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The Earliest Americans: Civilizations of Mesoamerica and South America

This summary explores the earliest Americans, focusing on major civilizations such as the Olmecs, Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas. It details their origins, notable achievements in agriculture, engineering, art, and religion, and the development of complex societies. The Olmecs were pioneers in maize cultivation and carved impressive stone statues. The Mayans excelled in astronomy, creating a calendar and vast temples. The Aztecs formed a vast empire due to their warfare and trade, while the Incas developed advanced infrastructure in the Andes. Each civilization left a lasting legacy.

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The Earliest Americans: Civilizations of Mesoamerica and South America

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  1. Chapter 1 section 1The Earliest Americans How well did you take notes?

  2. Summary: History of the People • 1st: Descendants of those who crossed the land bridge from Asia to the Americas • 2nd: Olmecs (1200 BC- 400 BC) • 3rd: Mayans (AD 250 - 900) • 4th: Aztecs (AD 1200-1521) • 5th: Incas (AD 1438-1532)

  3. Regions • Mesoamerica: The area extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua in which civilizations flourished prior to the arrival of the Europeans. • South America: Continent from Colombia and Venezuela south

  4. Map

  5. Olmecs (1200 B.C.-400 B.C.) • Arts: • Decorated cities with large carved stone statues • Carved jewelry and other small objects from jade • Used obsidian as a carving tool • Agriculture: • First to grow maize (corn) for food • Engineering • Built large drainage systems to direct water away from fields and settlements

  6. Mayans (250 - 900 A.D) • Yucatan Peninsula (in the rainforest) • