1. Ancient Americas Notes

2. The Americas - Maya Olmecs – oldest civilization, not on a river Mayas
Yucatan peninsula
Tikal – huge temples and city
Each city had ruling chief
Priests had highest power
Most people were farmers – corn, cotton, squash
Writing system, accurate time, 365 day calendar, zero
900 A.D. began to abandon cities, don’t know why

3. Aztec Civilization Late 1200s – Eagle on cactus with snake in beak
Tenochtitlan – city in middle of lake
Chinampas – floating gardens
Conquered other tribes and demanded tribute
Single ruler – royalty, blood letting
Nobles, warriors, commoners
Massive human sacrifice, used conquered people
Calendar, surgery, schools
Hernan Cortes destroyed in 1519

4. Early People of Peru Chavin Mochica Nazca Worshipped jaguar/man
Lived high in the Andes
Mochica
Built roads, irrigation systems
Beautiful pottery
Nazca
Glyphs – etched lines in the ground
Lines, shapes – part of calendar?

5. The Inca Pachacuti – founder and first Sapa Inca 1438
In Cuzco, Sapa lived like god, Queen – Coya
Quipu – knotted string collection for records
12,000 miles of road, runners for messages
Only runners and army could use roads
Farmed on terraces
Best metal workers
Had anesthesia and brain surgery
Polytheistic, temples to gods
Destroyed by Pizarro in 1533

6. North American Natives
Crossed Bering Land Bridge, moved south
Diverse cultures based on environment
Arctic, Coastal, Plains, Woodlands, Southwest
Iroquois League – 5 nations banded together
Hitting peak when Europeans arrived