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Chapter 6 Civilizations of the Americas Prehistory – A.D. 1570 Chapter 6, Section 1 Civilizations of Mesoamerica Geography of the Americas Geography of the Americas About 12,000 years ago, people migrated across the Bering land bridge Probably followed herds of game across the bridge Some may have paddled to the land now known as Alaska About 10,000 B.C. global warming took place...the bridge disappeared and people migrated throughout the Americas Regions of Americas North America Middle or Mesoamerica South America Adapting to New Environments Latin America consists of Mesoamerica and South America Very diverse land Sierra Madre and Andes Mountains (very high) • These create geographic isolation Other plains and highlands found throughout Amazon River...4,000 miles long Dense rain forests Climate of Americas The area of the early civilizations was located in tropical climate Very warm Very wet Civilization Arises with the Olmecs From around 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C. the Olmecs established the first American civilization Little is known about the Olmecs They did not build true cities but pyramid shaped temples People would come from nearby villages for ceremonies Common people lived in surrounding villages The Olmecs Most intriguing sign of the Olmec were the carved heads...huge stones that weighed as much as 40 tons The Olmecs established a social system that spread throughout Mesoamerica Influenced later civilizations such as the Maya The Olmecs Were the earliest American civilization Had powerful priests and aristocrats at the top of society Built ceremonial centers Spread influence through trade Introduced tradition of priestly leadership and religious devotion Maya Build Widespread Civilization By 300 B.C. the Maya had built large cities, such as El Mirador in Guatemala By 250 B.C. the Maya GOLDEN AGE (known as the Classic Period) began City states flourished from the Yucatan Peninsula in Southern Mexico through Central America Mayan Agriculture Thrives The Maya were able to sustain large populations by creating their own farmland The Mayas lived in swampy areas...as a result they built elevated land and farmed it These elevated fields would catch and hold water A system of canals allowed them to regulate the water Powerful City – States Emerge Mayan civilization was dominated by a series of city-states Cities were populated by up to 50,000 Large pyramid temples dominated the city Used for sacrifice and ritual Some were tombs for kings Largest Mayan city was Tikal Mayan cities developed roads and trade networks between one another Mayan Government and Society city – state had its own ruler (usually a male) Nobles served many functions to support the ruler such as: Each Military leaders Public works managers Tax collectors Law enforcers Mayan Government and Society Merchants formed the middle class of Mayan society Wealthiest merchants were nobles Majority of Mayans were farmers who grew: Maize Beans Squash Fruit Trees Cotton Mayan Religion Polytheistic All good, bad and forces of nature were determined by the gods Human sacrifice was a staple part of the Mayan religion Blood was offered up to the gods Most sacrificed victims were taken in battle Competing royalty were especially pleasing Sacrifices took place on the pyramid temples Mayan Religion High priests practiced daily rituals to keep the gods happy High priests and royalty would also take their own blood in search of messages Ritual ball game was played and the priests would look for signs from the gods Losers were sacrificed Mayan Achievements Great architecture System of writing Great astronomers Most accurate calendar in the world at that time Priests used messages from the stars to interpret the gods wishes 365 days Developed a number system and understood the concept of zero Mayan Decline Historians are not 100% sure as to why Mayan civilization declined Mayan cities were abandoned Possibly overpopulated or the land was over farmed Possible peasant revolts Signs from the gods Today, millions of Mayan descendants continue the practice of Mayan culture Aztec Empire Forms Long after the Mayan decline, the Aztec built and advanced civilization to the north and west (present day Mexico City) beginning around 1200 Came from the north (Chechemecs) and learned from the Toltecs (who had learned from the Mayans) Aztecs Settle in Mexico Valley Built great capital city of Tenochtitlan One king ruled the Aztec empire (unlike the Maya) Goal was to conquer and take prisoners Rulers of conquered areas were left in place but did not have supreme rule Conquered areas had to pay taxes Aztec Society Aztec Religion Polytheistic Practiced daily sacrifice to please the gods Believed that the god Quetzalcoatl would one day return from across the seas to rule the Aztec Aztec Society Tenochtitlan...capital city of the Aztec Empire Largest city in the world by 1500...between 150,000-200,000 people Located on an island Built elevated land to farm Marked by huge pyramid in the center of the city Busy markets Aztec Knowledge Expands We know a lot about the Aztecs because they wrote books about themselves The Aztecs educated both boys and girls Boys studied skills in war Girls studied homemaking skills (women had rights in Aztec civilization) Achievements of Aztecs Built schools and recorded historical events Advanced medical practices (could set bones) Architecture...Tenochtitlan was a superior city Built floating farm land Review The first American civilization was established by which of the following? 