1. Classic-Era Culture and Society in Mesoamerica, and The Postclassic Period in Mesoamerica,

2. Classic-Era Culture and Society in Mesoamerica 600-900
Mesoamericans were unified by similarities in culture, religious beliefs, and social structures.
Most Mesoamericans did not have a government at this time
Feature platforms and pyramids were devoted to their religious functions
The agricultural foundation of Mesoamerican were old techniques
Teotihuacán is located 30 miles northeast of Mexico City
Teotihuacán was at the height of its power in 600 C.E. with between 125,000 and 200,000 people in the population

3. Teotihuacán
Teotihuacán was one of the largest cities in the Americas and larger than all but a few European and Asian cities
The religion in Teotihuacán was polytheistic having a sun god, a moon god, a storm-god and a Quetzalcoatl which was a feathered serpent believed to have created agriculture and the arts
They sacrificed people to the Quetzalcoatl
Chinampas were used by the Teotihuacán's and they were narrow lands constructed along land shores or in marshes
Teotihuacán fell in 650 C.E.

4. The Maya
Were was created around the same time as Teotihuacán and spanned from Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and southern Mexico
The Maya had a single culture but was never politically unified
Every single monument was constructed without the help of wheels (pulleys, wheelbarrows or carts and also without the use of metal tools)
Rulers and priests were recognized by their fancy clothes and their paint that was on them to identify their leadership
There was only to women who ruled the Mayan kingdom in history
Created the first calendar

5. The Postclassic Period in Mesoamerica 900-1500
The Classic and Postclassic periods are similar in their religious beliefs, architecture, urban planning, and social organization
Mesoamerica expanded during this time period
With more land unconquered, came increased warfare just for the land
The elites of this era are the Aztecs and the Toltec's
They went ahead and crushed their enemies to gain more and more to use

6. Toltec's They arrived in central Mexico
The Toltec’s were first along the borders to prevent nomads from coming in, but later on moved more south
They borrowed the Teotihuacán's culture from them
They later on became more vicious and more built around their military might
The Toltec capital of Tula was established in 968 C.E.
Around 1000 C.E. there was a struggle and Topiltzin was exiled
Around 1156 C.E. northern invaders overcame Tula and that was the decline of the Toltec's

7. Aztecs
They were from the northern part of Mexico but were the first to push in to central Mexico after the fall of Tula
Around 1325 C.E. they began their creations of their twin capitals, Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco
They had a clan based political system which turned into a monarchy
There were three classes, the slaves, the commoners and the nobles
By 1500, great inequalities in wealth characterized Aztec society

8. Aztecs cont. Montezuma II met with Spaniards who eventually killed him
Tribute system was used by the Aztecs to help regulate the growing population in Tenochtitlan
Religious rituals dominated public life in Tenochtitlan
The Aztecs even had a cult that worshipped Huitzilopochtli, the southern hummingbird
They were eventually conquered by the Spaniards and their leader was Hernan Cortes.

9. Quiz Who was the Spanish adventurer that conquered the Aztecs?
A. Raphael Alvarez
B. Speedy Gonzalez
C. Hernan Cortes
D. Hiruru Mipinata
E. Herbert Cortes

10. Quiz cont.
2. Which Mesoamerican group was the first to create calendars?
A. Inca
B. Toltec
C. Olmecs
D. Maya
E. Teotihuacán

11. Quiz cont.
Which Mesoamerican god was the most important to the Teotihuacán ?
A. Quetzalcoatl
B. Huracan (storm-god)
C. Tonatuih (sun god)
D. Tlazolteotl (moon god)
E. Huitzilopochtli

12. Bibliography Books Website
The Earth and its People. 3rd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, Print.
Website
Web. 20 Oct
Alfred Degrazia. Web. 20 Oct

13. The End