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6 The Americas
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The Peopling of the Americas
The First Americans Migrated across the Bering Strait Living in the New World at least 15,000 years ago Reached southern tip of South America by 10,000 B.C.E. Nomadic First Americans were hunters and gatherers Agriculture dates back at least 8,000 years Cultivation of maize will pave the way for the first civilizations
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Early Civilizations in Central America
Mesoamerica Olmecs Intensive agriculture La Venta Trade Class society
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Mesoamerican Civilizations
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Pre-Columbian sculpture, Vera Cruz style, 6-9 C.E.
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Teotihuacan: America’s First Metropolis
First major Mesoamerica city, c B.C.E. to 800 C.E Location: north of present day Mexico City City dominated by the Pyramid of the Sun Extensive trading network City dwellings of stucco Economic base was agriculture
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The Mysterious Maya Location: The Yucatan Peninsula
Slash and burn replaced by swamp agriculture City-states Tikal Copán Role of the King Majority of people (estimated 3 million) were farmers Religion Polytheistic Practiced human sacrifice City dominated by central pyramid
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Pyramid at Chichen-Itza
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Palace of the Nuns, Uxmal.
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Mayan Hieroglyphics Sophisticated writing system
Spanish destroyed many of the books Mayan calendar required understanding of astronomical events and mathematics Kept records of astronomical events
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Mystery of Mayan Decline
Collapsed around the 8th or 9th century Possible reasons Over-cultivation, long drought Cities like Tikal and Palenque are abandoned Some urban centers survived and prospered: Uxmal and Chichen Itza New urban centers on Yucatan Migrations of the Toltecs under Kukulcan Some believe the migration under Kukulcan is linked to the story of Quetzalcoatl
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Mayan writing. Glyphs carved on wall at Palenque, Mexico
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The Aztecs Mexica moved into the Valley of Mexico after the fall of Teotihuacan Legend says they came from Aztlán, which gives them their more familiar name, Aztec Aztec patron deity: Huit-zilopochtli Less sophisticated then their neighbors, but excellent warriors Established their capital at Tenochtitlán on an island in Lake Texcoco The new kingdom was a collection of semi-autonomous states
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The Valley of Mexico under Aztec Rule
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Politics and Society Monarch’s power both divine and secular
Chosen from the royal family Advised by a small council of lords Hereditary nobility Served in military, government bureaucracy, or priesthood Commoners Calpulli -- kinship group headed by an elected chief Own temples and schools Often members performed a particular function Farmland held in common Gender roles Male children trained for war Women did the work at home, raised children, and wove textiles Women not equal to men, but had more legal rights then women of Old World civilizations Classes not rigidly stratified
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Land of the Feathered Serpent: Aztec Religion and Culture
Had more than 100 deities Some were nature spirits: Tlaloc - the rain god Some were patron deities: Huitzilopochtli – the symbol of the people themselves The supreme deity: Ometeotl – remote Other deities had direct impact: Quetzalcoatl – represents the forces of creation, virtue, learning and culture Fatalistic religion Art and sculpture Religious significance Two massive pyramids in the center of Tenochtitlán to the gods Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc Artisans worked in stone, gold, and silver Writing based on hieroglyphs
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Destruction of Aztec Civilization
Hernán Cortés, 1519, invasion of Mexico Moctezuma held captive Cortés was aided by native groups hostile to the Aztecs, especially the Tlaxcallans Defeat of the Aztecs Disease brought by the Europeans swept the population
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Early Peoples and Cultures of Central and Latin America
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The First Civilizations in South America
Andes Mountains Chavin de Huantar Moche Location: Northern Peru Capital city dominated by two adobe pyramids Talented artisanship Irrigation system Effects of El Niño Kingdom of Chimor Successors of the Moche in the Moche River valley Elaborate irrigation system
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The Inka Empire about 1500 C.E.
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The Inka Pachakuti Campaign of conquest
Boundaries extended under Topa Inka and Huayna Inka to Ecuador, central Chile, and the edge of the Amazon basin The Four Quarters: Inka Politics and Society Empire called Tahuantinsuyu: “The world of four quarters” Inka Culture Built on war with an army of 200,000 men Quipu, knotted strings for record keeping Conquest of the Inka
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Pot with Playful Image Sixth to ninth centuries, Peru
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. Sixth to ninth centuries, Peru
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Early South American Ceramics
©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. Example of early South American ceramics. Sixth to ninth centuries, Peru.
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Stateless Societies in the New World
Eastern Woodlands Development of agriculture in the 3rd millennium B.C.E. Mississippi River valley Hopewell culture Cahokia Anasazi West of the Mississippi most societies lived by hunting or gathering Agriculture gradually spreads to the area in the 1st millennium Anasazi established extensive community in southwest Causes of their demise South America Arawak In modern Venezuela Some occupied islands in the Caribbean Sea
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Peoples and Cultures of North America
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Discussion Questions What characteristics did early Mesoamerican civilizations have in common? Compare and contrast the Aztec and Inka empires. How did each empire dominate and control their subjects? What were the characteristics of the “mound builders” in the Eastern areas of North America? What were the characteristics of the native peoples of the Southwestern areas of North America?
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