AKS 36: Pre-Columbian America

1. AKS 36:Pre-Columbian America Chapter 9.2 – Pages 240-243 Chapter 16.2 & 16.3 – Pages 446-463

2. 36a – explain the rise and fall of the Olmec, Mayan, Aztec, and Incan empires • WARM-UP:

3. The Olmecs • Geographical Location: • Along Gulf Coast of Mexico • Environmental Conditions: • Covered with swamps & rain forests • Hot and humid climate

4. The Olmecs • Rise of the Olmec: • Emerged around 1200 B.C. and thrived between 800-400 B.C. • Civilization Rose Because: • Fertile river plains • Abundant resources of salt, tar, clay, wood, and rubber

5. The Olmecs • Urban Design: • Combined pyramids, plazas, and giant sculptures • Built thriving urban communities at sites such as San Lorenzo and La Venta

6. The Olmecs • Economy & Trade: • Largest trading network throughout Mesoamerica (Mexico City to the North and Honduras to the South) • Traded raw materials and various stones • Trade helped boost the economy and spread Olmecs influence

7. The Olmecs • Social Structure: • Had ruling class • Had nature gods • Worshipped Jaguar spirit • Prosperous people

8. The Olmecs • Reasons for Decline: • Unknown • Because there are no records

9. The Olmecs • Legacy: • “mother culture” • Known as this because of their influence on other cultures • Left behind art styles, ceremonial centers, ritual ball games, an elite ruling class and stone symbols that may have led to writing • First known civilization buildersin Mesoamerica

10. The Mayans • Geographic Location: • Yucatan Peninsula, SE Mexico, northern Guatemala • Environmental Conditions: • Dry scrub forests in Yucatan • Dense jungles elsewhere

11. Rise of the Mayans: Emerged around 250 and thrived between 250-900 Traits of Mayans: Religious beliefs important Theocracy Independent city-states Intensive agriculture Civilization Rose Because: They had a united culture They were loyal to their king They had a wealthy and prosperous culture They were able to producemore food to feed a larger population The Mayans

12. The Mayans • Reasons for Decline: • Many physical and human resources used for religious activities • Frequent warfare occurred between kingdoms • Population growth created a need for more land

13. The Aztecs • Geographic Location: • Central Mexico in the Valley of Mexico • Environmental Conditions: • Several shallow lakes • Fertile soil

14. Rise of the Aztecs: Emerged around 1200 and thrived between 1400-1500s Traits of Aztecs: Religious beliefs important Theocracy Powerful army Empire of tribute states Civilization Rose Because: They had a united culture They were loyal to their emperor They added lands through military conquest, power, and used prisoners for religious sacrifice The adding of lands provided wealth The Aztecs

15. The Aztecs • Reasons for Decline: • Many physical and human resources used for religious activities • The need for prisoners changed warfare style to less deadly and less aggressive • Tribute states became rebellious and needed to be controlled

16. The Incas • Geographic Location: • Andes Mountain region branching out from Peru • Environmental Conditions: • Highlands • Fertile soil in Valley of Cuzco

17. Rise of the Incas: Emerged around 1200s and thrived between 1450-1550 Traits of Incas: Religious beliefs important Theocracy Major road systems Type of welfare state with a huge bureaucracy Civilization Rose Because: They had a united culture They were loyal to their emperor The entire empire was connected and that aided control They cared for the entire population during good and bad times The Incas

18. The Incas • Reasons for Decline: • Many physical and human resources used for religious activities • Enemies also used their road system to move troops • People struggled to care for themselves with the elimination of the welfare states • Ultimately, invasions by Spanish conquistadors led to their demise

19. 36b – compare the culture of the Americas including government, economy, religion, social structure, technology, and the arts of the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas • WARM-UP:

20. The Mayans • Government • Independent city-states, each ruled by a god-king • Central city with giant pyramids, temples, palaces, stone carvings, and surrounding residential areas

21. The Mayans • Economy • Based on trade and farming • City-states linked through trade alliances • Sophisticated farming methods such as planting on raised platforms above swamps and on hillside terraces • Grew maize (corn), beans, & squash

22. The Mayans • Religion • Polytheistic • Prayed and offered gods food, blood, and human sacrifices

23. The Mayans • Social Structure • King • Seen as a holy figure, position was hereditary • Three Social Classes: • Nobles – priests, warriors • Middle Class – merchants, artisans • Peasants

24. The Mayans • Technology • Mayan Calendar • Supposedly predicts the end of the world on Dec. 21, 2012 • Mathematics • Understood the concept of zero • Astronomy • Calculated solar year at 365.2420 days (only 0.0002 off) • City-Building • Ex. Tikal • Sophisticated agricultural techniques

25. The Mayans • The Arts • Hieroglyphics • Writing system, 800+ symbols • Pyramids • Ball Courts • For religious games • Jaguar Architecture • Steles (inscribed markers)

26. The Aztecs • Government • Small city-states • Empire divided into 38 provinces with 5-15 million people • Triple Alliance • Military state formed in 1428

27. The Aztecs • Economy • Ruled loosely, making conquered areas pay tributes to them • If people resisted tributes or revolted, they would destroy the villages and capture or slaughter its inhabitants • Trade connected by water and canals that canoes could bring directly to the city

28. The Aztecs • Religion • Polytheistic • Public ceremonies with human sacrifices • The city of Tenochtitlan was founded based on the Aztec legend of Huitzilopochtli (god of the sun and warfare) • Huitzilopochtli needed nourishment of human blood for the sun to rise each day • Over 1,000 gods • Elaborate ceremonies performed to win the favor of different gods – including ritual dramas, songs, and dances with masked performers

29. The Aztecs • Social Structure • Emperor • Nobles • gov’t officials, generals, religious leaders • Commoners • Merchants, craftspeople, soldiers, farmers who owned land • Slaves

30. The Aztecs • Technology • Planned Cities • Tenochtitlan was greater than any European city of the time – built on a lake bed to provide an easy defense system • Causeways • Roads built over the marshy lands & water • Chinampas • Floating gardens built on the marshy fringes of the lake

31. The Aztecs • The Arts • Elaborate temples • Pyramids • Stone carvings & paintings for gods • Masks for religious ceremonies

32. The Incas • Government • Ruler • Had to be a descendant of the sun god, Inti, to rule • Bureaucratic • Conquered territories were divided into manageable community units governed by a central bureaucracy • Can be compared to socialism or welfare state

33. The Incas • Economy • State controlled most economic activity • Regulated the production & distribution of goods Macchu Picchu

34. The Incas • Religion • Polytheistic • Religion helped to reinforce the power of the state • Cuzco was both the administrative and religious capital of the empire • Mamakuna – “Virgins of the Sun” • Committed to a lifetime of religious service & activities • Yamacuna • Men who were full-time workers for the state who aided in religious activities

35. The Incas • Social Structure • Based on community cooperation • Social groups were identified by officially dictated patterns of clothing • Family • Divided into groups of 10, 100, 1000, 10000 • A chief led each group • Local administration in the hands of local rulers • Language • Imposed a single, uniform language throughout the empire • Conquered Peoples • Were peacefully conquered whenever possible to gain loyalty • Were allowed to continue their traditional ways of life

36. The Incas • Technology • Road System • 14,000-mile long network of bridges and roads • All roads led to the capital • These roads tied the empire together • Engineers & Stonemasons • Accomplished their with using no iron tools, wheels, or mortar

37. The Incas • The Arts • Temple of the Sun (Cuzco) • Most sacred shrine in empire, covered in gold • Gold • Extremely abundant • Covered city walls and used for decoration