Cultures of Cultures of MesoamericaMesoamericaChapter 7.2Chapter 7.2
pp 203-210pp 203-210
The OlmecThe Olmec
The OlmecThe Olmec
1200 BC to 300 AD1200 BC to 300 AD ““mother culture” of mother culture” of
MesoamericaMesoamerica Built pyramids Built pyramids Had a calendar and Had a calendar and
writingwriting TradersTraders
The BallgameThe Ballgame
Olmec invented the Olmec invented the ballgameballgame
Many cities had a Many cities had a ballcourtballcourt
Cross between Cross between volleyball and volleyball and basketballbasketball
Later, losers were Later, losers were killedkilled
The Olmec HeadsThe Olmec Heads
8-10 feet tall8-10 feet tall 17 have been found 17 have been found
so farso far Could be portraits of Could be portraits of
rulersrulers
ZapotecZapotec
1500 BC to 750 AD1500 BC to 750 AD Southern MexicoSouthern Mexico farmersfarmers Capital: Monte AlbanCapital: Monte Alban
PyramidsPyramids BallcourtBallcourt ObservatoriesObservatories plazasplazas
ZapotecZapotec
Monte Alban
ToltecToltec
Central MexicoCentral Mexico 900-1200 AD900-1200 AD Capital : TulaCapital : Tula Trade centerTrade center MilitaristicMilitaristic Had pyramids and Had pyramids and
templestemples
MayaMaya
Began around Began around 1000 BC1000 BC
From Yucatan From Yucatan Peninsula to Peninsula to Guatemala, Guatemala, Honduras, and Honduras, and BelizeBelize
Mayan farmingMayan farming
Grew maize, beans, Grew maize, beans, squashsquash
Used slash-and-burn Used slash-and-burn agricultureagriculture Forest is cut down, Forest is cut down,
then burned to then burned to provide nutrients for provide nutrients for soilsoil
Mayan CitiesMayan Cities Chichen ItzaChichen Itza PalenquePalenque CopanCopan TulumTulum
Mayan citiesMayan cities
Each city was independentEach city was independent Had separate rulers and gov’tsHad separate rulers and gov’ts
Had large populationsHad large populations Traded with each otherTraded with each other Often at warOften at war
Mayan Science and MathMayan Science and Math
AstronomyAstronomy 365-day calendar with 365-day calendar with
leap yearsleap years Calculated Calculated
movements of planets movements of planets and starsand stars
MathMath First to use zeroFirst to use zero Base-20 mathBase-20 math
Mayan WritingMayan Writing
First to fully develop First to fully develop writingwriting
Used Used glyphsglyphs, or , or symbolssymbols
Records kept in bark-Records kept in bark-paper books called paper books called codexescodexes
Mayan ReligionMayan Religion
Creation myth in the Creation myth in the Popol VuhPopol Vuh Men made from maizeMen made from maize Hero twins – Hunahpu and Xbalanque – who Hero twins – Hunahpu and Xbalanque – who
become the sun and moonbecome the sun and moon
PolytheisticPolytheistic Practiced human sacrifice and ritual Practiced human sacrifice and ritual
bloodlettingbloodletting
Mayan declineMayan decline
Decline began Decline began around 900 AD around 900 AD WarfareWarfare DroughtDrought RebellionsRebellions Environmental Environmental
damagedamage
Maya communities Maya communities still exist todaystill exist today
AztecsAztecs Central MexicoCentral Mexico 1100s – 1500s1100s – 1500s Farmers and warriorsFarmers and warriors Capital: TenochtitlanCapital: Tenochtitlan
TenochtitlanTenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan built on Lake TexcocoTenochtitlan built on Lake Texcoco Prophecy told them to found a city where Prophecy told them to found a city where
they saw an eagle on a cactus eating a they saw an eagle on a cactus eating a snakesnake
One of the world’s largest cities – 200,000 One of the world’s largest cities – 200,000 peoplepeople
Farmed on Farmed on ChinampasChinampas, or “floating gardens”, or “floating gardens”
AztecsAztecs
Aztec EmpireAztec Empire
Formed an alliance with nearby citiesFormed an alliance with nearby cities TexcocoTexcoco TlacopanTlacopan
Demanded tribute, or tax, from Demanded tribute, or tax, from conquered tribesconquered tribes
Aztec CultureAztec Culture
Worshiped the gods Huitzilopochtli and Worshiped the gods Huitzilopochtli and QuetzlcoatlQuetzlcoatl
Practiced slavery and human sacrificePracticed slavery and human sacrifice ArtsArts
