1. Standard 7.7
COMPARE and CONTRAST the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the Mesoamerica and Andean civilizations.

2. FOCUS QUESTION
Why are the Olmec important in the history of the Americas?

3. Mesoamerican & Andean Civilizations

4. Please open your text book to page 385.

5. Mesoamerica What is now southern Mexico and parts of Central America
Rain forests cover the region
Fertile soil made this a good area for farming
People first appeared in this area around 12,000 BC

6. Native American
Eskimo
Inca
Mexico
Aztec

7. The Olmec

8. The Olmec The first urban civilation formed in Mesoamerica – around 1200 BC.
Built the first pyramids in the Americas
Developed the first writing system in the Americas
Traded with others from far away
Civilization ended around 400 BC

10. The Olmec Yucatan Veracruz Peninsula Tres Zapotes Tuxtla Mountains
La Venta
San Lorenzo

12. The Olmec This civilization developed around 1200 B.C.
The Olmec lived in the swampy jungles of Central Mexico.
Believed to be the first civilization of Mexico.
The Olmec
The Olmec adapted by using slash and burn farming techniques.
The Olmec traded and fought other tribes for control of natural resources.
To please their gods the Olmec sacrificed animals and people.
The land was fertile and ideal for growing crops.
The Olmec develop a system of social classes.

13. FOCUS QUESTION
Why are the Olmec important in the history of the Americas?
The Olmec influenced later groups throughout Mesoamerica, who then built on Olmec achievements.
Give an example of how early scientists influenced others in the Scientific Revolution.

14. Now for a preview of what’s coming up next…

15. Who is this...
and why do we know her?

16. What is it that makes someone beautiful?

17. These are only our ideas of
beauty for our time.

18. Do you remember what was considered good lookin’ during the Middle Ages? Hint – Paris would have been considered poor and ugly.

19. We will be studying a culture in which this would be considered a BEAUTIFUL smile.

20. In this culture, this flat, elongated head is a vision of beauty and wealth… the Paris Hilton of the day.

21. We will learn about how they worship and how they get power.

22. about how they just disappeared.
We will learn
about how they just disappeared.

23. Focus Question
How did the Maya adapt to and change their environment?

24. Please open your text book to page 390.

25. The Maya Developed in Mesoamerica around 1000 BC
Lived in an area of thick forests and in the highlands making farming hard
Classic Age from AD 250 to 900
Spread throughout the Yucatan Peninsula

26. Religion Worshipped many gods that controlled sun, rain and crops.
Believed that their kings were related to and spoke to the gods.
They had to please the gods by offering human blood
Believed the soul was in the blood
On special occasions, sacrificing people and animals pleased the gods.

27. Mayan Cities Built large pyramids, temples, and palaces
Canals built to control the flow of water through cities
Large plazas built for public events
Hillsides turned into flat terraces so crops could be grown close to cities

28. Maya Society Kings held the highest position.
Upper class included priests, warriors, and merchants.
Lower-class included most of the Maya - farmers
Slaves, the lowest, included orphans, slaves’ children, and people who owed money

29. Mom?

30. Maya Achievements Sculpture and jade and gold jewelry
Mayan cities largest architectural achievement
Did not have metal tools
Built observatories to study the stars
Developed the calendar and number system
Also developed a writing system similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics

31. Mayan Warfare Mayan cities usually battled each other to gain power.
Warfare may have led to the destruction of the Mayan civilization.

32. Causes of the Decline of the Mayan Civilization
Began to collapse around 900
The cause of the collapse is unknown
Warfare may have contributed
Kings made demands of people and they may have rebelled
A long period of dry weather may have made it hard to grow crops
A mix of events probably led to the decline

33. MAYA AZTEC INCA WHEN: 250-900 AD 6 CENTURIES WHERE: Yucatan Peninsula,
Central America, Southern Mexico
CLIMATE: Rainforest, highlands/
mountains, lowlands – by the ocean
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS:
Many Gods – Sun, rain and crops
King spoke to Gods
Blood letting – to please the Gods
Soul was in the blood
Sacrificed people and animals
Led by Priest-Kings
STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY:
King – led people
Upper Class – Priests, warriors,
merchants (nobility)
Lower Class – Most Mayans were
farmers
Bottom - Slaves
ACHIEVEMENTS: Magnificent
Architecture; built observatories; made accurate predictions;
developed a calendar and number
system; hieroglyph writing system
FALL OF THE EMPIRE:
Wars, over population, drought
lack of food, people lost faith

34. Focus Question How did the Maya adapt to and change their environment?
They cleared wooded areas for farmland; used available resources for building materials; traded to obtain resources not available locally.

