1. Environment & Lifestyle

2. Characteristics of Northwest
Geography
North Pacific Current flows west to east

3. Northwest High mountain ranges near coast
Cascades
Cool, wet air coming from west
Rainy

4. Northwest

5. Northwest Environment What do they do? What do they not do?
High mountains near ocean
Rainy, wet
Rarely extreme cold
Fast flowing streams
Abundant fish (salmon)
What do they do?
What do they not do?

6. Northwest Rich natural environment Wealth easy to obtain
Fishing, hunting, some agriculture
Wealth easy to obtain
What cultural practices develop because of this?

7. Northwest Cultural Region
Wealth = status symbol
Potlatch
Parties with hosts giving gifts to guests
Redistribution of wealth
Not who has the most, but who can give away the most

8. Potlatch Held in winter Objects given away
Household goods (pots, pans)
Food
Blankets
Consumable goods, not wealth producing
Slaves (very wealthy)

9. Potlatch
Objects often destroyed afterward
Occasion often celebration

10. The Aztecs

11. Location

12. Environment High mountains to coast Desert to tropical Mexico City
Weather: 2 seasons, dry and wet
Temperatures: Winter 14 C, Summer 26 C

13. Geography Mexico City Elevation: 2200 m Located in valley Lake Texcoco
Tenochtitlan (island)

14. Geography →Economy Good agricultural area
Corn, beans, cocoa bean, spices (peppers)
Hunting (geese, deer, rabbit)
Domesticated dogs & turkeys

15. Foods
Tortillas (corn-based)
Fruits & vegetables
Chocolate

16. Economy Abundance → high population, cities, advanced culture.
Highly developed – most advanced in North A.
Built irrigation system
Barter system (used cocoa beans)
Turkey egg = 3 beans
Rabbit = 30 beans

17. Tenochtitlan
Causeways connected to mainland

18. Class society City = 100,000 to 300,000 inhabitants
Two social classes: nobility and commoners
Ruler
Priests / Warriors
Commoners (artisans, merchants)
Peasants
Slaves

19. Social beliefs/religion
Male-dominated society
Established schools
Huitzilopochtli - chief among gods (sun & war)

20. Human sacrifice

21. History - Aztecs Came from North (1200s?) Attacked by neighbors (1300)
Retreated to island/city
Establish selves as empire (1420)
Spanish arrive in 1521

22. Time of European Contact
Aztecs were empire
Invented writing system
Arrival of Spanish accompanied by bad omens
Defeat caused also by non-Spanish tribes

23. Questions for consideration
Why was Meso-American culture so advanced? Is glorification of Aztec culture justified? What happened to the people?

24. Thank you for your attention!