Civilizations of Civilizations of The Americas The Americas

TimelineTimelineBy: Ian LittlefieldBy: Ian Littlefield

40,000 b.c.40,000 b.c. In 40,000 b.c. the ice In 40,000 b.c. the ice

age was coming to the age was coming to the end of its almost 60,000 end of its almost 60,000 year, reign. The ice age year, reign. The ice age would hang around for would hang around for another almost 30,000 another almost 30,000 years but just now was years but just now was the Bering Straight the Bering Straight revealed by the revealed by the dropping sea levels.dropping sea levels.

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33,000 - 10,000 b.c.33,000 - 10,000 b.c.

During this time During this time humans first humans first started to walk started to walk across the Bering across the Bering land bridge to the land bridge to the Americas.Americas.

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The OlmecThe Olmec

The Olmec civilization started The Olmec civilization started around 1500 b.c. and went around 1500 b.c. and went until almost 400 b.c. The until almost 400 b.c. The rivers that the Olmec lived rivers that the Olmec lived by flooded each year by flooded each year depositing fertile river soil depositing fertile river soil that they used for planting that they used for planting there crops. The Olmec had there crops. The Olmec had two classes the elite and the two classes the elite and the commoners.The elite were commoners.The elite were the rulers and the priests. the rulers and the priests. The commoners were The commoners were laborers they did the work laborers they did the work around the Olmec empirearound the Olmec empire

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Olmec religionOlmec religionOlmec rulers were priest kings Olmec rulers were priest kings

who came from the elite who came from the elite ranks. The priests and ranks. The priests and priest kings were some of priest kings were some of the most skilled and the most skilled and respected warriors in the respected warriors in the Olmec military. The Olmec Olmec military. The Olmec believed that the priests believed that the priests were protected by the gods were protected by the gods in battle and thus could not in battle and thus could not be killed unless the gods be killed unless the gods were angry with them. To were angry with them. To prevent this from occurring prevent this from occurring they sacrificed captured they sacrificed captured enemies to appease their enemies to appease their gods.gods.

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Epi-OlmecEpi-OlmecThe Olmec mysteriously The Olmec mysteriously

disappeared from all there cities disappeared from all there cities between 400 and 350 b.c. between 400 and 350 b.c. Artifacts were then found in Artifacts were then found in another city some 330 miles another city some 330 miles away called Tres Zapotes. away called Tres Zapotes. Artifacts were found there very Artifacts were found there very similar to those of the Olmec. similar to those of the Olmec. Historians believe that the Olmec Historians believe that the Olmec may have taken a major military may have taken a major military loss and had to flee with the few loss and had to flee with the few citizens and soldiers that citizens and soldiers that survived to another city. There survived to another city. There they started a new culture but they started a new culture but kept some of the same ways of kept some of the same ways of making buildings.making buildings.

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The MayansThe Mayans

The Mayans began The Mayans began around 1800 b.c. with around 1800 b.c. with small farming villages. small farming villages. Some of those villages Some of those villages could not farm but had could not farm but had large deposits of large deposits of limestone that the limestone that the Mayans used to build Mayans used to build there buildings. The there buildings. The rest of the villages rest of the villages farmed and provided farmed and provided food for the mining food for the mining villages.villages.

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100 b.c. - 200 a.d.100 b.c. - 200 a.d.In this time period the Mayans In this time period the Mayans

started to use their started to use their gathered limestone to gathered limestone to change their small villages change their small villages into large and impressive into large and impressive cities. Mayan cities were cities. Mayan cities were usually centered around a usually centered around a temple. The Mayans built a temple. The Mayans built a pyramid surrounded by pyramid surrounded by open plazas with a pyramid open plazas with a pyramid at the top. The Mayan at the top. The Mayan priest kings climbed these priest kings climbed these pyramids to perform pyramids to perform religious ceremonies.religious ceremonies.

