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Mesoamerican Civilizations
MAYA, OLMEC, AZTEC, INCA
Migration to the Americas
A small land bridge
between Siberia and
Alaska, Beringia, which is
now the Bering Strait, is
the most popular theory.
Slowly people migrated
south through the
Americas, adapting to
new climates and
adjusting to a new way of
life
Lifestyle Changes
A shift from hunter/gather life to farming and
cultivating plants
Farming and Animal Domestication
ANIMALS
PLANTS
Llamas
Beans
Dogs
Sweet Potatoes
Turkeys
Peppers
Stingless Bees
Maize
Squash
Tomatoes
The Olmecs
The Olmec
The mother civilization
Around 1200 BC-400BC
Known for their use of stone in architecture as well
as in sculpture
Very little else is known about them
The Olmec
Civilization was located In what is Mexico today,
along the Gulf of Mexico
San Lorenzo, La Ventana, Tres Zapotes
The Olmec
Don’t know where they came from
Evidence suggests a powerful class of nobles and
priests were at the top of society
Through artwork and and found temples
Mesoamerican Ball Game
Thought to be originally developed by Olmec and
spread through region.
Ball courts were often “I” shaped.
Big, heavy, solid rubber ball used
Mesoamerican Ball Game
Most accounts of the game state only hips, knees,
and elbows were allowed to move the ball.
Object was to score ball thru hoop.
At the end of the game, losing teams captain was
sacrificed to the gods
Great honor bestowed upon the winner
People regularly placed bets on the outcomes
Mayan Society
Settled Yucatan Peninsula in Central America
Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize
Mayan Empire
Broken into City-States
Each had its own theocratic ruler.
Mayan Empire
Tikal
Largest Mayan city
Surrounded by 5 pyramids
Mayan Architecture
Built large pyramids
Temples rested at the top
of the pyramids
Temples were used for
government and religious
purposes
Built canals to control
flow of water through the
city
Large public squares
Mayan Religion
Polytheistic
Practiced human sacrifice
Human blood major source of nourishment for the Gods
Priests believed Gods were visible in the stars, sun,
and moon
Mayan Writing
Created a writing system using
hieroglyphics
Mayan Math
Invented a counting system
Allowed them to easily maintain their inventory,
especially when it came to their crops
Also very useful for trade
Mayan Calendar
Two major types of calendars
Religious (Tzolkin) and Solar (Haab)
Every 52 years the calendars would start on the same
day
3rd historical calendar
Long count calendar
Haab’ Calendar
Solar calendar
18 months/ 20 days per month
360 day total
19th month had 5 unnamed days
Considered very unlucky
Tzolkin Calendar
The sacred calendar
260-day calendar
This calendar has two
cycles, a 20 day cycle and
a 13 day cycle.
Each day has a name and a
number. The name comes
from the 20 day cycle and
the number from the 13 day
cycle.
Downfall of the Mayans
Nobody really knows what happened to the Mayans
Abandoned cities around 900A.D.
Some theorize there was a major drought
Others believe there was a slave and lower class
revolt
The Aztecs
The Aztecs
Group of warriors. Wandered into Central Mexico
Wanted a permanent home
Island in Lake Texcoco in 1325
Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan
Capital of Aztec empire
Eagle sitting on a cactus with a snake in beak
This was a sign from the gods
Built roads out from the center of the island to land
Filled parts of lake so they could grow crops
Became one of the largest cities in the world
Tenochtitlan
Aztec Government
Ruled through conquest
Military empire
Had one emperor and conquered rules paid tribute
Some conquered people became slaves
Stole crops, clothing, and anything else they could
Aztec Religion
Polytheistic
Believed in human
sacrifice
Huitzilopochtli was the
main Aztec god
Built temples and
pyramids to honor their
gods
Aztec Society
Education was very important
Parents taught children about……
Citizenship, responsibility, and life-skills
Harsh punishments when children disobeyed
Noble children attended formal schooling
Aztec Farming
Harvested Maize, Avocados, tomatoes, chili peppers,
squash
Produced tortillas, chocolate
Similarities Amongst Mesoamericans
Like the Mayas, and the
Olmecs, Aztecs also
played the ball game.
Also used a series of
symbols and pictures to
constitute a written
language.
Aztec technology
Aztecs also used a 365 day calendar very similar to
the Mayans.
Many advanced weapons (warrior society)
Made and documented many medicines, in forms of
ointments and drinks
Weapons
No iron or bronze
Made axe blades with stone or copper
Atlatl- weapon used to make throwing spears and fishing
easier
Macuahuitl- Wooden club containing volcanic glass. Used
to neutralize or disable but not kill an enemy.
Sundial
Used to tell time
Helped farmers know when to water plants and
harvest crops
Why else?
Fall of the Empire
1519 Spanish soldiers entered Tenochtitlan
Led by Hernan Cortes
The Inca
The Incas
Small tribe in the Andes
Mountains
1438-1532
Northern Ecuador to
Central Chile
12 million people
Capital city of Cuzco
The Inca
Quechua was the official language
No written language
Quipu
Llamas
They were very important to the Incan society
They were native to the high altitude
Easily domesticated
Incan Warriors
Emperor Pachacuti and
son Topa Inca expanded
the Incan empire
Powerful Army
Used weapons such as
clubs, spears, spiked
copper balls
Civilization
Built roads and rope bridges to connect their cities
Mountain terraces for farming
All land belonged to the
Emperor.
Descendant of sun god
Inti
Religion
Polytheistic (like Mayans and Aztecs)
Special cities devoted to religious ceremonies
Machu Picchu
Priests would teach locals about the gods and how to
please them
Fall of the Empire
Spanish conquistadors
Francisco Pizzaro
Disease
Sibling war