chapter 11: early meso- american...
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 11: Early Meso-American Civilizations
Lesson 2: The Olmec Civilization
MAIN IDEAS
Because of geographic advantages for agriculture, the Olmec developed one of the earliest civilizations in the Americas.!
The Olmec developed a sophisticated culture that influenced later civilizations.!
Through trade, Olmec culture spread throughout Meso-America and had a lasting influence.
An Early American Civilization EQ: Why were the Olmec able to develop one of the
earliest civilizations in the Americas?
A Productive Land
Olmec—southern Mexico people, lived on Gulf Coast 3,000 years ago!
River floodwaters left behind a layer of fertile alluvial soil!
Farming thrived; food supply and population grew; cities developed!
Non-farming division of labor developed (weavers, teachers, priests)
An Early American Civilization EQ: Why were the Olmec able to develop one of the
earliest civilizations in the Americas?
Olmec Cities
San Lorenzo, La Venta were major Olmec cities and centers of religion and trade, featuring raised mounds, stone monuments, large plazas, and housing
Olmec Culture EQ: What kind of culture did the Olmec develop?
Olmec Society and Daily Life
Most were farmers, fishers; lived in villages in mud, wood homes. Their primary function was to supply food to village!
City-dwellers were the elite, upper class rulers (priests, nobles). They lived in stone houses, wore fancy clothes, jewelry!
Some laborers, craftworkers lived in cities in small mud, wood homes!
Olmec played ball game, may have invented it; hugely popular
Olmec Culture EQ: What kind of culture did the Olmec develop?
Olmec Art and Learning
Huge stone heads discovered; may be monuments to rulers, ball players, made of basalt—volcanic rock—transported from quarries 50 miles away!
Olmec did not have wheel or pack animals to move rock!
Jade sculptures, pottery, cave painting were common!
Olmec used early form of glyph writing to record events, stories!
Olmec astronomers developed extremely accurate calendar
Olmec Culture EQ: What kind of culture did the Olmec develop?
Religion
Olmec worshiped several gods, mostly nature-based!
There was a fire god, corn god, jaguar god (their primary god), who they believed to bring rain!
Olmec built mounds, pyramids in cities as religious centers
Fire God
Maize God
Jaguar God
The Olmec Gods include the Olmec Dragon, the Bird Monster, the Fish Monster, the Banded-eye God, the Maize God, the Water God, the Were-Jaguar and the Feathered Serpent.
The Dragon, Bird Monster and Fish Monster when taken together form the Olmec physical universe. The dragon represents the earth, the bird monster the skies and the fish monster the underworld.
The Olmec Legacy EQ: Why did Olmec culture have a lasting influence
in Meso-America?
Prosperous Trade
Olmec didnʼt wage war; concentrated on trade with other cultures!
Cities were trade centers for luxury goods, especially obsidian!
Exchange of ideas, knowledge spread Olmec culture across region
The Olmec Legacy EQ: Why did Olmec culture have a lasting influence
in Meso-America?
A Lasting Influence
Olmec mysteriously abandoned cities, disappeared by 400 B.C.!
Olmec civilization was the mother culture of Meso-America. A mother culture is a way of life that strongly influences later cultures.
Summary & So WhatLesson Summary
The Olmec developed a thriving civilization that included cities.!
The Olmec developed notable art and a complex religion.!
Olmec culture shaped later Meso-American civilizations.!Why It Matters Now . . .
Today the peoples of Mexico and Central America are still influenced by Olmec culture.