The Americas

1. Who were the earliest Americans? The Americas

2. Guess how much the statue weighs! Student who comes closest gets a prize (2 mins).

3. 8 tons/16,000 pounds!!!!

4. http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28709-discovery-atlantis-olmec-civilization-and-atlantis-video.htmhttp://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28709-discovery-atlantis-olmec-civilization-and-atlantis-video.htm Intro video

5. 36a explain the rise and fall of the Olmec, Mayan, Aztec and Inca empires 36b compare the culture of the Americas including government, economy, religion, social structure, technology and the arts of the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas Aks 36

6. Essential question Who were the Olmecs and what was their contribution to civilization in the Americas?

7. The earliest civilizations

8. How did they get here?

9. Review of effects of agriculture

10. How did people survive before settled agriculture?

11. The Olmec Early civilizations

12. Mesoamerica’s first civilization builders • What does “Mesoamerica” mean? • Began carving out a society around 1200 BC in the jungles of southern Mexico • Thrived 800-400 BC • San Lorenzo – the oldest site Olmeccivilazation

13. Olmec heartland

14. What do you think the olmec environment was like?

15. Where was the olmec civilization located?

16. Hot and humid and covered with swamps and jungles • Rainfall often caused rivers to flood • Large deposits of salt and tar and clay to make….? • Wood and rubber from rain forest • Flooded plains near rivers provided…? The environment

17. Earthen mounds, courtyards, and pyramids • Planned ceremonial centers • Stone symbols – writing? • Ritual ball games Olmec society

18. What do you think these monuments, mounds, and colossal heads tell us about their culture? • May have represented particular Olmec rulers • Elite ruling class Olmec culture

19. Believed to have prayed to a variety of nature gods • “The Jaguar Spirit” • Half-human, half-jaguar • Powerful rain god? • Earth, fertility? Olmec religion

20. Olmec trade spanned north and south!!! • Trade spread Olmec influence Trade and commerce

21. What do you think happened to the Olmec? Decline (by 400 BCE)

22. The Olmec left their mark Olmec art and construction affected future cultures like the Maya Olmec developed ceremonial centers, ritual ball games, and ruling class Later cultures in Mesoamerica adopted Olmec ways Influenced Mayan writing system Origin of the Mayan calendar system Legacy/impact

23. 3 – things you learned 2 – things you want to find out more about 1 – question you have Summary

24. Who were the Mayan’s and what triggered their decline? The Mayans

25. Engineering an Empire

26. The Mayans

27. Tikal Pyramids

28. Southern Mexico into northern Central America Includes dry scrub forest of the Yucatan Peninsula Also – dense, steamy jungles Maya took on Olmec influences and blended it with their local customs Mayan Civilization

29. What was the climate like for the Mayans? Where was their civilization located? Review

30. AD 250-900 = “Classic Period” of Maya civilization • Built many cities (Tikal) in northern Guatemala • Each city-state • Which means what for its government? • Giant pyramids, temples, palaces, and elaborate stone carvings • Tens of thousands of people surrounded the city center Mayan Civilization (cont)

31. How was each Mayan location set-up in terms of government? Review

32. Each Maya city featured a ball court • What happened to the losers? • Religious and political significance • Maya believed the playing of this game would maintain the cycles of the sun and moon and bring rain recreation

33. Ball game gear

34. Exact rules and method of scoring are unknown. Inscriptions indicate that players could not use their hands or feet to move a solid rubber ball. Members of the losing team might be sacrificed by beheading.

35. City-states exchanged their local products and craft goods No unifying currency, cacao (CHOCOLATE) beans sometimes served as one Maize, beans, and squash provided the basis for Maya life Agriculture and trade

36. King sat at the top and was regarded as a holy figure (hereditary) • Noble class (priests and leading warriors) • Merchants and specialized skills • Peasant majority Social structure

37. What type of religion do you think they practiced? • Polytheism – gods of corn, of rain, of war, etc. • How did they worship? • Prayed, made offerings of food, flowers, incense • Offered their blood to nourish the gods • Human sacrifice – of captured enemies Religion

38. Mayans believed that time was a burden carried on the back of a god Very important to have an accurate calendar to know which god was in charge of the day 260 day religious calendar 365 day solar calendar Math and religion

39. Mayan numerals

40. 800 hieroglyphic symbols (glyphs) • Carved glyphs into a bark-paper book known as a codex (only 3 survive) • Burned by Spanish priests in 16th century • PopulVuh – the Maya’s version of the story of creation “Before the world was created, Calm and Silence were the great kings that ruled. Nothing existed, there was nothing” Written language

41. Mayan writing

42. Why was math and religion important to the Mayans? Describe their social structure. Review

43. In the 800s, the Maya suddenly abandoned many of their cities • Invaders from the north moved into the lands. • Reasons? • Frequent warfare between kingdoms • Population growth = needed more land decline

44. In one paragraph, write a short story about what you think happened to the Mayans? Use your creativity

45. The aztecs

46. Who were the Aztecs? How did their civilization function, thrive, and ultimately decline? Essential question

47. The aztecs

48. Greatest empire in Mesoamerica Heart of civilization located around modern Mexico City Ancestors of the Olmec Setting the stage

49. location

50. “City of the Gods” First major city-state of Central Mexico Peak population ~150,000 – 200,000 Obsidian – Green or black volcanic rock used to make razor sharp weapons Abandoned by 750 AD Teotihuacán