Mesoamerican Civilizations 1200 B.C.-1500 A.D.

1. Mesoamerican Civilizations1200 B.C.-1500 A.D. Olmec Maya Aztec Inca

2. The Earliest Americans The Earliest Americans • North and South America • Stretches unbroken 9,000 miles • Originally connected to Asia by a land bridge called Beringia • Most inhabitants (or ancestors) migrated this way • Others traveled by boat

3. The Earliest Americans • Peopling of America • Started arriving after the Ice Age (1.9 million – 10,000 B.C.) • Ice Age lowered sea levels (hence Beringia) and allowed wild herds from Siberia to migrate to the Americas • People followed the herds and became first Americans(hunters and gatherers)

4. The Earliest Americans • Peopling of America (continued…) • Some say earliest humans found in North or South America date back to 40,000 B.C. or 10,000 B.C. • Evidence? Spearheads found in New Mexico date back to 9,500 B.C. • 12,000-10,000 years ago the Ice Age ended- Ice melted and Beringia was swallowed • Agriculture began about 7,000 B.C. • With agriculture came permanent settlements

5. Setting the Stage • The story of developed civilizations in the Americas begins in a region called Mesoamerica. • This area stretches south from central Mexico into northern Honduras. • It was here that the first complex societies in the Americas arose.

6. The Olmec • Mesoamerica’s first known civilization builders were a people known as the Olmec. • They are often called Mesoamerica’s “mother culture.” • The Olmec emerged about 1200 B.C. and thrived from 800-400 B.C. • They lived along the Gulf Coast of Mexico, in the modern-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco. Collapse: Unknown. Possibilities include decline by outside rulers or possibly that the Olmec began destruction of their monuments when their leaders died

8. The Olmec • The area in which the Olmec settled seemed an unusual spot due to the region’s climate and geographical features. • Hot and humid • Swamps and jungle • Up to 100 in. of annual rainfall

9. The Olmec • Important Contributions to later Mesoamerican people (especially Mayans): • Concept of Zero • Ballgame using rubber balls and goals- early lacrosse • Art styles, especially jaguar motif • Urban design/city planning, drainage systems • Elite ruling class (religious leaders) • Religious mythology

10. Setting the Stage • In early A.D. centuries, most North American peoples were beginning to develop complex societies. (Native Americans) • Further south, the peoples of Mexico and Central America were entering into full-fledged civilization. • A prime example of this is the Maya, who built an extraordinary civilization in the heart of Mesoamerica.

11. The Maya • The homeland of the Maya stretched from southern Mexico into northern Central America, including highlands and lowlands. • Lowlands: lie to the north, include dry forests and steamy jungles. (Yucatan Peninsula to S.E. Mexico and N. Guatemala) • Highlands: lie to the south, include cool mountains (S. Mexico to El Salvador)

12. The Maya • A.D. 250-900 is known as the Maya’s Classical Period b/c they are building huge cities like Tikal, Palenque, and Chichen Itza. • Each city was an independent city-state ruled by a god-king, serving as a center for religion and trade. • Cities featured giant pyramids, temples, palaces, and stone carvings to the gods and rulers. • Thousands of people lived in the residential areas surrounding the city center.

13. The Maya • Even though each city-state was independent, they were connected through trade and alliances. • Local products included salt, flint, feathers, shells, and honey, cotton goods, and jade ornaments. • Cacao beans (chocolate) was sometimes used for currency! • Agriculture provided the basis for life, including products like maize, beans, and squash.

