1. Early Civilizations in Mesoamerica
Chapter 11 Section 2

2. The Olmec and Teotihuacan
Mesoamerica – Mexico and Central America prior to Spanish colonies
Olmec – 1st civilization in the region (1200 to 400 BCE)
Settled on the coast of Central America on the Gulf of Mexico
Farmed in the river banks
Large cities for religious purposes
Teotihuacan (250 BCE to 800 CE) – First major city “Place of the Gods”
Historians are unsure of who the founders were
Residents were mostly farmers, but the city was a trading center

3. The Maya and Toltec
Yucatan Peninsula – central American peninsula that is surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico
Maya - civilization on the Yucatan from 300 to 900 CE
Built temples, pyramids, and developed a complex calendar
Begins to decline (invasion, revolts, overuse of land, etc)
Not rediscovered until the late 19th early 20th century

4. Political Structures Maya was composed of city-states
Governed by a hereditary ruling class believed to be descendents of the gods
Assisted by nobles and scribes (priests)
Often at war with each other
Cities were built around a central pyramid and included other temples, palaces, and a sacred ball court
Tikal – prominent city of the Mayan civilization

5. Social Structures
Society included artisans, officials, merchants, and farmers
Main belief that all of life was in the hand of divine powers
Polytheistic
Practiced human sacrifice to satisfy the gods and for special ceremonies

6. Writing
Writing was done through hieroglyphs - pictures representing words
Unfortunately the Spanish did not decipher them, instead since they felt they were evil and of no value they burned the books that were found
Although some survived (4), scholars still have not deciphered most of the language

7. Calendar
Calendar is known as the Long Count – cycles of creation and destruction
Solar calendar – 365 days, 18 months of 20 day with five left at the end of the year
Sacred calendar – 260 days – 13 weeks of 20 days each – used and read by only trained priests
Used to record important events in Mayan history

8. Toltec
Warlike people who conquered other civilizations around them including the Maya
Existed from 900 to 1200 CE
Center of the civilization was in Tula (present day Mexico City)
Built pyramids and palaces
Chichen Itza – second capital located in the northern part of Yucatan Peninsula

9. Rise of the Aztec
Emerge as a civilization in the 1100s and decline as a result of Spanish invasion in 1520
Tenochtitlan – capital city of the Aztecs, built on an island in Lake Texcoco (Mexico City)
Legend of the journey - the sun God Huitzilopochtli, would give them a sign to end their journey
In 1325 they were attack by another people and driven to Lake Texcoco where they saw an eagle perched on a cactus on a rock (the sign)

10. Rise of the Aztec
They built the city over the course of the next 100 years – built temples, houses, and other buildings (markets, palaces etc.)
The main temple (pyramid) was built to honor Huitzilopochtli
Connected to the various islands and the mainland with stone roads
Warrior culture that allied with the neighboring people to form a large empire that was semi-independent
Aztec ruler required conquered people to pay tribute – (goods or money paid to conquers from conquered people)

11. Political Structure
Monarchy – ruler claimed he was a descendent of the gods
Did not run the empire alone (lords and government officials)
General population – commoners (farmers and merchants), indentured workers (landless laborers), and slaves (people captured in war)
Boys trained to be warriors, girls stayed in the home
Women could own and inherit property, enter into contracts, and become priestesses

12. Religion and Culture Polytheistic Huitzilopochtli – sun god
Quetzalcoatl – feathered serpent – according to legend he would return (Toltec prince that was exiled)
When the Spanish arrived they thought they were representatives of Quetzalcoatl

13. Religion and Culture
Religion based on unending struggle between good and evil in the universe
Time of the 5th sun
Protection from destruction offered in the form of human sacrifice to Huitzilopochtli
Architecture
Known for their expansive pyramids
Main

14. Destruction of the Civilization
Government was central rule
Authority was with the king in Tenochtitlan
Local lords in Tlaxcala wanted to gain more independence
Since they were a warrior culture they had many enemies, but few wanted to go to war instead they just wanted to remain free of Aztec rule

15. Destruction of the Civilization
1519 – Hernan Cortes arrived in Veracruz and took a small group of men and horses inland to Tenochtitlan
Along the way they allied with enemies and oppressed people under the Aztec empire including Tlaxcala
Meets with Montezuma who thinks they are reps of Quetzalcoatl
Eventually problems arise between the Spanish and Aztecs and the Spanish are driven out of the city

16. Destruction of the Civilization
After four months the Aztecs surrender for numerous reasons – what are they?
Diseases weakened their immunity
New soldiers arrive
The people of Tlaxcala provide 50,000 men to assist the Spanish in the attack on Tenochtitlan
Advanced weaponry
Cortes and his men level the pyramids and build churches and government buildings with the stones for the Spanish