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Early Americans

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.

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Early Americans

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  1. Early Americans

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

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

  4. 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)

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. People of Far North • Inuit • Seal, walrus, whale, caribou, and polar bear

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Inca job requirement? • Made everyone accountable for a task to ensure …12 job categories • Even young children • Good or bad? • Instill good work ethic

  12. 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

  13. 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

  14. Mayan Science • Priests were revered for their knowledge of movements of heavenly bodies • 365 day calendar to plan plantings and harvests

  15. Mayan writing • Developed written language • Counting based on 20 • System of hieroglyphics- symbols represented sounds words or ideas

  16. 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

  17. Aztec • Kings claimed they were descendants of gods • Council of warriors, priests, and nobles picked kings from the royal family • Wanted warrior kings

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. 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

  24. 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

  25. 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

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