Civilizations Of The Americas

1. Civilizations Of The Americas By: Gabrielle Marcella, Savannah McBroom, Arienna Sutherland

2. Geography of the Americas • Hunters and gatherers reached north America from asia • Took place during ice age • Traveled by the land brigde (bering stait) • Brigde was between Siberia and Alaska • Historians believed they followed mammoths and bison acoss the bridge • Some may have paddles small boats and fished along th coast • Global warming-world wide temp. increase • Regions-north America and south America…within them is middle America which includes Mexico and central America • Mountain ranges-Rocky Mts. and Sierra Madre of Mexico • 1st Americans adapted to a variety of climates and resources • From to north and south ppl learned to survive in icy treeless lands • Closer to equater ppl settled in the hot, wet climate in thick vegetation of the amazon rain forest • Greatest adaptation occurred wen some ppl learned to cultivate plants and domesticate animals • With the larger animals disappearing they had to find a new resource of food • Domesticated animals include- the llama and other small creatures

3. Olmecs • Earliest American civilization emerged in the tropical forest along the Mexican coast-1400BC to 500BC • Archeologists know very little bout the olmecs • They built ceremonial centers made up of pyramid- shaped temples and other buildings • Most dramatic remains of the olmec civilization are the giant carved stone heads found in the ruins of a religious center at La Venta • Through trade, Olmec influence spread over a wide area • Olmecs invented calendar and used carved inscriptions as a form of writing

4. Mayas • Between A.D. 300 and 900, mayan city-states flourished from the Yucatan in southern mexico • Scientists recently determined how mayan farming mothods allowed them to thrive in tropical environments • Mayan farmers built channels that could be opened to drain excess water • Complex system produced enough native corn-maize- and other crops to support rapidly growing cities • Towering pyramids dominated the largest mayan city of Tikal • Priest climbed steep temple stairs to perform sacrifices on high platforms • Tikal also boasted large palaces and huge stone pillars covered with elaborate carvings • Carvings preserve striking imagesof haughty aristocrats, warriors in plumed headdresses, and captives about to be sacrificed to the gods

5. Aztecs • 1200’s nomad came and were the Aztec ancestors migrated to the valley of mexico . • Told by gods to look for egale with snake in mouth found it in lake Texcoco on and island with city called Tenochtitla now nnew mexico city. • Built Chinampas or artifical islands for farming along with cnnals for transportation • 1400s empire was expanded along with territory. • 1500s over 30 million people • 1519 Spainish concourer came and was blow away by the city • single ruler chosen by nobles • sacrifices were common for religion • basic orderof class where you could work to higher your statues • Hoitzilopochtli was key god • Priest were knowledge keepers. • Medicans they used are still used today • Tenochtitlon was down fall of Aztecs along with Spanish concourers

6. Early Peru • People settled fishing villages along dessert costs. • Farmers/herders and craftsmen were main skills • Chavin was the earliest with ferocious looking gods • Mochina 100AD and 200 AD, northern coast, farmers with terrincing, irrigation and fertilization, roads and messangers. • Made…Textiles/Gold work/wood carvings with large temples. • Nozca- glyph orsymbols carved into surfaces.

7. Incan • God like kings who owned all land • Provinces ruled by nobles/chieftains • Taxees and laws • Quipu collection of knotted string used to keep documents • Known for keepingfor great roads allowind news and armies to move fast. • Cuzco all roads ran through this city with the temple of then sun in the center • Jobs were Farming/ Metal working/ and medical advisers • Polytheistic with women who served the sun god • Each month with its own festival • 1552 emporer Huanyna capacted and died of and uknown plaug that swept the land • no successor named so his 2 sons waged war on eachother making it slowly wear down on the city • greater threat was Spanish Invaders

8. Derst of the Southwest • 1000 year ago it was farming land • four corners oarizona is where Anasazis lived. 900ADand 1300. built community homes • Kiva was an undergroundchamber for religious pratices • Houseing complexes in the shadow of the canyon walls to keep away invaders • 1200s long drought forced them to abandon ther cliff dwellings

9. Mound Builders • 700BC im Mississippi and ohio valley • Adena and Hopewell built erath mounds • Coneshaped or animal • Ohhio has a serpant that twist for almost a quarter mile • By 800ad they had disapeard and new mounds even bigger Chokia held up to 4000 people • Cahokia bosted about 60 new mounds. Homes of rulers or nobles were on top • Largest mound were temples • They just disapeard

10. Diverse Regional Cultures • 10 eviro mentally based cultures. The artic, subartic,northwest coast, California, great basin, Platueas, southwest, great plains, easter wood lands, and southeastern • Artic-bones and oils of animals used as tools. Kayaks and dog sledes. Iggluos or Sods dwellings partially underground. Called Inuits • Northwest coast- Deers, wolfs, bears,and fish were normal food.Homes of wood. Traders. Potatoh is a ritiual were the host gives all his guests gifts to show his higher place • Eastern woodlands- villages in forests, women farmed while men hunted and warred with other tribes, Prophets stoped wars with peace. Not always worked. Goverend own villages but had Jonit councils. Men only in the council except for th “clan mother” who chose the members. Europesn encounters ended them.

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