Development of South and Central America Societies

1. Development of South and Central America Societies SSWH8 Engineering an Empire: Aztec 1

2. Standard • SSWH8 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the development of societies in Central and South America. • a. Explain the rise and fall of the Olmec, Mayan, Aztec, and Inca empires. • b. Compare the culture of the Americas; include government, economy, religion, and the arts of the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas.

3. Intro • Early Inhabitants • Migrated from Asia during the last Ice Age, crossing the Bering Strait by foot

4. Intro • Hunter-gatherers: • During global warming, they migrated east and south to follow the herds. • Different cultures formed as they spread out. • Cut off from Asia as Ice Age ended, they developed independently from cultures in the Eastern Hemisphere.

5. Intro • Technology: • Metal was rarely used • many cultures were still in the Stone Age. • Wheel was used, but not for transportation. Watch Me!!

6. Pyramids • Despite the towering reputation of Egypt's Great Pyramids at Giza, the Americas actually contain more pyramid structures than the rest of the planet combined. Civilizations like the Olmec, Maya, Aztec and Inca all built pyramids to house their deities, as well as to bury their kings.

7. In many of their great city-states, temple-pyramids formed the center of public life and were the site of much holy ritual, including human sacrifice.

8. Ancient City of Teotihuacan

9. Engineering an Empire: Aztec 2 OLMEC • 1200 -400 BC • Called “Rubber People” • Carved enormous stone heads of volcanic rock • Division of labor • Hieroglyphics • farm techniques - slash and burn The Olmecs

10. The Olmec • Meso-America • 1st civilization • 1200-400 BC • They made Pyramids, mounds, monuments • Sculptured heads - 44 tons • Religion: polytheistic • many nature gods: Chief god was the jaguar god • Influenced - design, ceremonial centers, ball games, elite ruling class • Performed ritual sacrifices • Played pok-a-tok game • Went on pilgrimages • Government - ruler - god like

11. Olmec • Influenced area through trade; evidence of trade confirmed by Olmec jade carvings found throughout Central America • Achievements: • Long Count Calendar • No idea what caused their decline

12. Engineering an Empire: Aztec 3 Maya

13. El Castillo, Chichen Itza: El Castillo "The Castle" It rises 79 feet above the Main Plaza of the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza in Mexico (founded c. AD 600 ). ChichénItzá

14. MAYANS • Yucatan Peninsula • Government: • City States • Religion: • Complex • two layers (now and otherworld) • polytheistic • Major role in society and rule • Human sacrifice • Economy: • Trade with other city-states

15. Mayan • Culture: • 2000 BC -900 Ad • 250- 900 million population • Cities - Tikal, Copan: Palaces, temples, pyramids • Social classes - warriors, priests, merchants, craft workers, peasants • Astronomy, math, 2 calendars - 1 for sun, 1 for religion • Math and astronomy to support religious beliefs • Pyramids • Glyphic writing system • No explanation for their decline • Possibly: war, drought, infighting The Mayans

17. Palenque

18. Engineering an Empire: Aztec 4 Aztec

19. Aztec • Most powerful civilization in central and southern Mexico. • The capital city was Tenochtitlan. • Located on islands in Lake Texcoco – 1200.

20. Tenochtitlan

21. The Aztecs

22. Aztec • 1100-1522 AD • Government • Warriors • Military strength • Social structure • Emperor • Nobles • Commoners • Enslaved persons • Religion • Polytheistic • Their main god was the “sun god” • “fed” the god with human sacrifice

23. Quetzacoatl - feathered serpent god • Legend -- left city and will return one day

24. Aztec • Economy • Trade – obsidian • Tribute states • Pyramids, temples

25. Aztec Civilization • Culture • A complex and rich society • A trade network • A mathematical system to keep up with the empire • Two different calendar systems • A Farming system • Used irrigation to keep their crops growing even during dry periods

26. Chinampasfloating gardens

27. Aztec Civilization • They were known for their artwork …

28. Aztec Civilization • and their architecture. • The pyramid temple was the center of this great city

29. Aztec Civilization • Today, some of the art and buildings have been re-discovered. • A modern version of the Aztec language, Nahuatl, is still spoken by thousands of people in Mexico.

30. Aztec Civilization • An important part of their culture was the sacrifice of animals and humans. • People who were conquered were required to pay large taxes. • They also had to provide people to offer as sacrifices to the Aztec gods.

31. Aztec Sacrifice

32. Montezuma Cortes

33. Aztec Civilization • Arrival of Spanish led to the fall of the Aztec. • It ended in 1541 when conquered by the Spanish. • The Spanish destroyed much of the Aztec building and artwork. • They destroyed the city of Tenochtitlan and built Mexico City in its place. Aztecs

34. Engineering an Empire: Aztec 5 The Inca

35. Inca • Located in South America • 1400-1534 • Andes Mountains • Cuzco - capital – Peru Lost Cities of the Inca

36. Inca • Government: • Theocracy • Strong central government • huge empire extending length of South America • Leader - descendent of sun god • Expanded empire • Powerful military • Bureaucracy

37. Inca • Religion: • Religion ruled state – theocracy • Mummies • Animal sacrifice • Economy: • economic system • roads, • All roads lead to Cuzco

38. Inca • Culture: • Ayulla - extended family - to do large tasks • Mita - required service to state

39. Machu Picchu

40. INCASMachu Picchu • Built paved roads & suspension bridges - used running messengers • Instead of writing system used knotted string to communicate messages & keep records - quipu

41. Inca terraces

42. Suspension bridge

43. Quipu

44. Atahualpa Pizarro The Inca were conquered by the Spanish conquistador Pizarro.

45. Destruction of Culture • The Meso-American kingdoms were as advanced and sophisticated as the ancient Greeks and Romans • The European conquerors tried to destroy the evidence of this sophisticated culture