Download Pre-Colombian Civilization and the Explorers

PRE-COLOMBIAN CIVILIZATION
AND THE EXPLORERS
APRIL 15, 2014
CODEX PROJECT
• TODAY, WE WILL BEGIN BUILDING A CODEX FOR OUR LAST UNIT
• TYPE OF BOOKLET
• MAYANS USED CODEX BOOKLETS TO RECORD THEIR HISTORY
• THIS WILL BE COMPLETED ONE SECTION AT A TIME
• TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON PART ONE
• FRONT COVER
• FIRST TWO INSIDE PAGES-MAP OF NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA ON FIRST PAGE,
MAP OF SOUTH AMERICA ON SECOND PAGE
• MAPS MUST BE COLORED- WATER COLORED BLUE AND A DIFFERENT COLOR FOR EACH
COUNTRY
• CAREFULLY CUT AND PASTE INTO CODEX.
First Americans
• Scientists believe that the first people came to America across a “land bridge” between Asia
and Alaska.
• “Land Bridge” existed because of the Ice Age-much of the earth’s water froze into huge
glaciers. This caused the sea levels to fall and exposed the land between Asia and Alaska
• Scientists theorize that people from Asia crossed the “land bridge” when the animal herds
that they hunted crossed.
• When the earth warmed, the ice melted and the sea levels rose; the “land bridge” then
disappeared
First Americans
• First American societies are believed to be hunter-gatherers
• Hunted, fished, and gathered nuts, fruits, and roots.
• Were constantly on the move in search of food
• This would eventually lead them to venture further south-according to the scientists’
theories, this is what eventually leads to the settlement of Central and South America
• Eventually these hunter-gatherer groups learned how to farm, basically through trial
and error.
First Americans
• Eventually more sophisticated civilizations would arise
• Meso-American Civilizations (Mesoamerica means middle America)
• Olmec-centered around Vera Cruz, Mexico, trading empire
• Maya-in the rain forests of the Yucatan Peninsula. Also had extensive trade
• Aztec- fierce warrior people
• Inca-west coast of South America
• North American Civilizations
• Hohakam and Anasazi- farming in US Southwest
• “Mound Builders”-east of Mississippi River
• Mississippians- Mississippi River valley
First Americans
• Response Paragraph(s): Please respond to the following questions. Your final
draft will go in your codex (page 4). I will check these on Tuesday, April 22.
• What was America like before the arrival of Europeans
• How did the arrival of Europeans impact the Americas (land, natives, etc.)?
Codex Project
• Following Mr. Buzzard’s instructions, carefully add the next section to your codex.
• You will post your response to the “America before Columbus questions on page 4.
• On page 5 you will create an illustration of the Mayan people or culture.
• You may use your textbook or an appropriate and approved web source for inspiration.
Mayan Review Questions
•
Let’s review what you have learned about the Maya:
• What happened to the Mayans?
• Who were the first Europeans to discover the ruins of ancient Mayan cities?
• What was unique about what Stevens believed about the origins of the Mayans?
• Who was Diego De Landa? Is he revered or reviled? Why?
• What was the traditional view of the Mayans—were they viewed as peaceful or
warlike?
• When and why did this view of the Maya change?
Mayan Culture Response
• What was Mayan culture based upon?
• Why did Mayan culture fall?
The Incas
• Incan homeland was the Andes mountain ranges of present day Peru along the west coast of South
America.
• Farmed the land using irrigation and fertilizers. Cut terraces into the steep slopes to create level
farmland
• Herded llama as cattle.
• These food sources allowed the Inca to build and support large cities
• Over time, the Incas built the largest empire in the ancient Americas
• Stretched north to south about 2500 miles
• Capital city of the Incan empire was Cuzco
• Greatest ruler of the Incas was Pachacuti- “Earthshaker”
• Set up a strong central government, but let local rulers stay in power
• To ensure the loyalty of local rulers, he took their sons to Cuzco for training
• Required people to learn Quechua, the language of the Incas
• Designed a system of roads for travel and trade, covering some 25,000 miles
The Incas
• Read “An Organized Society” on page 588
• Explain the structure and importance of each level of Incan society
• Read “What was Incan Culture Like?” on page 588
• Name at least 3 features of Incan culture and explain the significance or uniqueness of each
feature.