14. The Maya • Successful times of farming contributed to growth of wealth and development of social classes. • King (holy, hereditary position) • Nobles (priests and warriors) • Merchants and skilled artisans • Peasants (majority of people)

15. The Maya • Religion was very important and influenced mostly all aspects of life. • Belief in many gods • Corn, death, rain, war, etc. • Good and bad gods (or both) • Associated with the four directions • Each day was a living god whose behavior could be predicted by using a system of calendars • Various practices included prayer, offerings, blood, human sacrifice (this pleased gods the most)

16. The Maya • Maya civilization also ended in mystery; reasons include: 4 reasons: • Late 800s, Maya began abandoning cities • Invaders from the North, Toltec people, moved into their lands • Civil war between city-states • Overpopulation and exhaustion of farmland

17. The Maya • Important contributions include • Calendar based on astronomy (estimated the solar year at 365.2420 days…) • Concept of zero • Advanced writing system using glyphs • Record keeping known as a codex

18. Setting the Stage • While the Maya were developing their civilization to the south, other cultures were developing in central Mexico around the Valley of Mexico. • This valley eventually became the site of the greatest empire, the Aztec.

19. The Aztec • The Aztecs arrived in the Valley of Mexico around 1200 B.C. • The valley contained some small city-states that survived the collapse of Toltec rule. • The Aztecs, who were then called the Mexica, were originally nomadic people from northern Mexico.

20. The Aztec • The Aztecs founded their empire on an island in Lake Texcoco. • In 1325 they founded their capital city, Tenochtitlan. • In 1428, they joined alliances with two other city-states, Texcoco and Tlacopan, forming a Triple Alliance. • By the 1500s, the empire was divided into 38 provinces and had 5-15 million people.

21. The Aztecs were a nomadic tribe. Their god Quetzalcoatlhad commanded them to find an eagle devouring a snake, perched atop a cactus. After two hundred years of wandering, they found the promised sign on a small island in the swampy Lake Texcoco. It was there they founded their new capital, Tenochtitlan.

22. Mexican flag and coat of arms- features a snake in a eagles mouth perched on a cactus.

23. The Aztec • They based their empire on military conquest and gaining tributary states. • Tributes included gold, maize, cacao, cotton, jade, etc. • They destroyed rebellious villages and captured or slaughtered the inhabitants. • Economy • Demanded tribute from those they conquered • Traded Obsidian- volcanic glass

24. The Aztec • The emperor was at the very top of society, with absolute power. • Military leaders, gov’t officials, and priests made up the noble class. • The other classes included commoners (merchants*, artisans, farmers, and soldiers) and slaves.

25. The Aztec • Tenochtitlan became an extraordinary urban center, remaining on its original island with 200,000-400,000 people. • Streets connected the city center with outlying residential areas. • Canals intersected with roadways to allow canoes to bring people into the city center. • Agricultural products like beans, peppers, squash, tomatoes, etc. were sold at the market. • Most products had been grown on chinampas, or floating gardens. • At the center of the city was a walled complex filled with palaces, temples, and gov’t buildings.

26. Ancient Aztecs tending to chinampas

27. The Aztec • Religion played a major role in society, with hundreds of temples and other religious structures to about 1000 gods. • Many of the Aztec gods had been adopted from other cultures, including Quetzalcoatl from the Toltec. • Their religious practices centered on public ceremonies to make the gods happy. • Priests presented ritual dramas, songs, and dances. • Priests also practiced human sacrifice on a massive scale, sacrificial victims included slaves, criminals, and tributes. • Aztecs often went to war, not to gain new lands but to gain prisoners for sacrifice.

28. Aztec Religion Religion was central to Aztec life. The sun god was especially important. Thousands of prisoners were sacrificed to the Aztec gods. An Aztec tzompantli, as illustrated in 1596. A tzompantli is a type of wooden rack used for the public display of human skulls, typically those of war captives or other sacrificial victims.

29. The Aztec • In 1502, Montezuma II (sometimes referred to as Moctezuma) became emperor and the empire began to weaken b/c he demanded more tribute and sacrifice, making many city-states angry. • Many Aztecs began to predict terrible outcomes for the empire, seeing omens in everything. • The most terrifying was the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores (soldiers), which legend said signified the return of Quetzalcoatl. • Montezumas revenge- Don’t drink the water in Mexico!

