1. You are there!
This morning, you left your farm to journey to Copan. Built in the rain forest of Central America, it is just one of at least a hundred Mayan cities in Mexico and Central America. You have come today to attend a funeral ceremony for your ruler. As you walk along, you begin to see a tower in the city center where he will be buried. Wall carvings celebrating his life will line the tomb. Precious goods will be buried with him- including jade jewelry, finely woven and decorated baskets, and exotic feathers. You step up your pace to get there in time to honor your dead king.

2. Mesoamerica Mexico and Central America
Groups include the Olmec, Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs

3. The Maya
The burial at Copan might have taken place around 400 years ago, as Mayan civilization was at its peek.
A civilization is a culture with organized systems of government, religion, and learning.
The Maya settled in present-day Mexico about 3,000 years ago
Built large cities with the help of slave labor

4. Mayan Success
The Maya were such successful farmers that they began to grow a surplus , or more food than they needed.
People started to specialize or do only one kind of job. Not everyone needed to farm.
Skills developed in – basket weaving, jewelry making, and stone carving.

5. Maya successes continued
Used stars, moon, and sun to create a 365 day calendar
Created a writing system called hieroglyphics
Created a counting system for trade

6. Mayan Cities Tikal-largest city Each city had at least one pyramid
Used for religious purposes
Centers for trade

7. Aztecs Lived in Central Mexico In power from 1300s-1500s
Nomads looking for a home
According to legend they traveled in search of a an eagle, sitting on a cactus, with a snake it it’s mouth (Mexico City)
Built Tenochtitlan on top of a lake
Capital of the Aztecs
Center for trade for the empire,
a group or lands and peoples ruled
by one leader.

8. Tenochtitlan

9. Aztecs beliefs in war Military powerhouse
Took over everything in Central Mexico
Stole from their enemies
Enemies had to pay tribute , payment demanded by a ruler
Forced enemies to
be their slaves

10. Aztec Religion Polytheistic – worshiped many gods
Built pyramids for their gods
Sacrificed enemies to keep their gods happy
One story-sacrificed over 84,000 prisoners in 4 days

11. The Incas Lived on the Western coast of South America
Biggest group of natives from 1200s-1500s AD
Capital city-Cuzco
Went to war with their enemies to take over their land

12. Incan Successes Controlled every group from Columbia to Chile
Built 10,000 miles of roads to connect their empire
Extremely detailed with record keeping
Farming
Created terraces in mountain sides to farm crops

13. Incan Gov’t and Religion
Polytheistic
Emperor-comes from the sun god
Has ultimate power
Top religious leader
Created cities made of gold and jewels to gain protection from the gods

14. Review: People of North America
Pre-European Exploration
Groups we’ve studied include:
Anasazi, Mound Builders, Inuit, Mayan, Inca, Aztecs
Timeline
40, 000 – 10,000 years ago Ice Age – hunters migrated across land bridge
10,000 years ago – Early people lived by hunting and gathering
7,000 years ago – Early people learned how to grow food and settled
3,000 years ago American Indian groups began building mounds – Mayan civilization began to develop
2, 500 years ago Inuit reached Alaska
2,000 years ago Anasazi developed in the Southwest
In 900 – Mayan civilization declined and the Maya began leaving their cities
1200 – Aztec and Incan civilization began in South America