal/crop sacrifice (maize, llamas, Guinea pigs)
Carpa Nan—25k mile road system
quipu—system of knotted strings for recording numbers
decline: arrival of Europeans (Spanish Francisco Pizarro)