Cultures of Cultures of MesoamericaMesoamericaChapter 7.2Chapter 7.2

pp 203-210pp 203-210

The OlmecThe Olmec

The OlmecThe Olmec

1200 BC to 300 AD1200 BC to 300 AD ““mother culture” of mother culture” of

MesoamericaMesoamerica Built pyramids Built pyramids Had a calendar and Had a calendar and

writingwriting TradersTraders

The BallgameThe Ballgame

Olmec invented the Olmec invented the ballgameballgame

Many cities had a Many cities had a ballcourtballcourt

Cross between Cross between volleyball and volleyball and basketballbasketball

Later, losers were Later, losers were killedkilled

The Olmec HeadsThe Olmec Heads

8-10 feet tall8-10 feet tall 17 have been found 17 have been found

so farso far Could be portraits of Could be portraits of

rulersrulers

ZapotecZapotec

1500 BC to 750 AD1500 BC to 750 AD Southern MexicoSouthern Mexico farmersfarmers Capital: Monte AlbanCapital: Monte Alban

PyramidsPyramids BallcourtBallcourt ObservatoriesObservatories plazasplazas

ZapotecZapotec

Monte Alban

ToltecToltec

Central MexicoCentral Mexico 900-1200 AD900-1200 AD Capital : TulaCapital : Tula Trade centerTrade center MilitaristicMilitaristic Had pyramids and Had pyramids and

templestemples

MayaMaya

Began around Began around 1000 BC1000 BC

From Yucatan From Yucatan Peninsula to Peninsula to Guatemala, Guatemala, Honduras, and Honduras, and BelizeBelize

Mayan farmingMayan farming

Grew maize, beans, Grew maize, beans, squashsquash

Used slash-and-burn Used slash-and-burn agricultureagriculture Forest is cut down, Forest is cut down,

then burned to then burned to provide nutrients for provide nutrients for soilsoil

Mayan CitiesMayan Cities Chichen ItzaChichen Itza PalenquePalenque CopanCopan TulumTulum

Mayan citiesMayan cities

Each city was independentEach city was independent Had separate rulers and gov’tsHad separate rulers and gov’ts

Had large populationsHad large populations Traded with each otherTraded with each other Often at warOften at war

Mayan Science and MathMayan Science and Math

AstronomyAstronomy 365-day calendar with 365-day calendar with

leap yearsleap years Calculated Calculated

movements of planets movements of planets and starsand stars

MathMath First to use zeroFirst to use zero Base-20 mathBase-20 math

Mayan WritingMayan Writing

First to fully develop First to fully develop writingwriting

Used Used glyphsglyphs, or , or symbolssymbols

Records kept in bark-Records kept in bark-paper books called paper books called codexescodexes

Mayan ReligionMayan Religion

Creation myth in the Creation myth in the Popol VuhPopol Vuh Men made from maizeMen made from maize Hero twins – Hunahpu and Xbalanque – who Hero twins – Hunahpu and Xbalanque – who

become the sun and moonbecome the sun and moon

PolytheisticPolytheistic Practiced human sacrifice and ritual Practiced human sacrifice and ritual

bloodlettingbloodletting

Mayan declineMayan decline

Decline began Decline began around 900 AD around 900 AD WarfareWarfare DroughtDrought RebellionsRebellions Environmental Environmental

damagedamage

Maya communities Maya communities still exist todaystill exist today

AztecsAztecs Central MexicoCentral Mexico 1100s – 1500s1100s – 1500s Farmers and warriorsFarmers and warriors Capital: TenochtitlanCapital: Tenochtitlan

TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

Tenochtitlan built on Lake TexcocoTenochtitlan built on Lake Texcoco Prophecy told them to found a city where Prophecy told them to found a city where

they saw an eagle on a cactus eating a they saw an eagle on a cactus eating a snakesnake

One of the world’s largest cities – 200,000 One of the world’s largest cities – 200,000 peoplepeople

Farmed on Farmed on ChinampasChinampas, or “floating gardens”, or “floating gardens”

AztecsAztecs

Aztec EmpireAztec Empire

Formed an alliance with nearby citiesFormed an alliance with nearby cities TexcocoTexcoco TlacopanTlacopan

Demanded tribute, or tax, from Demanded tribute, or tax, from conquered tribesconquered tribes

Aztec CultureAztec Culture

Worshiped the gods Huitzilopochtli and Worshiped the gods Huitzilopochtli and QuetzlcoatlQuetzlcoatl

Practiced slavery and human sacrificePracticed slavery and human sacrifice ArtsArts

