The Americas

1. The Americas By : Celeste and Christian

2. Questions • How did people arrive in the Americas? • What changes did the development of agriculture bring to the Americans? • How did the geography and climate affect life in different regions of North America? • What were the characteristics of The Olmec, The Toltec, and Maya culture? • How did the Aztec and Inca build and strengthen their empires?

3. Asia Northward • Changes in Asia may have forced the first people who arrived in the Americas. From their they have gone to warmer climates. Many people may have been hunter-gatherers who depended on hunting, fishing, and collecting plants to live. Others migrated to Mesoamerica.

4. First people who arrived • The first people to arrive were in the Americas were Nomads who lived by hunting wild animals and gathering plants. Mammoths and mastodons (elephant sized creatures) was what they hunted. Camels and horses were animals they followed through migration. After the glaciers melted the hunters relied on gathering plants. Then they started farming, in Mexico, then North and South. The first farmers cropped beans, corn, and squash.

5. The Northwest • Many northwest groups relied on fishing. They were also were experts at weaving and woodworkers. People in the Pacific Northwest held festivals called potlatches which is were a chief would display clan material goods like canoes.

6. The Southwest • Archeologist aren’t sure when Honokam people first settled. The farmers flourished in the aid. • They used networks of water fields and grew crops such as beans, corn, and cotton. • When the climate changed they abandoned their communities. • Another Southwest group was, The Pueblo, they permanent houses with adobe, or sundried brick(s), and raised corn.

7. The Great Plains & Eastern Woodlands • The Great Plains- is the area between Rocky Mountain and Mississippi River. • Buffalo is what they used to hunt because there were no horses at the time. • They built corral were they drove the buffalo in. • They hunt the buffalo by foot. • They used buffalo for many things like : for food, clothes, and to build tepees. • Buffalo became so important to them that they held ceremonies before and after the hunt. • They made tools out of bones, stone, and wood. • They also made pottery, some groups even farmed beans, corn, and squash. • Eastern Woodland- • One culture group developed in the region called Hopowell, they settled in Ohio Valley from 300 B.C. to 200 B.C. • They were skilled artists. • The Mississippians were another group. • Corn was their most important crop.

8. Olmec and Chauvin • The Olmec was the earliest civilization. • The Olmec worshiped a god half jaguar and half human. • When they left they left behind 15 stone heads. • Each way 40 Tons. • In Mexico in about the same time lived another civilization called Chauvin. • They decorated seashells with images of cats.

9. The Maya • They were the most advanced civilization. • They were skilled architects and engineers. • They also developed a complete writing system in Americas. • They had many gods and the most important was the rain god. • They also studied astronomy. • Predicted solar eclipse and developed counting system with zero.

10. The Toltec and Aztec • The Toltec invaded Central Mexico from North. • The Toltec were ruled by military class. • Capital City if Toltec is Tula. • They encountered Maya. • They worshiped Quetzalcoatl, their god. • Practiced sacrifice. • The Aztec were wondering warriors before they became a civilization. • They ruled Mexico. • And the people had to pay taxes for the ruler.

11. The Inca • The Inca worshiped sun and moon. • The emperor ruled to improve the empire. • They constructed storehouses throughout the empire. • Hundreds of groups spoke different languages. • One of those languages is Quechua. • Quips, a series of knots on parallel strings.

12. Questions • How did climate change and affect the geography of the Americas? • Why did Early Americas turn from hunting and gathering to agriculture? • In what ways did the Early people of Western North America adapt their societies and resources available to them? • What evidence is there that Eastern Woodlands societies were advanced cultures? • How do Aztec and Inca differ in rule?

13. Vocab. Words • Strait • Bering • Potlatches • Olmec • Maya • Quechua

14. The End • Have a wonder full day hoped you liked it. 