The Americas PPT
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THE AMERICAS
PRE-COLUMBIAN EMPIRES TO
COLONIES
INTRODUCTION
While complex civilizations were
emerging in Asia, Africa, and Europe,
equally striking developments had
occurred in the Americas
The “encounter” of Europeans with the
peoples of the Americas brought the
major civilizations of the world
together for the first time and had a
profound impact on all peoples
THE BIG QUESTIONS
What were the major
characteristics of the Maya, Inca,
and Aztec civilizations?
How did the voyages of
Christopher Columbus forever
change the world?
THE FIRST AMERICANS
The earliest humans in the Americas are
believed to have migrated from Asia across
a land bridge that was exposed during the
last Ice Age
From Alaska, the earliest Americans spread
southwards throughout North and South
America
Separate languages and cultures developed
EARLY MIGRATION
GROWTH OF CIVILIZATIONS
“Native Americans” experienced their own Neolithic
Revolution (grew maize [corn], squash, and beans –
the “three sisters”)
Several complex civilizations emerged in
Mesoamerica (called pre-Columbian civilizations,
because they existed before the arrival of Columbus)
These did not emerge in river valley, but in warm and
humid rain forests
Supported by farming corn (a crop unknown to
peoples of Africa, Asia, and Europe) and used
creative farming techniques adapted to their
environments
THE MAYA (1500 B.C. – 1546 A.D.)
The earliest civilizations in Meso-America were the
Olmec and Toltecs
The Maya created a complex civilization over 3.000
years ago in present-day Guatemala
Each city had its own chief ruler (considered halfman and half-god)
Engaged in frequent warfare
Practiced human sacrifice (developed a ball game
that became popular throughout the Americas)
MAYAN CIVILIZATION
MAYAN SOCIETY
King – considered half-man
and half-god
Nobility – a small hereditary
class who performed sacred
ceremonies and assisted
rulers (astronomers/scribes)
Craftsmen – made luxuries
for nobles
Peasant farmers – laborers
who grew corn and lived in
thatched huts
KING
NOBILITY
CRAFTSMEN
PEASANTS
MAYAN ACHIEVEMENTS
BUILDERS – built huge cities, large palaces,
temples, and pyramids
WRITING SYSTEM – hieroglyphics (picture
symbols)
MATH AND SCIENCE – complex number
system, used zero, 365 day
calendar
ARTISTRY – painted
colorful mural, invented
popular ball game
DECLINE OF MAYAN
CIVILIZATION
Around the 9th century, experienced a great
crisis (possibly food shortage, epidemic, or
great war)
Mayans migrated northward to Yucatan
Peninsula (in present-day Mexico) and built
new city-states
Constant warfare from 13th to 16th centuries
and pressures from neighboring wandering
peoples, led to the final decline
MAYAN
POTTERY
MAYAN
CALENDAR
HIEROGLYPHS
THE AZTECS (1200 – 1521)
Created by an alliance of several local peoples of the
high valley in Mexico
Created the city of Tenochtitlan
An island in the center of the Valley of Mexico
Grew crops in “floating gardens” in wet marshy
land
Engaged in frequent warfare to conquer other
people in the region
Made careful observations of the sky and aligned
their temples based on the movements of the sun
and moon and developed an accurate calendar.
AZTEC SOCIETY
Emperor – all-powerful
Nobility – held high positions
in the government, army, or
priesthood
Commoners – farmers,
fishermen, craftsmen,
warriors
Slaves – prisoners of war
(laborers)
EMPEROR
NOBILITY
COMMONERS
SLAVES
AZTEC CULTURE
Worshipped many gods (most important was Sun God)
Constructed calendars of stone based on observations of the
sky
Believed Sun God needed human blood to continue daily
journeys across the sky
Practiced human sacrifice on a massive scale (used
prisoners of war and others who volunteered for the honor)
Believed it was necessary to keep universe in motion
AZTEC ART
HUMAN
SACRIFICE OF
THE AZTECS
AZTEC GOD
QUETZALCOATL
AZTEC CIVILIZATION
THE INCA EMPIRE (1200-1535)
Developed along the Pacific coast and in the Andes
Mountains of South America
Terraced mountains (grew potatoes and other root
crops)
Kept llamas and alpacas for their meat and wool and
to carry goods
Incas built upon these achievements, and around
1400, began extending their rule across the Andes
INCA ACHIEVEMENTS
Built stone roads (over 10 thousand miles) to unite
the distant corners of their empire
Preserved food and kept in storehouses
Never developed the wheel or writing
Instead of writing, used the quipu (bundles of
knotted and colored ropes) to count and keep
records and send messages
Constructed stone buildings (fit together perfectly
with no cement)
MACHU PICHU
QUIPU
LLAMAS USED AS
PACK ANIMALS
INCA
CIVILIZATION
SUMMARY OF PRE-COLUMBIAN
MESO-AMERICA
HIGHLY DEVELOPED CULTURE AND SOCIETIES
Artists made stone sculptures to decorate temples and palaces
Made ceramic bowls carved with human and animal forms for
religious ceremonies
GENDER ROLES
Established at birth
Boys were given a machete by their fathers to establish their
masculine role and were taught crafts
Girls received a stone instrument for grinding maize and were
taught to cook
Women harvested grain, prepared food, cared for animals,
bore children, made flour, and could hold jobs outside the
home (artisans, priestesses, merchants)
LEFT SIDE ACTIVITY
CREATE A COMPARISON CHART SUMMARIZING
THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MAYA, AZTEC, AND
INCA
PRE-COLUMBIAN
CIVILIZATIONS
MAYAS
AZTECS
INCAS