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Mayan AgricultureMayan AgricultureThe Mayan population was growing The Mayan population was growing

so the demand for food did as so the demand for food did as well. To cope farmers devised well. To cope farmers devised ways to farm land that before was ways to farm land that before was useless. In the lowlands where useless. In the lowlands where the Mayans mined limestone they the Mayans mined limestone they now also farmed by bringing soil now also farmed by bringing soil from the bottom of rivers and from the bottom of rivers and spreading it over rocky ground spreading it over rocky ground and by digging channels through and by digging channels through to rivers they dealt with crops to rivers they dealt with crops dieing from lack of water. In the dieing from lack of water. In the highlands they used terraces to highlands they used terraces to prevent soil from sliding down prevent soil from sliding down hill. When this happened the hill. When this happened the Mayans started to have a surplus Mayans started to have a surplus of food and they traded the extra of food and they traded the extra with other civilizations for jade with other civilizations for jade and cacao beans.and cacao beans.

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Mayan ReligionMayan ReligionLike the Olmec the Mayans had Like the Olmec the Mayans had

Priest-Kings and priests. They Priest-Kings and priests. They were warriors and usually led were warriors and usually led the Mayan army into battle. the Mayan army into battle. The priests and Priest-Kings The priests and Priest-Kings were sometimes killed in battle were sometimes killed in battle but their army always won the but their army always won the fight. when the Priests died fight. when the Priests died they received the best burials they received the best burials possible. The Mayans possible. The Mayans sacrifices were more specific sacrifices were more specific than the Olmec. The Mayans than the Olmec. The Mayans only sacrificed captured enemy only sacrificed captured enemy soldiers, virgins, or the Priest-soldiers, virgins, or the Priest-Kings blood. The Mayans Kings blood. The Mayans instead of cutting the throat of instead of cutting the throat of a sacrifice they threw the a sacrifice they threw the sacrifice into a pit filled with sacrifice into a pit filled with thousands of gallons of water thousands of gallons of water with sides that stretched with sides that stretched almost 40 feet above the water almost 40 feet above the water level.level.

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Tiwanakans and the Tiwanakans and the MocheMoche

The Tiwanakans were a The Tiwanakans were a race that appeared in race that appeared in 300 b.c. and that 300 b.c. and that continued to prosper continued to prosper until almost a.d. 1200. until almost a.d. 1200. At it’s height the At it’s height the Tiwanakans owned Tiwanakans owned 1,500 square miles from 1,500 square miles from Peru to Bolivia. About Peru to Bolivia. About 400 years after the 400 years after the Tiwanakans developed Tiwanakans developed another culture the another culture the Moche came into being.Moche came into being.

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Different EnvironmentsDifferent EnvironmentsThe Tiwanakans lived in high The Tiwanakans lived in high

mountains where there was mountains where there was little rain and the only little rain and the only sources of water were lakes sources of water were lakes so the Tiwanakans dug so the Tiwanakans dug irrigation channels and took irrigation channels and took soil from the lake bed to soil from the lake bed to spread over inhospitable land spread over inhospitable land that would not grow crops. that would not grow crops. The Moche on the other hand The Moche on the other hand lived in a place were the land lived in a place were the land was dry and needed water. was dry and needed water. Using mud the Moche built Using mud the Moche built hundreds of miles of hundreds of miles of aqueducts and used terrace aqueducts and used terrace farming on the hillsides.farming on the hillsides.

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Social Structures and Social Structures and ReligionReligion

The Tiwanakans had an elite and a The Tiwanakans had an elite and a commoner class. The commoner class. The Tiwanakans worshipped the Tiwanakans worshipped the condor. Tiwanakan leaders condor. Tiwanakan leaders were worshipped as gods and were worshipped as gods and often fought alone when greatly often fought alone when greatly outnumbered by the enemy. outnumbered by the enemy. The Moche social structure was The Moche social structure was about the same. The religion of about the same. The religion of the Moche was very different the Moche was very different though. The Moche though. The Moche worshipped many different worshipped many different gods and made sacrifices unlike gods and made sacrifices unlike the Tiwanakans. The Moche the Tiwanakans. The Moche abandoned their cities in 600 abandoned their cities in 600 and six hundred years later the and six hundred years later the Tiwanakans would do the same.Tiwanakans would do the same.