Incan Culture Response
• For your Incan Response, please respond to the following:
• Explain the basic organization of Incan society
• Choose a minimum of 2 things about Incan culture. For each, write a
paragraph explaining what it is, what role it played in Incan culture, and
why you find it interesting.
• You also need to have 1illustration of Incan culture for your codex.
The Aztec
• The Aztec people are probably the most famous of all Native American people.
• Fierce Warriors whose home was the heart of Meso-America—present day Mexico City
• Originally were a nomadic people in search of homeland, didn’t arrive in the Valley of Mexico until around 1250 A.D.
• Aztecs were not accepted by the other tribes in the area, because of their brutality and warlike nature
• Eventually were given a snake-infested island in the middle of a lake. The hopes of the other tribes was that
the deadly snakes would destroy the Aztecs.
• Instead, the Aztecs conquered the snakes and the land and created one of the greatest empires in America
• Read pages 586-587 “Life in the Aztec Empire-” Explain the basic structure of Aztec society
• Read pages 586-587
• Draw an illustration of the structure of Aztec society
• Explain the duties and responsibilities of each level of society
• Also explain the privileges each level of society had
Aztec Response
• Imagine that you are a citizen of the Aztec Empire during the height
of its power. What is life like for you? What are some things you like?
What are some things you dislike?
• Choose at least two features of Aztec culture. Explain what they are,
what place they held in Aztec society, how they were used, and why
you find this interesting.
EUROPEANS EXPLORE THE AMERICAS
• REASONS FOR EUROPEAN EXPLORATION
• BY 1400S, SEVERAL STRONG KINGDOMS HAD DEVELOPED IN WESTERN EUROPE
• THESE KINGDOMS GOT THEIR WEALTH AND POWER THROUGH TRADE WITH THE EAST
• COMPETITION DEVELOPED AMONG EUROPEAN NATIONS TO CONTROL TRADE
• MUSLIM KINGDOMS HAD GAINED CONTROL OF THE SILK ROAD. TRADE WITH THE EAST MEANT HAVING TO
PAY MUSLIM KINGDOMS FOR THE RIGHT TO TRADE AND TRAVEL THROUGH THEIR TERRITORY
• AS EUROPEAN NATIONS BECAME STRONGER AND WEALTHIER, THEY BEGAN FINANCING SEA EXPEDITIONS TO
FIND A SEA ROUTE TO ASIA-AROUND THE MUSLIM MIDDLEMEN
• THE FIRST EUROPEAN NATION TO DO THIS WAS PORTUGAL, WHICH BEGAN EXPLORING AND MAPPING
AFRICA’S COAST IN A BID TO GO AROUND AFRICA TO ASIA
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
• MOST EUROPEANS BELIEVED THE EARTH WAS FLAT AND THAT IF YOU
SAILED TOO FAR, YOU WOULD FALL OFF THE EDGE OF THE EARTH
• CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS WAS AN ITALIAN SEA CAPTAIN WHO BELIEVED HE
COULD FIND A WAY TO ASIA (INDIA) BY SAILING WEST ACROSS THE
ATLANTIC
• MOST EUROPEAN MONARCHS REJECTED THE IDEA AS FOOLISH
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
• SPAIN’S RULERS AGREED TO FINANCE A RELATIVELY SMALL (ONLY 3 SHIPS)
EXPEDITION-POSSIBLY BECAUSE SPAIN HAD JUST ENDED THE “RECONQUISTA”
(WAR TO DRIVE MUSLIMS OUT OF SPAIN) AND NEEDED THE WEALTH A SUCCESSFUL
EXPEDITION COULD BRING IN TO OFFSET ITS WAR EXPENSES.
• CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS WOULD EVENTUALLY MAKE LANDFALL ON THE ISLAND
OF HISPANIOLA (HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC) IN THE CARIBBEAN SEA.
HIS SUCCESS WOULD SPARK A MAD RUSH OF EUROPEAN EXPLORATION AND
DOMINATION OF THE AMERICAS