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Bell Ringer. Who were the first group of people to come to the Americas? Give a few answers. Earliest Americans. Bering Land Bridge Theory. Many scientists believe that during the last Ice Age ocean levels dropped and a land bridge was exposed between Asia and Alaska.
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Bell Ringer • Who were the first group of people to come to the Americas? Give a few answers.
Bering Land Bridge Theory • Many scientists believe that during the last Ice Age ocean levels dropped and a land bridge was exposed between Asia and Alaska. • During this time evidence shows that Paleo-Indians crossed between 38,000 and 10,000 B.C. then fanned out across the Americas.
Migration from Asia • The Indians who crossed the land bridge were hunter-gatherers who migrated south following animal herds. • Some travelled as far south as the southern tip of South American.
Native American Culture Shift • Native Americans eventually shifted from nomadic hunter-gatherers to farming people. • They learned how breed animals, farm, and grow plants. • Maize was one of their most important early crops. • Farming allowed groups to settle and create civilizations.
Aspects of a Civilization • Cities • Well organized government • Social classes • Complex religion • Method of record keeping
South American Societies • Olmec • Maya • Aztec • Inca
Olmec • Earliest known American civilization founded 1200 BC. • Trade helped spread their culture throughout the Americas. • Built the first pyramids in the Americas and sculpted large stone heads.
Mayans • Grew maize and other crops like the Olmecs. • Began building large cities by 200 A.D. • The Mayans had a 365 day calendar and the concept of zero. • There were priests, nobles, warriors, government officials, laborers, and slaves in Mayan society. • Their civilization began to collapse in the 900s, but historians are not sure why.
Aztecs • Warring society with superior military ability. • Built their empire buy conquering towns and making alliances which allowed them to expand their trade network in the mid 1100s. • In 1325 they founded Tenochtitlan (modern day Mexico City). • The Aztec were rich in cotton, gold, and food from trade and tribute from conquered peoples.
Inca • The Incas began expanding in the mid 1400s. • Eventually the empire had more than 12 million people in it. • Strong central government with a king as the ruler. • Records were kept with a system of knotted strings called quipu because they did not have a written language. • Large system of buildings and paved roads allowed the Incas to communicate and control their vast empire.
Assignment • Using the textbook and the handout, discuss some of the similarities between the Olmecs, Mayas, and Aztecs. • Section 1 Assessment, question 3. • I will have a link to an article on my website. Tonight you should read the article and then explain if you think the Olmecs were the mother culture of the Americas or just a sister culture. Explain by giving examples from the article.