35. KINGS
Highest Position
Related to Gods
Spoke to Gods

36. UPPER CLASS
Controlled politics (government), religion, and the economy ($).

37. PRIESTS Born into position Led ceremonies Knowledge of astronomy
and math

38. WARRIORS Fought other Mayan cities Wore animal skins and headdresses
Painted bodies

39. MERCHANTS
Directed trade
Distributed goods

40. LOWER CLASS Most people were lower class – farmers.
Lived in small houses outside of cities.

41. FARMERS Had to give crops to rulers Had to work on building structures
Had to serve in the army

42. SLAVES Held lowest position
Orphans, slave’s children, people who owed money
Had to carry heavy trade goods from city to city
Served upper class

43. UPPER/LOWER Lower supported upper with food and labor
Upper supported lower by leading religious ceremonies

44. Religion Worshipped many gods that controlled sun, rain and crops.
They had to please the gods by offering human blood
Believed the soul was in the blood
On special occasions, sacrificing people and animals pleased the gods.

45. Maya Achievements Sculpture and jade and gold jewelry
Mayan cities largest architectural achievement
Did not have metal tools
Built observatories to study the stars
Developed the calendar and number system
Also developed a writing system similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics

46. FOCUS QUESTION
How did the Aztecs adapt to their environment?

47. Please open your text to page 410.

50. The Aztec Empire Existed from about 1300 to 1520 AD – 2 centuries
Ruled a large empire in the Valley of Mexico at Lake Texcoco
Mild with good soil – island was swampy
Controlled a huge trade network
Fierce warriors - mercenaries

51. THE AZTECS BUILD AN EMPIRE
The first Aztecs were farmers from
northern Mexico. Around the 1100’s, they
migrated south.

52. When they arrived in central Mexico,
they found that other tribes had taken all
the good farmland. All that was left was a
swampy island in the middle of Lake
Texcoco.

53. What would you do to try to grow crops on swampy land?

54. The Aztec built causeways – raised roads across water – to
connect their island with the mainland.

55. Chinampas
Floating gardens

56. Chinampas today

58. Tenochitlan
Page 412

59. Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II
To survive, the Aztecs hired themselves
out as skilled fighters.
Aztec Emperor
Moctezuma II

60. Religious Beliefs *Many Aztec gods
*Represented a world full of spirits
*Gods required prayer, rituals, and sacrifices for
good harvests
*Sacrificed prisoners
*Believed king’s dreams foretold the future

61. Quetzalcoatl
Aztec God

62. Aztec Society People divided into social classes Kings were worshipped
Nobles were leaders
Priests and warriors below kings
Merchants and artisans next
Commoners farmed land
Serfs worked the land but didn’t
own it
Slaves – captives of war

63. Just like people rebelling against
taxation today, people did not
like it back then.

64. Their taxes
were called
“tribute”.

65. Aztec Achievements Built chinampas (floating gardens)
Studied astronomy and created a calendar
Built bridges and canals
Had a complex writing system

66. Conquistadors
Spanish soldiers

67. Cortez and the Aztecs
Spanish explorer Hernan Cortez arrived in Mexico in 1519
Aztec emperor Moctezuma II thought Cortez was a god
Cortez took the emperor prisoner
The Aztecs became angry and drove the Spanish out
Cortez came back in 1521 and conquered the Aztecs

68. Malintzin - page 415

69. Cortez and the Aztecs
Civil wars were taking place. People who had been conquered by the Aztec were unhappy and bitter. Some actually helped Cortez.
Please turn to page 414 in your text.

