1. Pre-Columbian America
The Peoples of North America and Mesoamerica
Early South American Civilizations

2. Renaissance Leonardo da Vinci

3. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Peoples of North America Mississippi River Valley cultures prospered by focusing on agriculture. Maize (corn) – Squash – Beans Hopewell – “Mound Builders” Full-time farming also became important in cultures of the Great Plains and Southwest. Full-time farming began in North America about A.D Cities began to appear

4. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Peoples of North America The Anasazi developed an extensive farming society in the Southwest. They built canals and earthen dams to farm in the desert. Success at farming let them construct large settlements at Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde. Prolonged droughts forced the Anasazi to abandon their major settlements.

5. Native American Societies and Their Environments Settlements of early Native Americans in North America varied greatly, depending on the cultural, economic, and environmental elements involved. Southwest, the Anasazi formed large communities centered on agriculture; used the plentiful stone in the region to build dwellings in nearby cliffs. Great Plains, the Sioux focused on buffalo hunting: food, clothing, tools. They lived in circular, portable tents called tepees. Northeast, the Iroquois settled in villages in longhouses made of material from the surrounding forests. The men fished and hunted, and the women produced crops.

6. Northwest of the Mississippian Culture Iroquois lived in longhouses that consisted of a framework of saplings covered by bark panels; 40 to 400 feet in length. The interior of a longhouse was divided into compartments connected by a center corridor. Many families lived in one house. Each family used one or more compartments. Also, the Iroquois often surrounded their longhouses with a wooden wall.

7. Northwest of the Mississippian Culture Iroquois Men: Hunted – Warriors who protected the community Women: Owned the dwellings – gathered wild plants – grew crops The Three sisters Maize (corn) – Beans – Squash Wars were common 1500s – Great Peace Clans - Grand Council Women of each clan singled out a well- respected woman as the clan mother. The clan mothers chose the male members of the Grand Council, the group of 50 male Iroquois leaders who served as the council of representatives, meeting to resolve differences.

8. Plains Indians Beans – Maize – Squash Buffalo Hunters Meat – Clothing - Fabric Native American groups in the Great Plains lived in tepees. Made of buffalo skins stretched over a framework of wooden poles. Tepees a circular tent made by stretching buffalo skins over wooden poles; provided excellent shelter, as they were warm in winter and cool in summer. Easily taken down and transported. Most of them were between 12 and 20 feet high and 15 and 30 feet in diameter. Native Americans often decorated their tepees with paintings of animals being hunted.

9. Southwest: Anasazi (AH-nuh-SAH-zee)
Farming Society Skilled at baskets and pottery New Mexico – Arizona – Utah – Colorado Used stone blocks and adobe mortar to construct buildings (pueblos) in cliffs. Each settlement also had at least two kivas, or ceremonial rooms. The cliffs provided an excellent defense against possible attackers. Mesa Verde, one of the many cliff dwellings built by the Anasazi.

10. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Peoples of North America (Recap) Around 1000 B.C., the Eastern Woodlands Indians settled in Farming villages. The Hopewell built cities along the Mississippi River, and the Iroquois developed representative government. The Plains Indians farmed and hunted buffalo, while the Anasazi people built a farming society housed in pueblos..

11. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Maya Mesoamerica areas of Mexico and Central America that were civilized before the Spaniards arrived The Maya civilization arose on the Yucatán Peninsula between A.D. 300 and 900. Political and Social Structure Maya civilization was composed of city-states – governed by hereditary rulers. The Maya social structure included the ruling class, nobles and scribes, peasants, and townspeople.

12. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Maya - Religion and Culture Nature The Maya believed that divine powers controlled life. Gods could be good or evil. Gods were ranked in order of importance. The supreme god was Itzamna (knowledge and wisdom), or “Lizard House.” Ritual human sacrifices (captured warriors) – believed it helped satisfy their gods.

13. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Maya The Maya developed a hieroglyphic writing system, which they used in books and inscriptions. The most important collection was found at Palenque.

14. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Maya Maya Calendar – “Calendar Round” based on cycles of creation and destruction Two parts: Solar calendar of 365 days – 18 months – 20 days each – 5 extra at the end Sacred calendar of 260 days – 13 months – 20 days each One Maya calendar was based on a 365-day year

15. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Maya (recap) Maya cities were organized around a central pyramid topped by a shrine to the gods. The Maya had a writing system based on hieroglyphs, which they used to record history. The most important collection was found at Palenque. Maya religion had a supreme god called Itzamna and practiced human sacrifice to appease the gods and for special ceremonial occasions. They created an accurate calendar based on cycles of creation and destruction.

16. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Toltec The Toltec dominated what is now northern and central Mexico from around A.D. 950 until around 1150, when internal warfare led to their decline. Through irrigation, the Toltec were able to grow sufficient crops to support a large population. They extended their rule through warfare against neighboring peoples. They introduced the craft of working in metals to Mesoamerica

17. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Toltec - Religion and Culture The Toltec empire thrived from the tenth to the twelfth centuries. The Toltec were a warlike people whose empire included much of what is today northern and central Mexico. The Toltec also practiced human sacrifice. Toltec culture is notable for its pyramids and palaces. The Toltec brought metalworking to Mesoamerica and worked in gold, silver, and copper.

18. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Toltec (recap) The Toltec civilization reached its height between 950 and 1150; its capital was located at Tula near present-day Mexico City. The Toltec were a warlike people who constructed pyramids and palaces and brought metalworking to Mesoamerica.

19. Tenochtitlan (tay-nawch-teet-lahn)
Thus:
They built their capital
Tenochtitlan
“place of the stone and prickly pear cactus”
How did the Aztec get here? Their god of war and sun provided a sign Eagle perched on a cactus

20. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Aztec – Triple Alliance Aztecs settled at Tenochtitlán in the early 1300s. They formed an alliance with two other city states: - Tetzcoco - Tlacopan Through the alliance, Aztecs controlled much of the Valley of Mexico; what is today central and southern Mexico.

21. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Aztec – Triple Alliance (cont.) The Aztec kingdom was a collection of semi-independent territories governed by local lords. Aztec rulers offered support to the local lords in exchange for goods or money paid by the lords. The Triple Alliance lasted until the reign of Montezuma and the arrival of Spanish forces in the early 1500s. When the Aztec first encountered Spanish explorers, they believed the men heralded the second coming of their god Quetzalcoatl.

22. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Aztec – Political and Social Structures The Aztec monarch ruled through a council of nobles and officials. Nobility Elite of society Discuss Male children of Nobility: Temple Schools – Military training Occupations Military service – Government - Priesthood

23. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Aztec – Political and Social Structures Discuss the rest of society: Largest class: Commoners – Most farmed Merchants – Active traders Craftspeople

24. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Aztec – Religion and Culture The Aztec were polytheistic and believed in an eternal struggle between good and evil. Aztec art and architecture were influenced by their religion. Like the Maya, the Aztec had an elaborate calendar and engaged in astronomical calculations, using a base-20 numerical system.

25. Pre-Columbian America – peoples of north America and Mesoamerica
The Aztec (recap) The Aztec were a civilization of up to 4 million people and lived in the Valley of Mexico. The Aztec in Tenochtitlán formed a Triple Alliance with two other city-states, Tetzcoco and Tiacopan. When the Aztec first encountered Spanish explorers, they believed the men heralded the second coming of their god Quetzalcoatl.

26. Culture Overview in South America Early cultures in South America flourished from the appearance of the Chavin culture around 900 B.C. up to the end of the Moche and Nazca cultures around A.D Little is known of the Chavin culture, other than its large temples and its pottery.

27. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
The Nazca In what is today the nation of Peru, the Nazca culture emerged around 200 B.C. Their culture preserved some aspects of the Chavin culture that preceded it. The Nazca etched grooves into the rocky soil of their area to create giant images of animals, humans, and geometric forms. These images may have been part of a religious practice. Thus, the Nazca probably practiced religion outdoors, as suggested by the Nazca Lines

28. Nazca Lines
Nazca culture of southern Peru flourished between about 200 B.C. and A.D T Best known today for creating the so-called Nazca lines, drawings that they dug into the surface of the desert where they lived. Many Nazca lines depict plants or animals, such as the monkey in this image; others form geometric objects Purpose is not known, but some experts believe they were used for religious rituals.