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The AztecThe AztecThe Aztec were a band of hunter-The Aztec were a band of hunter-

gatherers living on an island in gatherers living on an island in northwestern Mexico. Around northwestern Mexico. Around 1100 they received a command 1100 they received a command from their god that they must from their god that they must move until they find an eagle move until they find an eagle sitting on a cactus eating a sitting on a cactus eating a snake. The Aztec wandered for snake. The Aztec wandered for almost 200 years until they almost 200 years until they found the sign. During this found the sign. During this period they passed through period they passed through many lands controlled by other many lands controlled by other tribes that would not let them tribes that would not let them settle there. The Aztec finally settle there. The Aztec finally found their home by lake found their home by lake Texcoco in the valley of Mexico. Texcoco in the valley of Mexico. They named their new city They named their new city Tenochitlan. Tenochitlan.

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Aztec FarmingAztec Farming

The Aztec could not farm The Aztec could not farm their wet swampy land their wet swampy land so they constructed so they constructed chinampas or floating chinampas or floating gardens that were thin gardens that were thin strips of land about 300 strips of land about 300 feet by 30 feet. The feet by 30 feet. The Aztec were able to plant Aztec were able to plant corn and squash here corn and squash here and gather from the and gather from the crops by boat. The Aztec crops by boat. The Aztec traded with other tribes traded with other tribes for lumber and stone.for lumber and stone.

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The Aztec EmpireThe Aztec Empire

The Aztec formed a mighty The Aztec formed a mighty empire by conquering empire by conquering other tribes around them other tribes around them and forcing them to grow and forcing them to grow food and give wood and food and give wood and metal to the Aztec war metal to the Aztec war effort. So much was effort. So much was demanded of conquered demanded of conquered tribes and Aztec tribes and Aztec commoners. That some commoners. That some began to starve which began to starve which created resentment created resentment among the tribes.among the tribes.

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Aztec ArmyAztec ArmyThe Aztec army was made up of multiple different kinds of warriors. They had archers swordsmen and spear woman. Archers usually carried their bows and slings used for throwing rocks. The swordsman carried swords and sometimes daggers or shields. Spear woman were thought of as almost mythical warriors for the Aztec. They carried 5 foot long spears used for thrusting that had a slim smooth tip. They also carried shorter heavier spears for throwing with barbed tips which prevented the enemy from removing them from their comrades to throw them back. Spear woman carried strong round shields covered with spikes for bashing. If they lost their spears then they would resort using their short swords called moon daggers. They usually came into battle with a black jaguar by their side.

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Aztec ReligionAztec ReligionThe Aztec religion The Aztec religion

worshipped over 1000 worshipped over 1000 gods especially the gods especially the god of war and the god of war and the sun and the god of sun and the god of rain. They performed rain. They performed human sacrifices to human sacrifices to appease their gods appease their gods some believe that the some believe that the Aztec started wars Aztec started wars just to capture enemy just to capture enemy soldiers for sacrifices.soldiers for sacrifices.

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The IncaThe Inca

Very few dates are Very few dates are known of the Inca known of the Inca because they had because they had no writing system. no writing system. The only date we The only date we really know about really know about is when their is when their empire came to its empire came to its height in 1525.height in 1525.

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How The Inca Conquered a How The Inca Conquered a RegionRegion

The Inca ruler first sent scouts to the The Inca ruler first sent scouts to the targeted region. The scouts judged targeted region. The scouts judged the regions fertility, the strength of the regions fertility, the strength of it’s armies, it’s defenses, and it’s armies, it’s defenses, and memorize it’s geography. The scouts memorize it’s geography. The scouts returned and the king gathered his returned and the king gathered his army according to the report from his army according to the report from his scouts. Before attacking the Inca scouts. Before attacking the Inca ruler sent ambassadors to the region ruler sent ambassadors to the region to persuade the tribes to become part to persuade the tribes to become part of the empire peacefully. Usually the of the empire peacefully. Usually the tribes refused and then the massive tribes refused and then the massive Inca armies attacked. The Inca made Inca armies attacked. The Inca made members of conquered tribes join members of conquered tribes join their armies. New soldiers that did their armies. New soldiers that did well were given rewards like picks well were given rewards like picks from the spoils of new conquests. If from the spoils of new conquests. If conquered tribes were peaceful then conquered tribes were peaceful then their leaders were allowed to stay in their leaders were allowed to stay in power. All tribes were forced to learn power. All tribes were forced to learn Quechua, the Incan language.Quechua, the Incan language.

