1. Chapter 1 section 1 The Earliest Americans How well did you take notes?

2. Summary: History of the People 1 st : Descendants of those who crossed the land bridge from Asia to the Americas 2 nd : Olmecs (1200 BC- 400 BC) 3 rd : Mayans (AD 250 - 900) 4 th : Aztecs (AD 1200-1521) 5 th : Incas (AD 1438-1532)

3. Regions Mesoamerica: The area extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua in which civilizations flourished prior to the arrival of the Europeans. South America: Continent from Colombia and Venezuela south

4. Map

5. Olmecs (1200 B.C.-400 B.C.) Arts: – Decorated cities with large carved stone statues – Carved jewelry and other small objects from jade – Used obsidian as a carving tool Agriculture: – First to grow maize (corn) for food Engineering – Built large drainage systems to direct water away from fields and settlements

6. Mayans (250 - 900 A.D) Yucatan Peninsula (in the rainforest) Religion: – Society centered around religion and most of their accomplishments were driven by religious beliefs. – RELIGIOUS INSPIRATION: Priests needed to keep accurate time in order to hold religious ceremonies at the correct moment – ACOMPLISHMENT: Mayans studied the sky (sun, earth, moon, stars) and developed a calendar system.

7. Mayans (250 - 900 A.D) RELIGIOUS INSPIRATION: Mayans needed to decorate temples and tombs with elaborate murals. ACCOMPLISHMENT: They developed hieroglyphics and a complex number system. RELIGIOUS INSPIRATION: Mayans needed temples in which to worship ACCOMPLISHMENT: They built huge pyramids with steps using careful planning.

8. Mayans (250 - 900 A.D) Around 900 A.D., civilization declined mysteriously. Possible causes: – Overused the land and could not grow enough food – War – Spread of disease Mayan descendants still live today and speak Mayan language.

9. Aztecs (1200-1521 A.D.) Tenochtitlan = capital (today = Mexico City) – Built on 2 islands with lake in the middle – Stepped pyramids – Marketplaces where people traded gold, silver, and pottery Moved from the north into central Mexico around 1100s Conquered a large empire (most of Mesoamerica) because they were fierce warriors Because of their large empire, they created a huge trade network The people they conquered had to pay tributes (forced payments) to Aztecs

10. Inca (1438-1532) Lived in the Andes Mountains in South America Capital = Cuzco They expanded their empire to most of western South America (pacific coast) Strong central government (king) Language- – oral: Quechua – No written language: only system of knotted strings (quipu)

11. Inca (1438-1532) Claim to fame: – Building (allowed for good communication and control) Huge stone blocks Highways running the length of the empire Paved roads Rope bridges – Art