Gold, copper, jade, turquoise jewelry and Gold, copper, jade, turquoise jewelry and potterypottery
PoetryPoetry Glyph writing and calendarGlyph writing and calendar
Moctezuma IIMoctezuma II
Leader of Aztecs Leader of Aztecs when Cortes arriveswhen Cortes arrives
End of Aztec cultureEnd of Aztec culture
Aztecs conquered by Spaniards and Aztecs conquered by Spaniards and CortesCortes
Moctezuma killed – not sure howMoctezuma killed – not sure how Spanish aided by people conquered by Spanish aided by people conquered by
the Aztecsthe Aztecs
South American CulturesSouth American Cultures
ChavinChavin 900-200 BC900-200 BC PeruPeru Chavin de Huantar – ceremonial centerChavin de Huantar – ceremonial center
MocheMoche 400 BC to 600 AD400 BC to 600 AD Central PeruCentral Peru Skilled at metalworking and unusual potterySkilled at metalworking and unusual pottery
South American CulturesSouth American Cultures
NazcaNazca 200 BC to 600 AD200 BC to 600 AD Southern Peru – desert areaSouthern Peru – desert area Farmers – built irrigation canalsFarmers – built irrigation canals Famous for the Nazca Lines – geometric Famous for the Nazca Lines – geometric
shapes on the desert floorshapes on the desert floor
Nazca LinesNazca Lines What’s the purpose of the What’s the purpose of the
Nazca lines? No one is Nazca lines? No one is suresure RitualsRituals Astronomical?Astronomical? Signs for the gods?Signs for the gods?
IncasIncas
West coast of South West coast of South AmericaAmerica
1400s – 15721400s – 1572 Capital: CuzcoCapital: Cuzco
Inca EmpireInca Empire
Highly organized and efficientHighly organized and efficient Led by an emperorLed by an emperor Leaders of conquered people were Leaders of conquered people were
moved away to limit rebellionsmoved away to limit rebellions
Inca CultureInca Culture
Government distributed food and Government distributed food and supplies to all peoplesupplies to all people
Surplus was stored for emergenciesSurplus was stored for emergencies Built roads to connect the EmpireBuilt roads to connect the Empire Skilled engineers and metalworkersSkilled engineers and metalworkers Spoke Quechua- still spoken todaySpoke Quechua- still spoken today
Inca recordsInca records
No writingNo writing Inca recorded Inca recorded
population and taxes population and taxes using quipuusing quipu Colored and knotted Colored and knotted
cordscords The colors and type The colors and type
of knots represented of knots represented numbers and datesnumbers and dates
Incan leadersIncan leaders
Pachacuti – Pachacuti – expanded Incan expanded Incan kingdom to an kingdom to an EmpireEmpire Built city of Machu Built city of Machu
PicchuPicchu
Incan leadersIncan leaders
AtahualpaAtahualpa Last emperor of the Last emperor of the
IncasIncas Came to power after Came to power after
a civil war with his a civil war with his brotherbrother
Murdered by the Murdered by the SpanishSpanish
Tupac Amaru- last Tupac Amaru- last Incan emperorIncan emperor
Assignment: TimelineAssignment: Timeline
Create a timeline depicting when the various Create a timeline depicting when the various American cultures existed.American cultures existed. Moche- 400 BC – 600 ADMoche- 400 BC – 600 AD Hohokam – 300 BC – 1500 ADHohokam – 300 BC – 1500 AD Hopewell – 200 BC – 500 ADHopewell – 200 BC – 500 AD Olmec – 1200 BC – 300 ADOlmec – 1200 BC – 300 AD Maya – 1000 BC – 900 ADMaya – 1000 BC – 900 AD Aztec – 1100 – 1572 ADAztec – 1100 – 1572 AD Nazca – 200 BC – 600 ADNazca – 200 BC – 600 AD Inca – 1400 – 1532 ADInca – 1400 – 1532 AD
Assignment: Timeline Assignment: Timeline (cont.)(cont.)
Now, create an identical timeline Now, create an identical timeline underneath to compare other culturesunderneath to compare other cultures Golden Age of Greece – 500 – 323 BCGolden Age of Greece – 500 – 323 BC Roman Empire – 27 BC – 476 ADRoman Empire – 27 BC – 476 AD Birth of Christ – 0 Birth of Christ – 0 1096 AD – the first Crusade1096 AD – the first Crusade 221 BC – Great Wall of China is started221 BC – Great Wall of China is started 1250 BC – Ramses the Great rules Egypt1250 BC – Ramses the Great rules Egypt