¡México!200BC – 1520AD

200BC – Mayan Civilization

• Originally in Yucután, then spread to south.• Built upon other civilizations ideas/inventions.• Height of Mayan Empire 600-900AD• Known for:

– 365 day calendar (5 of which were hollow days)– Hollow Days: People were not allowed to eat, drink, or

make eye contact with others (holiday).– Followed the stars (saw cycles/patterns in seasons).– Developed hieroglyphic system of writing– Invented a ball game– Ritual worship to their deities and gods.

200BC – Mayan Civilization

• 2 Famous Ancient ruin Cities– Chichen Itzá: Located south of Mérida divided into 2.

• Chichen Viejo• Chichen Nuevo

– Palenque: Located near Chiapas.• Quetzalcoatl: Mayan/Toltec/Aztec God – half

bird/half serpent “feathered serpent,” returned every 47 years – each year known as “The Year of the Reed.”

• Empire mysteriously disappeared -900AD• Those who were left joined the Toltecs.

Chicen ItzáEl Castillo

Chichen ItzáThe observatory

Chicen ItzáEl Templo de los Guerreros

(the temple of warriors)

Chicen ItzáThe Ballcourt

Palenque

Palenque

1000 AD –Height of Toltec Empire

• Militaristic civilization (based on warfare & military expansion).

• Developed intense agriculture system.• Practiced human sacrifice (pirámides).• Finally settled in Teotihuacan (N. of Mexico

city). Ceremonial urban center.• Empire lasted until 12th century but, destroyed by

constant warfare. • Left the country without a ruling group until

Aztecs arrived 200 years later.

Teotihuacan

TeotihuacanLa Avenida de la muerte

TeotihuacanPirámide de la Luna

TeotihuacanLa Pirámide del Sol

TeotihuacanLa Pirámide del Sol

La Historia de las Pirámides

• There were 2 sons that wanted honor and were willing to sacrifice themselves into the fire in order to be a part of the sky and heavens.

• The youngest held back, and so the eldest proceeded in sacrificing himself. The youngest then followed his brother.

• The next morning, the people saw that there were 2 suns in the sky, and decided they couldn’t have that. So, they threw a rabbit @ it and that one became the moon. (Rabbit in the moon).

1200 AD Arrival of the Aztecs (Mexica)

• Originated from the Irroquios from the North.

• Irroquios leaders envisioned an eagle holding a serpent on a cactus on a rock in a lake. (Mexican coat of arms).

• This group wandered for 125 yrs. In search of vision, conquering others.

• Found lake in the Valley of Mexico (Now present day Mexico City – la Capital).

• They built Tenochtitlan on lake in 1325AD.

Sign of the Eagle

TenochtitlanBuilt upon the Lake Texoco

Tenochtitlan(What it could have looked like)

Tenochtitlan

1200 AD Arrival of the Aztecs (Mexica)

• Practiced warfare/human sacrifice to keep Gods nourished and preserve civilization.

• Flower Wars: The trade from one person from a higher tribe with several with several people from a lesser tribe to be used as a sacrifice.

• This warfare came to a height: 80,000 were killed in 72 hours, which angered the neighboring tribes.

• The Aztecs expanded and conquered most of Mexico by the 16th century.

1519 - Aztecs• There is unrest in the civilization and

warning signs that something is coming:–Montezuma is the current Aztec

ruler.–This is the Year of the Reed.–Haley’s comet is in the sky.

1520 – Hernan Cortés•Cortés (Spanish conquistador) arrives in Veracruz & burned ships so men couldn’t leave.•Conquistador: Spanish invaders led by Cortés.•Poses as Quetzalcoatl•Frustrated tribes join him.•They fool Aztecs & capture Montezuma.•Aztecs and Tenochtitlan are conquered – Spanish colonial period.

Timeline for Folder

• 200 BC• 600-800 AD• 900AD• 1000AD• 1200AD• 1325AD• 1519AD• 1520AD

Palabras Importantes

• Hollow Days• Quetzalcoatl• The year of the Reed• La pirámide• Flower Wars• Los conquistadores