1. Bell Ringer  Who were the first group of people to come to the Americas? Give a few answers.

2. Earliest Americans

3. Bering Land Bridge Theory  Many scientists believe that during the last Ice Age ocean levels dropped and a land bridge was exposed between Asia and Alaska.  During this time evidence shows that Paleo- Indians crossed between 38,000 and 10,000 B.C. then fanned out across the Americas.

5. Migration from Asia  The Indians who crossed the land bridge were hunter-gatherers who migrated south following animal herds.  Some travelled as far south as the southern tip of South American.

6. Native American Culture Shift  Native Americans eventually shifted from nomadic hunter- gatherers to farming people.  They learned how breed animals, farm, and grow plants.  Maize was one of their most important early crops.  Farming allowed groups to settle and create civilizations.

7. Aspects of a Civilization  Cities  Well organized government  Social classes  Complex religion  Method of record keeping

8. South American Societies  Olmec  Maya  Aztec  Inca

9. Olmec  Earliest known American civilization founded 1200 BC.  Trade helped spread their culture throughout the Americas.  Built the first pyramids in the Americas and sculpted large stone heads.

11. Mayans  Grew maize and other crops like the Olmecs.  Began building large cities by 200 A.D.  The Mayans had a 365 day calendar and the concept of zero.  There were priests, nobles, warriors, government officials, laborers, and slaves in Mayan society.  Their civilization began to collapse in the 900s, but historians are not sure why.

14. Aztecs  Warring society with superior military ability.  Built their empire buy conquering towns and making alliances which allowed them to expand their trade network in the mid 1100s.  In 1325 they founded Tenochtitlan (modern day Mexico City).  The Aztec were rich in cotton, gold, and food from trade and tribute from conquered peoples.

17. Inca  The Incas began expanding in the mid 1400s.  Eventually the empire had more than 12 million people in it.  Strong central government with a king as the ruler.  Records were kept with a system of knotted strings called quipu because they did not have a written language.  Large system of buildings and paved roads allowed the Incas to communicate and control their vast empire.

20. Assignment  Using the textbook and the handout, discuss some of the similarities between the Olmecs, Mayas, and Aztecs.  Section 1 Assessment, question 3.  I will have a link to an article on my website. Tonight you should read the article and then explain if you think the Olmecs were the mother culture of the Americas or just a sister culture. Explain by giving examples from the article.