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Inca Social StructuresInca Social StructuresThe Inca had commoners The Inca had commoners

and nobility. The and nobility. The commoners had to pay commoners had to pay tribute to the nobility tribute to the nobility and worked to make and worked to make roads that made trade roads that made trade and moving the armies and moving the armies of the Inca much faster. of the Inca much faster. The Inca government The Inca government even decided who even decided who married who in the married who in the empire. Marriage was empire. Marriage was encouraged since only encouraged since only couples could own land couples could own land and thus give tribute.and thus give tribute.

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Inca FarmingInca Farming

The Inca used different The Inca used different farming methods farming methods according to the according to the elevation they were at. elevation they were at. In the highlands they In the highlands they used terrace farming used terrace farming and irrigation and irrigation channels. In the channels. In the lowlands they grew lowlands they grew crops on just the soil crops on just the soil that was there. This that was there. This was called a vertical was called a vertical economy. economy. Image source: Image source: ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/. ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/. ../images/pl71.jpg../images/pl71.jpg

Inca religionInca religion

The Inca priests The Inca priests performed all performed all ceremonies most ceremonies most of which were of which were animal sacrifices. animal sacrifices. Only in times of Only in times of flood or famine flood or famine would the Inca would the Inca sacrifice humans.sacrifice humans.

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The Arrival of the The Arrival of the SpanishSpanish

In 1519 Hernando Cortez In 1519 Hernando Cortez fired his cannons at the fired his cannons at the Aztec. In 1532 thirteen Aztec. In 1532 thirteen years later Francisco years later Francisco Pizzaro did the same to the Pizzaro did the same to the Inca. Cortez came to the Inca. Cortez came to the shores of Aztec territory shores of Aztec territory with 550 men, 16 horses, with 550 men, 16 horses, 14 cannons, and three 14 cannons, and three dogs.They fired their dogs.They fired their cannons at Aztec cannons at Aztec messengers and caused messengers and caused them to flee. When they them to flee. When they told their leader about this told their leader about this he was stricken with fearhe was stricken with fear..

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Aztec ProblemsAztec ProblemsWhen the Spanish arrived the When the Spanish arrived the

Aztec were fighting multiple Aztec were fighting multiple wars with rebelling subject wars with rebelling subject tribes. The Aztec leader tribes. The Aztec leader belived that Cortes was a god belived that Cortes was a god come back to reclaim his city. come back to reclaim his city. He found out how wrong he He found out how wrong he was when he was taken was when he was taken hostage. The Spanish held hostage. The Spanish held him captive until an Aztec him captive until an Aztec rebellion killed him and drove rebellion killed him and drove the Spanish out. The Spanish the Spanish out. The Spanish lost most of their men in the lost most of their men in the rebellion but joined the rebellion but joined the waring subject tribes together waring subject tribes together and destroyed the Aztec.and destroyed the Aztec.

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Conquest of the IncaConquest of the IncaThe Inca were in a civil war The Inca were in a civil war

because the ruler had died and because the ruler had died and his sons were fighting over the his sons were fighting over the throne. The son Atahualpa throne. The son Atahualpa finally became the ruler of a finally became the ruler of a greatly weakened empire. greatly weakened empire. When the Spanish led by When the Spanish led by Pizzaro attacked he was Pizzaro attacked he was captured and killed very captured and killed very quickly. The last king of the quickly. The last king of the Inca Manco Inca lead an army Inca Manco Inca lead an army of 200,000 soldiers against the of 200,000 soldiers against the spanish but it failed because so spanish but it failed because so many resources had been used many resources had been used up in the civil war. The Inca up in the civil war. The Inca retreated into the mountains retreated into the mountains until they were finally defeated until they were finally defeated in 1572.in 1572.

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