31. The Aztec calendar consisted of a 365 day calendar cycle called xiuhpohualli (year count) and a 260 day ritual cycle called tonalpohualli (day count). These two cycles together formed a 52 year "century", sometimes called the "Calendar Round".

32. Setting the Stage • While the Aztecs ruled in the Valley of Mexico, another people, the Inca, created an equally powerful state in South America. • From Cuzco, their capital in southern Peru, the Inca spread out in all directions. • They brought various Andes mountain peoples under their control and built an empire that stretched from Ecuador to Chile. • It was the largest empire in the Americas.

33. The Inca • The Inca originally lived in the Andes, but finally settled in the Valley of Cuzco. • By the 1200s, they established their own small kingdom in the valley. • The Inca developed traditions and beliefs that helped launch and unify their empire. • One of the major traditions included a belief that their leaders descended from the sun god, Inti, and only direct nobility could become leaders.

34. The Inca • At first, the Incan kingdom grew slowly. • In 1438, Pachacutitook the throne and conquered all of Peru as well as the surrounding lands. • By 1500, the Incan ruled an empire that stretched 2500 miles long with 80 provinces and about 16 million people! • This was accomplished through a combination of diplomacy and military force.

35. The Inca • In order to control the empire, rulers • Divided their territory into units governed by a central bureaucracy • Created an economic system and road system • Used a single official language, Quechua • Founded schools to teach their ways • Created a social class based on clothing • Built cities in conquered lands • Used common architecture throughout the empire

36. The Incas mostly worked the land, and had a very advanced and impressive irrigation system; similar to the Roman aqueduct system. Stone canals were constructed among the land and throughout the towns. They also cleverly solved the agricultural problem that the steep slopes of the Andean mountains presented by creating terraces to plant on. They planted potatoes, which they dried to make Chuño in order to make it last for a very long time. They also used the llamas to carry their goods.

37. The Inca • The Incan state exercised almost total control over economic and social life; allowed little private commerce or trade. • The social system was based on allyu, and extended family group that carried out certain tasks too big for one family. • The main demand the Incan state placed on its residents was for labor • the labor tribute was called mita and required each able-bodied citizen to work for the state a certain number of days per year. • Historians compare this system to a type of socialism or welfare state.

38. The Inca • One of the most amazing public works programs was the Incan road system. • It stretched 14,000 miles across the empire and was equipped with rest houses and chasquis to carry messages.

39. The Inca • Despite its many advances, the Inca never developed a writing system. • They used an accounting device called a quipu, a set of strings to record data. • They also developed an elaborate 2 part calendar based on night and day

40. The Inca • Religion helped reinforce the power of the state. • The Inca worshiped fewer gods; focused on natural spirits such as the sun, moon, stars, and thunder. • Priests led sun-worship services, assisted by young men and women who served a lifetime in religious service. • Sacrifice of llamas and exchange of goods were part of religious activities; goods were then distributed among the people as gifts from the gods.

41. The Inca • Another important site was Machu Picchu, excavated in 1912. • Also had a sun temple, public buildings, and a central plaza area. • Some believe it was a religious city, other believe it was an imperial city.

42. The Inca • The Incan Empire reached its height in the early 1500s under Huayna Capac, until his death in 1520. • The empire was then split between his sons, Atahualpa and Huascar. • Atahualpa laid claim to the whole empire, starting a civil war that tore the empire apart.

43. The Inca • The Spanish arrived in the last days of the civil war….. • Inca leader Atahualpa was taken prisoner after not accepting Christianity

44. Inca ruler Atahualpa begs for mercy from the conquistador Francisco Pizarro. After receiving a ransom for the ruler, Pizarro used him as a “puppet” ruler to get the Inca to do his will, then executed Atahualpa. Spanish explorer Francisco Pizarro (c.1476-1541), who conquered the Inca Empire in Peru, established Lima as the country's capital, and melted down vast amounts of Inca gold and silver for his own gains.