1. World History Maya, Inca, Aztec Unit 5 6.A 6.B 19A 19B 26A 26B 26C 27B

3. Pre-Columbian civilizations  Unlike earlier civilizations, these did not stay near rivers as much.  They used the warm, humid rain forests to plant corn (maize). This was native to this area.

4. American Civilizations  Many cities in the regions - Olmecs and Toltecs  Each city had its own ruler, who was considered half-man, half-god.  Each grew staple crops and had fish supplements.  The Olmecs built large stone courts to play ball games. Their balls were made of rubber which grew abundantly in the area.  Cities from 30,000 to over 100,000 were the norm.

5. AZTEC INCA MAYA

6. Maya Civilization 2000BC –AD 1100

7. Maya  Polytheistic – they built large pyramids as temples to the gods who they believed would control the weather.  Their 365 ¼ day calendar was the most accurate at the time.  They cleared forests and built raised fields to allow for adequate drainage.

8. Maya  The Toltecs believed a god called Topilzin Quetzalcoatl would return, which brought them disaster when the first Europeans arrived.  They believed the Europeans were divine because of their differences in appearance and clothing, instead of seeing them as invaders.

9. Mayan Calendar  Archeologists found a calendar dating back to around 500BC. It counted ahead to December 21, 2012, which many believed would be the end of the world…  “If there's one thing the Mayans taught us, it's that if you don't finish something it isn't the end of the world”

10. Aztec Empire 1200-1581

11. Aztec  The Aztecs were a warring people.  Policy was based on conquest and expansion.  The Aztecs were polytheistic as well.  The Sun God, they believed, needed human blood to continue his daily journey across the sky.  Human sacrifices were very common.

12. Aztec  Aztec society was split into social classes.  The emperor being the top, then progressing down to slaves on the bottom.

13. Inca Empire 1200-1535

14. Inca  The Inca empire became the most powerful in Latin America up until European conquest.  Their government was an hereditary monarchy.

15. Inca  They grew potatoes and other root crops  Kept llamas and alpacas for meat and wool  Built stone roads  They constructed stone building high in the Andes.

16. So what happened to them?  As Europeans came to the “New World” diseases that the natives were not immune to spread.  Europeans were also technologically superior with weaponry and fighting.  These civilizations eventually died out.

17. Civilization Decline