Download The Americas

The Americas
40,000 B.C. – 1500 A.D.
Inhabiting the Americas
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Beringia land bridge
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1st inhabitants came over
somewhere between 40,000
and 10,000 B.C.
Sea Route (?)
Hunter-gatherer society
Farming begins ~7,000 B.C.
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~3,400 B.C. beginning use of
maize (corn)
Complex societies begin in
Mesoamerica ~3,000 B.C.
Olmec
1200 – 200 B.C.
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Gulf coast of modern day Mexico
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Civilization in the jungles
Cities of San Lorenzo and La Vesta have been
discovered
Olmec Society
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Olmec art (huge, heavy
sculptures)
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Pages 244 – 245
Olmec Pyramids
Jaguar Spirit Worship
Olmec Society fall apart
~200 B.C.
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Replaced by Zapotec
civilization
Olmec Art and Architecture
Olmec Legacy
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Influenced later groups
(i.e. Mayans)
Olmec art
Olmec urban design
Planned ceremony
centers
Elite Ruling Class
North American Socities
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Variety of different societies
unique to climate and
geographic regions
Pueblo peoples of the
southwest (Anasazi and
Hohokam)
Mound Builders of southeast
(Mississippian and Hopewell)
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Cahokia largest city
Northeastern alliance (Iroquois)
Trade networks and common
traits connect North American
tribes
Pueblo Peoples
Mississippian Culture
Mayan
200 B.C. – 900 A.D.
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Yucatan Peninsula
Individual city-states led by
a god-king
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Large pyramids, temples,
palaces
Cities of 10,000 or more
people
Ritualistic ball games
Trade linked Mayan
civilization
Sophisticated farmers
Mayan Culture
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Social classes
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Religion
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Noble class, Merchants,
Peasants
Polytheistic
Prayed to, self-mutilated, and
human sacrifice to appease
the gods
Written Language
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800 glyphs that represent
words or syllables
Codex – bark-paper books
Mayan Culture (cont.)
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Math
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Astronomy
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Advanced due to religious interest in the
stars
Calendar
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Advanced system, based on 20
Concept of zero (one of two cultures to
develop)
Incredibly accurate (copied by other
American civilizations)
260 day religious calendar mixed with a
365 day solar calendar
Civilization fades starting in the 8th
century A.D.
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Invasion by Toltec, over population,
warfare between city-states
Page 449
Aztec
1200 A.D. – 1500s
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Many cultures develop in the Valley of
Mexico (near modern day Mexico City)
Aztec take over and merge with two
other large cultures (Texcoco &
Tlacopan)
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Tenochtitlan
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Triple Alliance
Planned city of over 150,000
Streets, causeways, floating gardens,
center of trade
Aztec Empire
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38 provences
5 – 15 million people
Loose control if local leaders paid tributes
Aztec Society
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Classes
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Religion
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Over 1000 gods (Quetzalcoatl)
Human sacrifice
Montezuma II
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Nobles
Commoners (merchants, skilled labor,
land owners)
Enslaved
Demanded higher tributes, led to
rebellion
Spanish arrive
Page 458
Inca
1400 – 1532 A.D.
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Andes Mountains (Peru, Bolivia)
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Capitol city of Cuzco
Built empire off of previous cultures of the
Chavin, Moche, and Nazcu
Leaders believed to be a descendent of
the sun god Inti
Reached peak under Pachacuti (1438 –
1473)
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2,500 mile long empire w/ up to 16 million
people
Gained loyalty of conquered people
Efficient economy
Road system
Official language (Quechua)
Incan Culture
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Government System
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14,000 mile road system and other public works
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Government controlled economy
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Provided care of elderly and disabled
No written language, but did have quipus to keep track of
number records
Religion
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Ayllu (community cooperation) early form of socialism
Welfare state
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Chasquis = running messengers (postal system)
Polytheistic
Civil War and Spanish arrival
Page 463
Inca Road System