1) A B C D Olmecs Incas Aztecs Indians The reason we know so much about Aztec culture is because… 2) A B C D Mr. Herthum is friends with them They called on the phone Historians guessed about everything They wrote books about themselves Chapter 6, Section 2 Andean Cultures of South America Culture Develops in Andes First cultures of South America developed in the Andean Region Andean Region includes a variety of climates and terrains This narrow coastal plain is a dry, lifeless desert crossed by occasional rivers The Andes Mountains are further inland which are covered with snow Incas The Incas were the most powerful of the Andean civilizations Came into power around 1100 They stood out as the premier civilization for 300 years Incan Geography Farther south than the Mayan and Aztec Empires, the Inca established a large empire in South America This empire stretched 2,500 miles in the valleys of the Andes Mountains Incan Farming Fed a population of around 9 million people Built complex irrigation systems that channeled water out of the mountains reservoirs Used terrace farming Used fertilizer Produced corn, potatoes, and beans Incan Religion Polytheistic Paid most worship to the Sun God Offered up gifts of sacrifice to the sun god Most often food or llamas Occasionally would sacrifice humans Mummified their leaders Believed that they were immortal Incan Government Ruled by an absolute ruler (Sapa Inca) Claimed to be divine...son of the sun Coya was the queen and served when Sapa was away He owned everything Lived in splendor...everything around him was gold Never wore the same clothes Governed from Cuzco...the capital Incan Government Complex system of officials who carried out government Had strict control over the people Everyone had to work for the government at some point Incan Bureaucracy Incan Roads One of the great road systems in history Wound 12,000 miles uniting all of the Incan Empire Bridges, steps, and tunnels were constructed More impressive than the Roman system of roads Runners (chasqui) were at stations to carry messages quickly Incan Roads The advanced system could carry a message as quickly as 200 miles per day Armies could be notified quickly to crush rebellions Roads were for official use only Incan Roads Incan Records •Incans did not have a system of writing •They kept records with a series of knotted colored strings and ropes known as quipu •Believed to have noted dates, population records and harvest records Incan Achievements Complex road system Terrace farming Record keeping through the use of quipus Surgery Used herbs for antiseptics and anesthesia Review 1) Who was prohibited from using the roads of the Incan empire? a) b) c) d) the army messengers ordinary people the Sapa Inca 2) Who controlled harvests in the Incan empire? a) b) c) d) farmers government officials priests soldiers Chapter 6, Section 3 Peoples of North America Hohokam Farm in the Desert Since 300 B.C. farmers have been using the land in present day Arizona These farms were planted by people called Hohokam or “Vanished Ones” They built a complex irrigation system with several canals These canals carried water to fields as far as several miles away Hohokam people left their land during the 1400’s Puebloans Build in America Present day Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah was known as the Four Corners Ancestral Puebloans built villages here around 100 A.D. Between 1150 A.D. and 1300 A.D. the Ancestral Puebloans built their famous cliff residences Cliff residences housing complexes on cliffs Drought hurts Puebloans Late 1200’s long drought forced the Ancestral Puebloans to leave their dwellings Attacks by the Navajos and Apaches (people from the North) may have contributed to their leaving as well Many Ancestral Puebloans traditions survived among several groups of people that followed them Cultures Develop in the East Mississippians Build Bigger Peoples who lived in the Mississippi area built large cities and ceremonial centers Cahokia, greatest Mississippian center, (present day Illinois), housed about 20,000 people Natchez Carry on Traditions Mississippians left no written records and their cities disappeared after Europeans arrived Their traditions survived with the Natchez people Society was divided into castes (highest caste – called Suns) The Inuits 2000 B.C. Inuits (AKA Eskimos) settled in northern Canada They adapted to cold Arctic climate Lived in small bands of people who hunted and fished together Seals and other mammals provided food, skins for clothing, bones for needles and tools, and oil for cooking Potlach Ceremony that was practiced in Canada and NW coast of America (still done today) Person of high rank and wealth distributes lavish gifts to a large number of guests By accepting the gifts, the guests acknowledge the host’s high status within society Iroquois Join Together Northeast was home to several Native American groups Iroquois language was very popular Iroquois League: Alliance of five groups Mohawk Oneida Onondaga Cayuga Seneca Review Housing complexes on cliffs are known as? 1) A B C D Cliff complexes Cliff residences Cliff homes Cliff Jones Potlach is known as which of the following? 2) A B C D Ceremony where all people pay tribute to the rich Ceremony where all people pay taxes Ceremony where all people give to the poor Ceremony where the wealthy distribute gifts to guests