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Mexico / Central America The Andes Mountains

AMERICAN EMPIRES 2 main centers of civilization:. Paper due Friday!!. Mexico / Central America The Andes Mountains (with extension into N. America). In isolation from the “Old World” (Eastern Hemisphere), a

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Mexico / Central America The Andes Mountains

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  1. AMERICAN EMPIRES 2 main centers of civilization: Paper due Friday!! Mexico / Central America The Andes Mountains (with extension into N. America)

  2. In isolation from the “Old World” (Eastern Hemisphere), a different set of elements of a civilization emerged: (1) Agriculture, ca. 7000 B.C.E. In Mexico / C. America: CORN, manioc→ (support large population) In the Andes: potatoes (Corn was eventually imported from C. America). (2) Non-alphabetic writing in Mexico / C. America; no writing in Andes (3) No wheel (4) Not many metal weapons (5) Monumental stone architecture

  3. In Mexico / C. America and in the Andes: • Foundational civilization • (2) “Classical” medieval civilization • (3) Pre-Columbian civilization

  4. MEXICO / CENTRAL AMERICA I. Foundational civilization: OLMECS, ca. 1200-400 B.C.E. A. Seem to spring from nothing B. Irrigation for corn C. Writing D. Cities as h.q. of ruling elite and centers of religious ritual Mass of population live outside cities, farm crops from which rulers take tribute. E. Monumental stone architecture F. Stone heads

  5. Olmec stone heads Features fuel speculation that Olmec ancestors may have come from Polynesia.

  6. II. “Classical” medieval civilization: MAYA in S. Mexico and C. America, ca. 250-900 C.E. (Film Wednesday!) • A. Ceremonial city-states supported • by crop-growing peasantry • B. Corn-beans-squash agricultural • trilogy • C. Writing: Mayan hieroglyphs

  7. D. Mayan society and religion (1) Peasants grow crops to support military and ruling elite. (2) Ruler is fertility figure, participates in fertility rituals at top of stone pyramids (3) Blood-letting in fertility rituals

  8. (4) Human sacrifice, esp. of p.o.w.s., to gods (5) Ritual ball game with cosmic significance Ball court at Copán, Honduras

  9. E. Mayan scientific advances (1) Mathematics more sophisticated than in Old World (2) Accurate solar calendar F. Slow decline 8th-9th centuries due to soil depletion, warfare, disease

  10. III. “Classical” medieval civilization II: • Teotihuacán in Mexico, ca. 100-750 C.E. • City as religious center with • stepped pyramids for • religious rituals Pyramid of the Sun, Teotihuacán

  11. B. Quetzalcoatl, “Feathered Serpent” god / culture hero (linked to agriculture, crafts, warfare) C. Destroyed by nomadic invaders, ca. 650 C.E. D. Teotihuacán served as template for TOLTECS (Bulliet, pp. 313-14) and AZTECS. Feathered Serpent Pyramid, Teotihuacán

  12. IV. Pre-Columbian civilization: AZTECS A. MEXICA, popular mercenaries in C. Mexico beginning ca. 1150 C.E. B. Found city-state/cap. Tenochtitlán on island in Lake Texcoco, 14th c. C. Decentralized rule: Other city-states recognize “speaker” of Tenochtitlán (pop. 150,000) as emperor.

  13. D. 16th c.: “speaker” considered semi-divine human sacrifices conquests p.o.w.s E. Sun god battles darkness to provide light for CORN, needs human hearts and blood.

  14. Aztecs regard QUETZALCOATL as a messianic figure, believe • Spaniards may herald his return. Aztec drawing of Spanish conquest (1519)

  15. THE ANDES • Foundational civilization: Chavín in Peru, ca. 900-250 B.C.E. • A. Administrative / religious • cities supported by crop- • growing peasantry (as in • Mexico / C. America)

  16. B. Terraced agriculture C. Potatoes, eventually corn (imported from Mexico / C. America) Peruvian potatoes

  17. ? Cómo se llama? (ha-ha) D. Llamas as pack animals

  18. E. Stone architecture, feline (?) deity

  19. II. “Classical” medieval civilizations: MOCHE, CHIMU, TIWANAKU, WARI (Bulliet, pp. 322-27) displace Chavín in early centuries C.E. Chimu

  20. III. Pre-Columbian civilization: INCA, 15th c. capital: Cuzco (S. Peru) A. Highly centralized 3000-mile empire, from Ecuador to Chile

  21. B. Integrated empire by moving populations to different climatic zones (e.g., lowland farmers to mountain tops) - helped bring maximum amount of land under cultivation C. Terraced agriculture in mountains D. Redistribution of tribute (crops and handicrafts) E. Sun god worshipped for fertility (corn, potatoes) F. Ruler = earthly manifestation of sun god; supreme warrior Inca city of Machu Picchu

  22. G. Cult of MUMMIES of deceased rulers conquests sacrifices (food, textiles) (more land to produce crops and wool)

  23. H. Inca technology (1) Terraces for agriculture (2) Stone architecture (3) Andean highway – no wheeled vehicles (4) Khipu (knotted strings) for calculation – no writing

  24. Epilogue: Inca conquered by Spanish, 1530s

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