Cultures of Middle America

1. Cultures of Middle America Week 14 December 3rd, 2013 Chapter 3 Section 2 Pages: 29-31

3. The plan • Objectives • Review • South America and the Incas • Vocabulary • Map of Mayan and Aztec Empires • The Culture of the Mayas • The Aztec Empire • Review Questions • Evaluation • Preview

4. Objectives Learn about the Mayan culture of Middle America. Find out about the powerful Aztec Empire.

5. Review Where did the Incas live? Who is Sapa Inca? How did the Incas keep track of people? How did the Incas farm on the steep mountains?

6. VOCABULARY • thrive:v. to flourish; to gain wealth and possessions • establish:v. to set up on a permanent basis • decline:v. to weaken • equip: v. to provide with the appropriate supplies for action

7. KEY TERMS • Mayas:n. a people who established a great civilization in Middle America • slash-and-burn agriculture:n. a farming technique in which trees are cut down and burned • maize:n. corn • hieroglyphics: n. the signs and symbols that made up the Mayan writing system • Aztecs:n. a people who lived in the Valley of Mexico • Tenochtitlan:n. capital city of the Aztecs

9. Social Studies Booklet page 30

10. The Culture of the Mayas • Mayas on the _________ Peninsula • Way of life lasted HUNDREDS of years • GREATEST period from AD____ until AD____

11. The Culture of the Mayas • Mayas are farmers • How do you farm in a forest? • ______ and ______ • The soil wears out and another field must be started.

12. The Culture of the Mayas • What did the Mayan farmers grow? • __________________ • __________________ • __________________ • __________________

13. The Culture of the Mayas • It was so important they had a ____ of corn. • Corn needs rain and sun to grow • They also worshipped a _____ god and a _____ god.

15. The Culture of the Mayas • Mayan cities were built for _______ and _______. • Different city = different ruler • Who lived in large palaces in the city? Who lived on the edges?

16. The Culture of the Mayas • What happened at large pyramids? • Some events led to human sacrifice O_o • Mayan priests…. • _____________ • _____________ • How did the Mayans keep track of information?

18. The Culture of the Mayas • What happened in AD 900? • What are four possible explanations? • Today, _______ of the Mayas still live in ________ ________ and follow old ________.

19. Social Studies Booklet page 31

20. The Aztec Empire • First settled in 1100s • By 1470s empire stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean.

22. The Aztec Empire • Who was Moctexuma? • Conquered people were required to pay taxes • Could pay with… • ________________ • ________________ • ________________

23. Tenochtitlan • The grand capital of Aztec Empire • Located in a lake • Center: plaza & pyramids • Schools for noble sons • Large stone palaces • Raised streets to cross to mainland • Aqueducts brought in fresh water

24. Aqueducts

25. The Aztec Empire • Space is limited on an island • The Aztecs needed more farmland, so they built island gardens • The island gardens were made from _______ from the ________ ________. • How did the farmers get the food to market?

26. Island Gardens

28. The Aztec Empire • The Aztec religion included ______ sacrifices. • On whose calendar did the Aztec priests base theirs? • How did the Aztecs keep records?

30. In _____, Spanish __________ invaded the Aztec Empire • How did the Aztecs die? • When did the Aztecs surrender?

31. Review Questions Complete the Review Questions on page 31 before the end of class. Any unfinished questions are for HOMEWORK; due TOMORROW • What was Mayan life based on? • How did the Aztec Empire make new farmland?

32. Preview • Learn about the Mound Builders of eastern North America • Learn about the cultures of the Southwest and Great Plains. • Find out about the Woodland peoples of North America.