The Americas: A Separate World

1. The Americas: A Separate World 40,000 BCE – CE 700

2. Hunters and Farmers in the Americas • Ice Age • Cold period in which huge ice sheets spread outward from the polar regions • Beringia • Land bridge connecting Asia to the Americas (through modern-day Alaska) • Early nomads followed food across Beringia during the Ice Age • Archaeology • Study of prehistoric human cultures • Paleontology • Study of ancient animals & plants

3. Agriculture • Around the 3000 BCE, early Americans began to farm • Maize (corn) • Huge turning point in human history

4. Early Mesoamerican Civilizations • Mesoamerica • Region that stretches from central Mexico to Honduras • Hot & humid • Swamps & jungles • Rain forests • Trees provide thick covers that prevent sunshine • 100 inches of rain per year • Lots of flooding • Abundant supply of salt, tar, clay, wood, rubber, stone • Lots of rivers for transportation • Fertile land from the floods • corn, beans, & squash=staple

6. Mesoamerica’s Mother Culture • Olmec • 1200 – 400 BCE • First civilization in Mesoamerica • Influenced neighboring groups & future civilizations

7. Olmec Society • Polytheistic with many nature gods • Worshipped the jaguar • Many sculptures with half-human & half-jaguar carvings • Representations unknown • Some believe it is a powerful rain god • Some believe it represents the earth, fertility, & maize • Fisherman, farmers, artisans, & traders • Traded throughout the region of Mesoamerica • Imported iron ore & stones

8. Olmec • Artifacts discovered at San Lorenzo & La Venta • Earthen mounds • Courtyards • Pyramids • Large stone monuments with columns & altars • Large sculpted heads

12. Reasons of Decline of the Olmec • ??????????Unknown?????????????? • Invaders? • Left no written records • Left many artifacts & monuments

13. Zapotec Civilizations500 BCE – CE 700 • Advanced society developed southwest of the Olmec • Settled in a rugged region of mountains and valleys • Show traces of influence from Olmec • Mild climate • Fertile soil • Enough rainfall to support agriculture

14. Monte Alban & San Jose’ Mogote • Two major cities with stone platforms • Forms of hieroglyphic writing • Calendar system • Pyramids • Temples • Palaces • Observatory for star gazing • Stone sculptures like the Olmec

16. Monte Alban

19. Decline of the Zapotec • ????????????Unknown?????????????? • Trade & economic decline?

20. Olmec Art styles Jaguar Pottery & sculptures Urban design Pyramids & plazas Monumental sculptures Planned ceremonial centers Ritual ball games Elite ruling class Zapotec Hieroglyphic language Calendar system based on the movement of the sun City builders Early Mesoamericans’ Legacy

21. Early Civilizations of the Andes • Andes Mountains • 4,000 miles along western edge of South America • From Colombia to Chile • Second highest mountain range in the world • Steep & rocky • Poor soil • Ice & snow cover the highest elevations year round • Climate • Hot & dry during the day • Freezing during the night

22. Early Civilizations of the Andes • In-between the mountains and the Pacific Coast lies harsh deserts with little rainfall • some rivers flow from the mountains to the ocean across these deserts • River valleys were sites of first settlements • Hunter-gatherers relied on seafood & small game • 3000 BCE = start of agriculture • Staple=corn(maize), beans, & fish • Peru = first advanced civilizations of South America

23. Ancient Andean Civilizations

24. Chavin900 – 200 BCE • Arose in the mountains • First civilization of South America • Pyramids, plazas, & earthen mounds • Art styles • Religious civilization with many images carved into stone, pottery, & textiles • No evidence of political/economic organization

25. Chavin Pottery

26. Chavin laid the foundations to unify Andean Culture<mother culture for future civilizations>

27. Nazca200 BCE – CE 600 • Southern coast of Peru • Extremely dry land • Developed irrigation systems • Underground canals • Farmers • Beautiful textiles & pottery

28. Nazca Lines • Scraped away stone to reveal lighter soil underneath • Large drawings of plants & animals • Can only be seen from above • Believed these drawings were for the gods

32. Moche100 - 700 • Northern coast of Peru • Used rivers from mountains to make irrigation systems • Farmers • Corn, beans, potatoes, squash, & peanuts • Wealthy civilization

33. Moche • Gold & silver • Ceramics & pottery • Doctors, weavers, musicians, & soldiers portrayed on pottery • No written language