70. Cortez and the Aztecs
Cortez had horses, armor, and superior
weapons.

71. Cortez and the Aztecs
Disease – just as with Native Americans, diseases like and small pox killed many Aztecs.

72. MAYA AZTEC INCA WHEN: 250-900 AD 6 CENTURIES WHERE: Yucatan Peninsula,
Central America, Southern Mexico
CLIMATE: Rainforest, highlands/
mountains, lowlands – by the ocean
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS:
Many Gods – Sun, rain and crops
King spoke to Gods
Blood letting – to please the Gods
Soul was in the blood
Sacrificed people and animals
Led by Priest-Kings
STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY:
King – led people
Upper Class – Priests, warriors,
merchants (nobility)
Lower Class – Most Mayans were
farmers
Bottom - Slaves
ACHIEVEMENTS: Magnificent
architecture; built observatories; made accurate predictions; developed a calendar and number
System; hieroglyph writing system
FALL OF THE EMPIRE:
Wars, over population, drought
lack of food, people lost faith
WHEN: AD
2 CENTURIES
WHERE: Valley of Mexico
Lake Texcoco
CLIMATE: Mild, with good soil -
Island was swampy
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS: Many Aztec Gods
Represented a world full of spirits.
Gods required prayer, rituals, and
sacrifices for good harvests.
Sacrificed prisoners.
STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY: Lived
In settlements called calpullis.
King – was worshipped.
Nobles – were leaders.
Commoners – farmed land.
Serfs – worked land, didn’t own it.
Slaves – captives of war.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Built chinampas
(floating gardens); built bridges and
canals; had a complex writing
system; studied astronomy and
created a calendar.
FALL OF THE EMPIRE: Cortez –
Civil war, superior weapons,
disease.

73. FOCUS QUESTION How did the Aztecs adapt to their environment?
Built causeways, aqueducts, chinampas

74. Have you seen this movie?
We’ll get back to it.

75. Your mama's a llama!

76. Focus Question
How did the Inca adapt to their
environment?

77. The Inca Empire 1230 - 1530 – 3 centuries
South America – Andes Mountains – Peru and Chile
Began as a small tribe in the Andes in South America
Government was centralized and controlled many aspects of life
Incas paid the government in labor and goods

78. CLIMATE
*Desert
*Rainforest
*Thin air high in the Andes Mountains

79. Why the
llama?
Why not
horses?

80. This movie shows how difficult it is to
survive in the Andes Mountains.

81. What makes it difficult to breathe at high elevations?

82. Inca Adaptations
Large lungs
Short legs

83. Religion
Religion
WORSHIPPED NATURE
Enti The Sun God
(father)

84. Worshipped mummies

85. Who's your mama?
Mummies spoke to the living through priests.

86. Veracocha – the creator

87. Believed in life after death.

88. Inca Society
Everything
belongs to
the king.

89. Nobles – governors and organizers.

90. Commoner
Farmers worked the land.

91. Inca Society
*very organized
*jobs were given, not chosen

92. Inca Achievements AN INCREDIBLE ROAD SYSTEM
Architecture – Huge stone buildings (still exist)
Art – Beautiful gold and silver jewelry

93. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 424.

95. Inca Roads
Page

96. Machu Picchu
Page

97. What was one thing they did not achieve?

98. A WRITING SYSTEM

99. Name another empire
we have studied
that had no
written language.

100. Pizarro and the Incas
Francisco Pizarro made three expeditions to explore the west coast of South America
First two trips were unsuccessful
Third trip was successful – conquered empire in 1537

101. Civil wars weakened the empire.
Civil – civilian – non-government.

102. Pizzaro and the Incas
Disease – just as with Native Americans and the Aztec, diseases like and small pox killed many Inca.

