1. Civilizations of the Americas

2. Mesoamerica Mexico and Central America
First cities began as religious centers (China?)
Then developed into City-States
Not built on major rivers
No metal tools; no wheel (no big animals)
No writing (except Maya)

3. People arrived in the Americas through a land-bridge

4. Early civilizations Olmecs- 1500 B.C.E. “Rubber people”
Settlements began as religious centers
Stone heads
Foundation for other Mesoamerican cultures

5. Teotihuacan- c C.E.
Constructed massive ceremonial complex
Large population
Govt.: trade, administration, construction

7. Toltecs and Aztecs
Toltecs build religious center around the god Quetzalcoatl C.E.
Aztecs- originally nomadic
militaristic culture- constant warfare- human sacrifice to please gods (Quetzalcoatl also a major god) Example of?
Capital: Tenochtitlan
Destroyed by Spanish in 1521

13. Aztecs (Mexica)
Power comes from alliances (political and military), control of water, and war- Originally nomadic mercenaries
Tribute Empire- 1/4
Religion – little distinction between sacred and secular - often oppressive – sacrifices- religion meant to ensure political legitimacy
Worship of the sun god is a Mesoamerican continuity
Food – Chinampas (floating gardens)

14. Aztecs cont.
Society – Classes based on gender, clan, and occupation (warriors had highest status); no wheel; high population (150,000); city on a lake
New Aztec emperor had to conquer new territory to legitimize their rule
Conquered by Spanish (Hernan Cortes) in 1519
Diseases, weapons, alliances with Aztec enemies

15. Chinampas

17. The Maya 2500 B.C.E.- 1300 C.E. (Classic period 300-600 C.E.)
Mexico and Central America
Influenced by Olmec, Teotihuacan
City-state political structure- were independent and fought with each other
Stratified society
Great advances in science: concept of zero, astronomy (calendar), temples

18. Mayan temples were built to aid in astronomical observations

21. The Mayan Calendar Maybe the most sophisticated calendar ever invented
Actually 3 calendars
365 day solar year
260 day ritual year
5,125 years of world time calendar
The Maya believed there were 5 worlds and that we are living in the fifth

23. Facts The solar year is exactly 365.2422 days
In 1582, the Gregorian calendar calculated it at days, an error of per day
The Maya calculated it at days, an error of per day
Maya knew the time it took for the moon to orbit the earth
Understood the concept of zero and place values
Rome- 1848: MDCCCXLVIII

24. Incas South America, capital at Cuzco Empire begins in 1430s
Mit’a system (labor system)- 1/7 males for labor
Had Llamas
Extensive road networks (like Persians)
All land owned by Inca state, then distributed
Local chiefs allowed to govern (Persians)
Highly stratified society (“you lookin’ at me?”)

25. Incas
Sapa Inca- absolute power- had to secure new land and territory (like Aztecs)
Society- integrated subject peoples, long-distance trade, domesticated animals
Tribute state (like Aztecs)
Worship the sun (like Aztecs)
Geography- Andes Mts. – terraced farming
Created a calendar (knowledge of astronomy)
No sacrifices
Conquered by Spanish (Francisco Pizarro) -1533

26. Terrace Farming

27. Trade in the Americas
In Mesoamerica- Aztec empire; originally nomadic; semi-writing
In South America- Incas; quipus; runners
Both built on traditions of predecessors
Similar social, economic, and religious systems
Did Mesoamerica and South America engage in frequent contact through trade?