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THE AMERICAS

THE AMERICAS. PRE-COLUMBIAN EMPIRES TO COLONIES. INTRODUCTION. While complex civilizations were emerging in Asia, Africa, and Europe, equally striking developments had occurred in the Americas

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THE AMERICAS

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  1. THE AMERICAS PRE-COLUMBIAN EMPIRES TO COLONIES

  2. INTRODUCTION • While complex civilizations were emerging in Asia, Africa, and Europe, equally striking developments had occurred in the Americas • The “encounter” of Europeans with the peoples of the Americas brought the major civilizations of the world together for the first time and had a profound impact on all peoples

  3. THE BIG QUESTIONS • What were the major characteristics of the Maya, Inca, and Aztec civilizations? • How did the voyages of Christopher Columbus forever change the world?

  4. THE FIRST AMERICANS • The earliest humans in the Americas are believed to have migrated from Asia across a land bridge that was exposed during the last Ice Age • From Alaska, the earliest Americans spread southwards throughout North and South America • Separate languages and cultures developed

  5. EARLY MIGRATION

  6. GROWTH OF CIVILIZATIONS • “Native Americans” experienced their own Neolithic Revolution (grew maize [corn], squash, and beans – the “three sisters”) • Several complex civilizations emerged in Mesoamerica (called pre-Columbian civilizations, because they existed before the arrival of Columbus) • These did not emerge in river valley, but in warm and humid rain forests • Supported by farming corn (a crop unknown to peoples of Africa, Asia, and Europe)

  7. THE MAYA (1500 B.C. – 1546 A.D.) • The earliest civilizations in Meso-America were the Olmec and Toltecs • The Maya created a complex civilization over 3.000 years ago in present-day Guatemala • Each city had its own chief ruler (considered half-man and half-god) • Engaged in frequent warfare • Practiced human sacrifice (developed a ball game that became popular throughout the Americas)

  8. MAYAN SOCIETY King – considered half-man and half-god Nobility – a small hereditary class who performed sacred ceremonies and assisted rulers (astronomers/scribes) Craftsmen – made luxuries for nobles Peasant farmers – laborers who grew corn and lived in thatched huts KING NOBILITY CRAFTSMEN PEASANTS

  9. MAYAN ACHIEVEMENTS • BUILDERS – built huge cities, large palaces, temples, and pyramids • WRITING SYSTEM – hieroglyphics (picture symbols) • MATH AND SCIENCE – complex number system, used zero, 365 day calendar • ARTISTRY – painted colorful mural, invented popular ball game

  10. DECLINE OF MAYAN CIVILIZATION • Around the 9th century, experienced a great crisis (possibly food shortage, epidemic, or great war) • Mayans migrated northward to Yucatan Peninsula (in present-day Mexico) and built new city-states • Constant warfare from 13th to 16th centuries and pressures from neighboring wandering peoples, led to the final decline

  11. THE AZTECS (1200 – 1521) • Created by an alliance of several local peoples of the high valley in Mexico • Created the city of Tenochtitlan • An island in the center of the Valley of Mexico • Grew crops in “floating gardens” in wet marshy land • Engaged in frequent warfare to conquer other people in the region • Made careful observations of the sky and aligned their temples based on the movements of the sun and moon

  12. AZTEC SOCIETY Emperor – all-powerful Nobility – held high positions in the government, army, or priesthood Commoners – farmers, fishermen, craftsmen, warriors Slaves – prisoners of war (laborers) EMPEROR NOBILITY COMMONERS SLAVES

  13. AZTEC CULTURE • Worshipped many gods (most important was Sun God) • Constructed calendars of stone based on observations of the sky • Believed Sun God needed human blood to continue daily journeys across the sky • Practiced human sacrifice on a massive scale (used prisoners of war and others who volunteered for the honor) • Believed it was necessary to keep universe in motion

  14. THE INCA EMPIRE (1200-1535) • Developed along the Pacific coast and in the Andes Mountains of South America • Terraced mountains (grew potatoes and other root crops) • Kept llamas and alpacas for their meat and wool and to carry goods • Incas built upon these achievements, and around 1400, began extending their rule across the Andes

  15. INCA ACHIEVEMENTS • Built stone roads (over 10 thousand miles) to unite the distant corners of their empire • Preserved food and kept in storehouses • Never developed the wheel or writing • Instead of writing, used the quipu (bundles of knotted and colored ropes) to count and keep records and send messages • Constructed stone buildings (fit together perfectly with no cement)

  16. MACHU PICHU QUIPU LLAMAS USED AS PACK ANIMALS

  17. SUMMARY OF PRE-COLUMBIAN MESO-AMERICA • HIGHLY DEVELOPED CULTURE AND SOCIETIES • Artists made stone sculptures to decorate temples and palaces • Made ceramic bowls carved with human and animal forms for religious ceremonies • GENDER ROLES • Established at birth • Boys were given a machete by their fathers to establish their masculine role and were taught crafts • Girls received a stone instrument for grinding maize and were taught to cook • Women harvested grain, prepared food, cared for animals, bore children, made flour, and could hold jobs outside the home (artisans, priestesses, merchants)

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