103. Pizarro and the Aztecs Pizarro had horses, armor, and superior
weapons.

104. Similarities of the Fall of the Inca and Aztec
Both empires had internal problems before the Spanish arrived
The leaders of both empires were captured by the Spanish
The Spanish had an advantage with horses and guns
Disease weakened and killed many native people

105. What does this movie have to do with the Inca?
Cuzco
Emperor
Llamas
Machu Picchu

106. MAYA AZTEC INCA WHEN: 250-900 AD 6 CENTURIES WHERE: Yucatan Peninsula,
Central America, Southern Mexico
CLIMATE: Rainforest, highlands/
mountains, lowlands – by the ocean
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS:
Many Gods – Sun, rain and crops
King spoke to Gods
Blood letting – to please the Gods
Soul was in the blood
Sacrificed people and animals
Led by Priest-Kings
STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY:
King – led people
Upper Class – Priests, warriors,
merchants (nobility)
Lower Class – Most Mayans were
farmers
Bottom - Slaves
ACHIEVEMENTS: Magnificent
architecture; built observatories; made accurate predictions; developed a calendar and number
system; hieroglyph writing system
FALL OF THE EMPIRE:
Wars, over population, drought
lack of food, people lost faith
WHEN: AD
2 CENTURIES
WHERE: Valley of Mexico
Lake Texcoco
CLIMATE: Mild, with good soil -
Island was swampy
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS: Many Aztec Gods
Represented a world full of spirits.
Gods required prayer, rituals, and
Sacrifices for good harvests.
Sacrificed prisoners.
STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY: Lived
In settlements called calpullis.
King – was worshipped.
Nobles – were leaders.
Commoners – farmed land.
Serfs – worked land, didn’t own it.
Slaves – captives of war.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Built chinampas
(floating gardens); built bridges and
canals; had a complex writing
system; studied astronomy and
created a calendar.
FALL OF THE EMPIRE: Cortez –
Civil war, superior weapons,
disease.
WHEN:
3 CENTURIES
WHERE: South America, Andes
Mountains, - Peru, Chile
CLIMATE: Desert, rainforest, thin
air high in the Andes Mountains
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS: Worshipped
Nature – Inti, the sun god (father);
mummies spoke to the living
through priests. Worshipped
Mummies; Veracocha (creator);
believed in life after death.
STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY:
King – everything belonged to king
Nobles – governors/organizers
Commoners – farmers worked land
VERY ORGANIZED – Jobs given,
not chosen
ACHIEVEMENTS:
INCREDIBLE ROAD SYSTEM
Architecture; Huge stone buildings;
art – beautiful gold and silver jewelry.
NO WRITING SYSTEM
FALL OF THE EMPIRE:
Francisco Pizarro – 1537
Civil war, superior weapons, disease

107. How did the Inca adapt to their environment?
Focus Question
How did the Inca adapt to their
environment?
Large lungs, short legs
Used llama for food, clothing and
transportation
Built a road system to connect
the empire
Learned how to freeze-dry food

108. Review What was the first crop grown in Mesoamerica?
What was the name of the first civilization in Mesoamerica?
When did the Mayan civilization develop?
Did the Mayans worship only one god?
What were some of the causes of the decline of the Mayan civilization?
Where was the Aztec empire located?
Name some of the achievements of the Aztecs.
Who conquered the Aztecs?

109. Review Continued
At its height, how many people lived in the Inca empire?
What did the Incan government collect as taxes?
Who defeated the Incans?
What were the similarities of how the Aztec and Incan empires fell?

110. NAME THE EMPIRE
INCA
MAYA
AZTEC

111. Technology – what will they think of next?
Which civilization considered obsidian sacred?
A. Inca
B. Maya
C. Aztec

112. I can hardly breathe up here!
Which civilization lived in the Andes Mountains?
A. Inca
B. Maya
C. Aztec

113. I’m bad, I’m bad, I know it…
Which warrior civilization hired themselves out as mercenaries?
Inca
Maya
Aztec

114. Hey, good lookin! Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?
Which civilization had to look for the symbol shown on the flag of Mexico?
Inca
Maya
Aztec

115. Ouch! Which civilization practiced blood letting to please the gods?
Inca
Maya
Aztec

116. One of these things is not like the others…
Two civilizations had written languages. Which civilization did NOT have a written language?
Inca
Maya
Aztec

117. Chinampas Which civilization farmed on floating gardens? Inca Maya
Aztec

118. Conquistadors Which civilization was NOT conquered by the Spanish?
Inca
Maya
Aztec

119. Oh, the places you will go…
Which civilization had a road network of about 25,000 miles of roads?
Inca
Maya
Aztec

120. Times up… Which time obsessed civilization predicted
when the world would come to an end?
Inca
Maya
Aztec