29. The Moche
Where – When – Skills In what is now Ecuador, the Moche culture emerged around AD 300; they were a warrior society and grew crops, painted and made pottery, along the Moche River. The Moche were expert farmers with sophisticated irrigation Maize – peanuts – potatoes – cotton We know about the Moche because of the artifacts, including paintings and pottery, that they left behind No written language The Moche civilization collapsed in the 700s. It was replaced by the Chimor kingdom, until conquered by the Inca.

30. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
The Inca - Overview In the mid-1400s, a large region came under Inca control, and rulers extended the empire in all directions. Pachacuti and his immediate successors, Topa Inca and Huayna Capac Inca, extended the IncaEmpire as far as modern-day Ecuador, central Chile, and the edge of the Amazon basin.

31. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
The Inca - Overview Political and Social Structures Built on warfare Discuss Men: Required to serve in the army Language: Quechua (KECH • uh • wuh)

32. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
Political and Social Structures Control: High ranking noble – Governor Local leaders – Loyal to Inca ruler Emperor – Claimed to be divine How was this accomplished? Local inhabitants were taught the Inca language, Quechua. A noble was sent to govern theregion and children of local leaders were taken hostage.

33. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
The Inca – Political Structure (wrap-up) Centralized state ruled by an emperor Divided into four regions Each region was divided into provinces Local leaders were governed by a noble and had to be loyal to the emperor; who was the greatest political power in the Empire Emperor claimed to be divine Conquered peoples were required to learn the Quechua language

34. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
Political and Social Structures Discuss the society: Highly regimented Marriage Partner from their immediate tribal group Women Care for children – weave cloth Some chosen to serve as priestesses

35. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
Political and Social Structures The Inca built a far-reaching system of roads and bridges. Inca Trail How: Forced labor

36. Beans – Potatoes – Maize
Terraced farming
Why Terrace? Ordinary farming techniques do not work well in the Andes. The terrain is too steep for efficient agriculture, and heavy rainfall washes much of the soil down into the valleys. made from large pieces of limestone. The stones hold the soil in place and provide a flat surface for growing crops. Rainfall pools on the terraces and soaks slowly into the ground, providing water for the crops. The Inca also collected rainwater farther up the slope and diverted it to the terraces to provide extra water. Thus, what crops?
Beans – Potatoes – Maize
At the height of the Inca civilization, terraces surrounded many of the great cities of the empire and their crops fed about 12,000,000 people. Some of these terraces, like the one in Pisac, Peru, in the photo, are still used today.

37. Terraced farming
Machu Picchu shows the architectural genius of the Inca. It includes agricultural terraces,
harmoniously placed buildings, and an elegant stairway leading to what may have been a solar
observatory.

38. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
The Inca – Society (cont.) Social roles were regimented: Men – serve in the army Women – Care for children and Weave cloth Economy (agricultural) based on high-altitude, terrace farms with precise irrigation systems; along with extensively organized trade networks Forced labor was a key feature of the state

39. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
The Inca - Overview In the mid-1400s, a large region came under Inca control, and rulers extended the empire in all directions. Farming and trade were the primary economic activities. Achievements of the Inca civilization include architecture; a system of record keeping; and an astronomical calendar.

40. Pre-Columbian America – early south American civilizations
Interesting Fact: Are you Hungry? Which major foods in our modern diets were first cultivated in South America? Maize (Boiled – Creamed) Peanuts (Boiled – Raw – Dry Roasted) Potatoes (Baked – Mashed – Loaded) Tomatoes (Stewed – Fried – Sandwich)

41. Pre-Columbian America
What do you recall? What was the structure of the Mayan social structure? Scribes and nobles supported rulers – who ruled over peasants and townspeople Who had the greatest political power in the Inca Empire? Emperor – why? Claimed to be divine

42. Pre-Columbian America
What do you recall? Describe the Inca agricultural system High altitude, terrace farming with precise irrigation What was one of the Maya calendars based on? 365-day year