Gold, copper, jade, turquoise jewelry and Gold, copper, jade, turquoise jewelry and potterypottery

PoetryPoetry Glyph writing and calendarGlyph writing and calendar

Moctezuma IIMoctezuma II

Leader of Aztecs Leader of Aztecs when Cortes arriveswhen Cortes arrives

End of Aztec cultureEnd of Aztec culture

Aztecs conquered by Spaniards and Aztecs conquered by Spaniards and CortesCortes

Moctezuma killed – not sure howMoctezuma killed – not sure how Spanish aided by people conquered by Spanish aided by people conquered by

the Aztecsthe Aztecs

South American CulturesSouth American Cultures

ChavinChavin 900-200 BC900-200 BC PeruPeru Chavin de Huantar – ceremonial centerChavin de Huantar – ceremonial center

MocheMoche 400 BC to 600 AD400 BC to 600 AD Central PeruCentral Peru Skilled at metalworking and unusual potterySkilled at metalworking and unusual pottery

South American CulturesSouth American Cultures

NazcaNazca 200 BC to 600 AD200 BC to 600 AD Southern Peru – desert areaSouthern Peru – desert area Farmers – built irrigation canalsFarmers – built irrigation canals Famous for the Nazca Lines – geometric Famous for the Nazca Lines – geometric

shapes on the desert floorshapes on the desert floor

Nazca LinesNazca Lines What’s the purpose of the What’s the purpose of the

Nazca lines? No one is Nazca lines? No one is suresure RitualsRituals Astronomical?Astronomical? Signs for the gods?Signs for the gods?

IncasIncas

West coast of South West coast of South AmericaAmerica

1400s – 15721400s – 1572 Capital: CuzcoCapital: Cuzco

Inca EmpireInca Empire

Highly organized and efficientHighly organized and efficient Led by an emperorLed by an emperor Leaders of conquered people were Leaders of conquered people were

moved away to limit rebellionsmoved away to limit rebellions

Inca CultureInca Culture

Government distributed food and Government distributed food and supplies to all peoplesupplies to all people

Surplus was stored for emergenciesSurplus was stored for emergencies Built roads to connect the EmpireBuilt roads to connect the Empire Skilled engineers and metalworkersSkilled engineers and metalworkers Spoke Quechua- still spoken todaySpoke Quechua- still spoken today

Inca recordsInca records

No writingNo writing Inca recorded Inca recorded

population and taxes population and taxes using quipuusing quipu Colored and knotted Colored and knotted

cordscords The colors and type The colors and type

of knots represented of knots represented numbers and datesnumbers and dates

Incan leadersIncan leaders

Pachacuti – Pachacuti – expanded Incan expanded Incan kingdom to an kingdom to an EmpireEmpire Built city of Machu Built city of Machu

PicchuPicchu

Incan leadersIncan leaders

AtahualpaAtahualpa Last emperor of the Last emperor of the

IncasIncas Came to power after Came to power after

a civil war with his a civil war with his brotherbrother

Murdered by the Murdered by the SpanishSpanish

Tupac Amaru- last Tupac Amaru- last Incan emperorIncan emperor

Assignment: TimelineAssignment: Timeline

Create a timeline depicting when the various Create a timeline depicting when the various American cultures existed.American cultures existed. Moche- 400 BC – 600 ADMoche- 400 BC – 600 AD Hohokam – 300 BC – 1500 ADHohokam – 300 BC – 1500 AD Hopewell – 200 BC – 500 ADHopewell – 200 BC – 500 AD Olmec – 1200 BC – 300 ADOlmec – 1200 BC – 300 AD Maya – 1000 BC – 900 ADMaya – 1000 BC – 900 AD Aztec – 1100 – 1572 ADAztec – 1100 – 1572 AD Nazca – 200 BC – 600 ADNazca – 200 BC – 600 AD Inca – 1400 – 1532 ADInca – 1400 – 1532 AD

Assignment: Timeline Assignment: Timeline (cont.)(cont.)

Now, create an identical timeline Now, create an identical timeline underneath to compare other culturesunderneath to compare other cultures Golden Age of Greece – 500 – 323 BCGolden Age of Greece – 500 – 323 BC Roman Empire – 27 BC – 476 ADRoman Empire – 27 BC – 476 AD Birth of Christ – 0 Birth of Christ – 0 1096 AD – the first Crusade1096 AD – the first Crusade 221 BC – Great Wall of China is started221 BC – Great Wall of China is started 1250 BC – Ramses the Great rules Egypt1250 BC – Ramses the Great rules Egypt