1. Ancient People of Latin America
Earliest: Olmec and Zapotec -Mexico, Nazca and Moche -Peru
Aztecs – Central Mexico
Mayans – Southern Mexico/Central America
Incans – West Coast of South America

2. Olmec and Zapotec Along the Gulf of Mexico C. 1200-400 BC
Built mounds, pyramids and large monuments with columns, courtyards and large statues
Half jaguar/half man god was central to their religion
Prosperous people that had a large trading area
In the Oaxaca valley c. 600 BC – 600 AD
Built temples, large stone platforms, monumental sculptures- developed a hieroglyphic writing system and a calendar c. 500 BC

3. Nazca and Moche Along Southern coast of Peru c. 200 BC-600 AD
Developed irrigation systems w/underground canals
Nazca lines that can only be seen from above
C AD along Northern coast of Peru
Wealthy people that were great artisans

4. Aztec Central Mexico Preceeded by the Teotihuacan and Toltecs
Teotihuacan was a city of 125,000 and had extensive architecture and a large trading network
Mysteriously declined and abandoned c. 750 CE
Toltecs were a more aggressive people and conquered other groups to form an empire
Toltecs worshipped a war god that demanded blood and human sacrifice

5. Aztec
C AD originally a nomadic people called Mexica from northern Mexico
Founded Tenochtitlan on an island in the middle of a lake
Gradually increased their empire and in early 1400’s formed an alliance with 2 other city-states to form a large empire with 38 provinces and around 10 million people
Highly structured society with military leaders forming the majority of the nobility
Believed that the sun-god required human sacrifice on a large scale to make the sun rise
This demand for more and more tributes led to rebellion and then the Conquistadors arrived

6. Mayan C. 250 AD – some Olmec influences
Built large cities wi/ pyramids, temples, palaces, ball courts and stone carvings
City-states formed alliances and trade networks
Religion based on daily experiences and calendars were key to predictions
Some human sacrifice but less gruesome
Advanced Math and writing systems
Suddenly abandoned many of their larger cities c. 800 AD, likely due to infighting and advancing Toltec invaders
Only small cities remained by the time the Spanish arrived

7. Incan C. 1200 AD, named after the original ruling family
Believed their kings were descendants of the sun-god and dead kings were mummified and worshipped
Conquered people, but then allowed them to retain their possessions and way of life in exchange for loyalty
Unified their territory with an official language, schools and smaller govt divisions under a central power
Had an extensive road system and a postal service of sorts
Govt controlled the economy in a pseudo-socialistic manner
No writing system, but had calendars, extensive oral histories, and quipu for record keeping
Empire declined in early 1500’s with the death of the last great emperor and was already weakened by the time the Spaniards made it there