1520, 150,000 people5 square milesDiaz del Castillo “Gazing on such we did not

know what to say, or whether what appeared before us was real, for on one side, on the land, there great cities, and in the lake ever many more, and the lake was crowded with canoes, and in the causeway were many bridges at intervals, and in front of us stood the great city of Mexico.”

Neil A. Maxwell Center: "to date neither the record itself nor the Lord through his prophets has revealed its New World setting in terms that permit conclusive linkages to modern-day locales."

http://farms.byu.edu/display/topical.php?cat_id=62

Connected? Is it World History?Early Civilizations are found in Mesoamerica

and the Andes of South AmericaPostclassical-Mayan Civ. And later Mayan-

Toltec Civ.C14th Aztec Empire takes power

Immigrated from the north and other parts of Mexico

Remained powerful through the C15thC14th the Inca Empire takes power

1. Emphasis on corn and potatoes—created large population and impressive cities by the 14th and 15th centuries

2. Extensive Trade Networks—3. Art and Science4. Territorial expansion along with cultural

and economic development

1. Charles Mann recently charged world historians of leaving pre-1492 America out of World History

2. No effective contacts w/the rest of the world, which created vulnerabilities once contact was made

3. Lacked certain technology: horse, metal weapons, the wheel

4. Domesticated animals, such as cows5. Lack of contact caused disease vulnerability6. Easily superseded by European and African contact7. Did anyone contact America before 1492? Why

didn’t it help?

1. Divine Rulers: Inca Empire and Ancient Egypt

2. After 1492, American culture was not obliterated

1. Traces of earlier artistic impulses2. Polytheistic religion3. Aspects of local village organization and

agriculture

3. Limited legacy-most American culture was changed to a point of no recognition or replaced

Fits well into World History patterns1.Agriculture and Ironworking

1. Great Bantu Migrations, movement westward 2. Development of the African language groups

2.Early Civ. Focused on the Nile region1. Kush and Aksum, following Ethiopian state2. Connected to patterns in the Middle East

1. Two centers1. Swahili belt, Indian Ocean coast, mix of Arab-

African2. Sub-Saharan West Africa (Sudanic)

1. Polytheistic and relationship to nature2. Divinity of major rulers3. Extended family relationships, connections

with deceased family4. African identity does exist

1. Islam and Christianity manipulated their long lasting traditions

2. Both major kingdoms (Sudanic and Swahili) highly affected by Islam

3. Outside of Sudanic and Swahili belt Islam had little affect

1. Active contact with World power centers2. Still maintained a separate sphere of existence3. Western Europe is comparable

1. Significant kingdom(s)2. Commercial centers linked to Mediterranean and

Middle East3. Both simulated other economies

4. 200 years later1. Europe was exploring the world by ship2. African kingdoms did not exhibit similar outreach

5. 1450 Changes Europe and Africa