Early Americans

Why was Mesoamerica’s geography ideal for farming? Rich volcanic soil Mild climate Seasonal rains

How did the first Americans develop corn? Cross bred with other grasses Bigger cobs More cobs/plant

Southwest Hohokam- planted gardens between Salt

and Gila rivers, dug more than 500 miles of canals to carry water, pottery

Anasazi- lived in canyons and cliffs in New Mexico, controlled turquoise (used like money)

East Mississippi River Valley Mound builders- Adena & Hopwell settled areas

from Great lakes to Gulf Coast built large mounds to honor dead

Primarily hunters and gatherers Misisipians replaced Hopwells, lived from Ohio

to Gulf Coast Farmed corn squash and beans As many as 30,000 people Built earthen mounds that covered up to 16

acres and 100’ high

How did geography shape the development of Anasazi tribe? Lived in hot dry regions of SW U.S. Lived in apartment style homes carved

into cliffs Collected rainwater that ran off cliffs

How did Pachacuti maintain his empire? Set up strong central government Allowed local leaders to stay in control Required people to speak the Incan

language, Quechua Built roadways that covered over 25,000

miles

People of Far North Inuit Seal, walrus, whale, caribou, and polar

bear

How and why did the Mayan study geography? By observing the skies Believe gods revealed their plans in the

heavens Helped them plan when to plant crops Created calendar to help predict

movements Helped schedule religious festivals,

plantings, and harvests

How did the Aztec find and build their capital city? According to legend, found after they

sacrificed a local princess Princess’s father swore revenge and

Aztecs fled Reached Lake Texcoco Saw a good omen and decided top

settle in area…. Eagle on perch of cactus tree, torn snake apart and screamed

Inca job requirement? Made everyone accountable for a task

to ensure …12 job categories Even young children Good or bad? Instill good work ethic

Mayan Lived in Central America in present day

Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize

Settled in a swampy area with sinkholes and underground rivers

Very organized gov’t Set up city-states ruled separately and had

own army Leadership passed from one King to the next

Mayan Rulers claimed to be descended from

the sun. (Egypt) Human sacrifice to keep gods happy…

often conquered people God’s controlled al areas of life (Egypt &

Greece) Aliance through marriage in other city

states

Mayan Science Priests were revered for their knowledge

of movements of heavenly bodies 365 day calendar to plan plantings and

harvests

Mayan writing Developed written language Counting based on 20 System of hieroglyphics- symbols

represented sounds words or ideas

Aztec Warlike nomads arrived in Mexico in 1250 believed in feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl…

saw owen eagle eating serpent City of Tenochtitlan- lace of the prickly pear

cactus Dreamed of conquest and wealth Extortion of conquered people through

tribute

Aztec Kings claimed they were descendants of

gods Council of warriors, priests, and nobles

picked kings from the royal family Wanted warrior kings

Aztec King, nobles, commoners, unskilled

laborers, slaves Commoners formed largest group…

farmers, artisans, and traders Could join noble class for bravery in war boys taught glories of war (Sparta) Girls were taught their place is in the

home

Pachuti- The Incas EARTHSHAKER Built largest empire around 1438…

stretched 2500 miles Strong central gov’t Local leaders maintained control People required to speak Quechua Road system that stretched 25,000

miles

Inca Rarely honored gods with human

sacrifice Only in times of trouble…preferred

children Built large stone buildings… Machu

Picchu Did not use mortar so building could

shift with earthquakes and tremors

People of Far North Arrived around 3,000 BCE after ice age

by boat Inuits- lived in igloos Hunters- seals, walruses, caribou, and

polar bear Used blubber from seals and whale to

power lamp…also calorie dense

West Coast Tlingit, Haida, and Chinook Used car to build homes and canoes Otters, seals, whales, and salmon Heavily populate because of abundance

of food

Southwest Hopi, Acoma, Pueblo, and Zuni knew

how to farm the dryland…dug irrigation canals

Made homes, called adobes, from brick Later groups include the Apache and

Navajo after 1500

Eastern Woodlands Farming, hunting, and fishing Mild climate and long growing season Tribes like the Natchez and Cherokee set

up set up strict social classes and law codes

Iroquois League Confederation of Onondaga, Seneca,

Mohawk, Onenida, Cayuga End fighting Created law code called the Great Peace Women selected members of council Alliance against non members