Download - Meso-American Notes
The Olmec
The 1st civilization of Mesoamerica Located on the hot and swampy
lowlands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico
They had large cities that were centers of religious rituals
They carved colossal stone heads May have been to represent their ancestors,
rulers, or gods.
Meso-America
Mesoamerica was home to 3 major civilizations in Pre-Columbian times.
Pre-Columbian means before the time of exploration (think before Columbus)
The 3 highly developed civilizations were:MayansAztecs Incas
I. Geography & Economy
Settled in modern Guatemala, Honduras
Located in dense rainforest-farming difficult
Yucatan Peninsula Successfully farmed using
Slash-and-burn agriculture, irrigation
Corn, squash, beans
II. Government
different city-states ruled by kings Not one unified empire Linked by cultural and political ties
Built immense city-states (Tikal, Chichen Itza)Cities-Were built around a central pyramidPyramid was topped with a shrine to the gods.
All cities were abandoned around 900 CE for unknown reasons
Society
Upper class- priests, nobles, warriorsEveryone else- peasants who taxes to
the king (corn)No rights for women
IV. Religion
Center of Mayan life2 levels of existence: Physical daily life and
spiritual world Kings performed rituals and ceremonies
Human sacrificing! Polytheistic
III. Achievements
A. Architecture1. Known for step-pyramids2. Pyramid at Tikal is 130 ft high
B. Astronomy1. Had exact knowledge of moon phases2. Able to predict sun and moon eclipses
Achievements cont.
C. Ball Game1. Played by many
Central American civilizations
2. Had both religious and recreational purposes
3. Losing coach sacrificed to gods
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_d6R4IvDuU
Achievements cont.
D. Calendars1. Religious obsession
with time2. Used interlocking
cycles of time3. Calendar restarts
every Long Cycle. The last on 12/21/12 and the next 9/6/3114
Achievements cont.
F. Writing1. Developed
complete writing system
2. Represented ideas and objects
3. Hieroglyphics
Origins
Early Aztecs were hunters and warriors who moved from N. into central Mexico
They were considered vulgar by other city-state because of the religious ways (we will talk about this)
Forced to flee to Lake TexcocoDivine Prophecy: Settle where you see
an eagle sitting on a cactus and holding a snake in its beak>>> Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan
Capital city in 1345 CEIt was built on an island on a lake (Lake
Texcoco) Modern day Mexico City
Clean! Gardens, baths, temples fill the city
About 80,00-25000 people at its height in 1500
Tenochtitlan- city on a lake
Mexico’s flag: Eagle on a cactus with a snake in beak (divine prophecy)
Adaptations to environment
They expanded land through chinampas, or man-made islands! These became floating gardens in which they could
grow a variety of crops, including corns and beans.
Population grew- people moved outside to the mainland Created canals, dams, and aqueducts to improve
trade and transportation and to keep the mainland connected to the capital city.
Economy
Agriculture- Chinampas Bustling markets-bartered (food, straw
mats, cloth, luxury items, like feathers)Sometimes cocoa beans were used as
currency
Religion
Polytheistic Used pyramidsFelt that life was uncertain, everyone
was at the mercy of nature godsNeeded to please the gods through
human sacrificing Waited for a god to return to earth
Human Sacrificing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQKJRnPpIxw
Achievements
Capital city Strict legal system
Used the death penalty
Education for Aztec children Gold and silver jewelry Calendars: 360 days- helped them plan
farming and activites 365 days- solar calendar 18 months (20 days each, and then 5 extra days)
Decline
Conquered by the Spanish conquistidor- Cortez
The Aztecs were “unpopular” with their neighbors--- They kidnapped them for human sacrifices! Some of these neighbors (along with a few
unhappy Aztecs) helped lead explores to and defeat the Aztecs
The Inca Empire
1200-1500 CE
Modern Day: Peru, N. Chile, parts of Columbia, Ecuador, Bolvia, Argentina
I. Life in the Andes
A. By 1500, Incans ruled on of the largest empires of the era
B. Empire stretched 2,500 miles down almost entire length of Andes Mountains
C. Rainless, coastal deserts; high mountains; rain forest
D. Important cities: Cuzco, capital Machu Picchu
II. Government
Emperor- absolute power
Direct rule arranged marriages Passes for travel Controlled harvest Conquered people
forced to adopt Incan ways
III. Expansion
A. Carefully planned and administered empires in Americas
B. Pachacuti – leader who helped expand the Empire
C. Incan leaders would conquer neighboring groups- they learned to speak official language—Quecha
D. By 1525, lots of infighting made them vulnerable to attack by Spanish
Pachacuti– https://youtu.be/sNz9phB27xU
II. Agriculture- terrace farming
A. Effective farming was key to huge Inca Empire
B. Terrace farming, straightening rivers, filling or draining marshes for farmland
C. Potatoes and quinoa!
IV. Roads and Bridges
A. Built 2 main roadsone along Pacific Coast—2520 miles longone along Andes—3,250 miles long; up to 17,000 feet high
B. Suspension Bridges- mountain travel
V. Gold
A. Gold “sweat of the sun”
B. King owned all the gold that was mined and panned in empire
C. Gold decoration and jewelry
Decline
Inca The Spanish arrived 1531
Defeated by the Spanish conquistador Pizarro
https://youtu.be/pM-igYjn6E4
Why were the Spanish able to defeat the Aztec and Inca?
Superior weapons Rebels provided the
Spanish with allies Cultural traditions
blinded the Aztec and Inca to the real motives behind the Spanish
Disease killed up to 80 percent of the Aztec and Inca populations (key leaders and soldiers)