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Ancient Civilizations

Ancient Civilizations. How did the culture hearths of this region shape its history?. Mayans. Yucatan Peninsula, parts of Guatemala and Belize Their foundations came from the Olmecs Existed 500 BC to 1200 AD Built pyramids like the Egyptians to bury high priests

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Ancient Civilizations

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  1. Ancient Civilizations

  2. How did the culture hearths of this region shape its history?

  3. Mayans • Yucatan Peninsula, parts of Guatemala and Belize • Their foundations came from the Olmecs • Existed 500 BC to 1200 AD • Built pyramids like the Egyptians to bury high priests • Society- Kings, chiefs, priests on top, followed by teachers, scribes, warriors, merchants, craftsmen. Bottom- farmers and slaves • Polytheistic, superstitious • Offered human and animal sacrifices. • Two calendars- 260 day for religious purposes, 365 for agriculture • Biggest cities- Tikal with very tall structures • 900 AD, it began to shrink. We don’t exactly know why! • Wars? Used up farmland? Could not support expensive temples? Farmers /slaves ran to the hills!

  4. Aztecs • 14th, 15th, 16th centuries, Called themselves “Mexica.” This is where Mexico gets its name. • Capital: Tenochtitlan (te-notch-tee-tlahn) Mexico City is built on its ruins. • Spainish colonization interrupted Aztec civilization with Montezuma II. 1521- Cortes conquers Aztecs • Polytheistic, human sacrifices

  5. Inca Empire • Centered in the Andean mountain ranges • Dates: approx. 1438-1533 • Leadership encouraged worship of Inti- the sun god. • Considered their King “child of the sun” • They had fabulous wealth in gold and silver. The Spanish obviously loved this. This gold/silver altered the whole economic system of Europe. The Spanish left this highly developed civilization in tatters.

  6. Olmec • Colossal Heads perhaps represent leaders of the Olmec • 1200 BC to 400 BC • Laid foundations for civilizations to follow • Not sure about the decline, perhaps environmental changes or shift in where they lived because of volcanoes!

  7. So… How did the culture hearths of this region shape its history? • Intermixing- Mestizos: Native American and European • City of Tenochtitlan • The Mayan built cities with temples which were among the tallest structures in the Americas until the 20th century.

  8. Question #2: How has European colonization of Latin America continued to impact the region culturally, politically, and economicallyPlease turn your textbook to page 216!

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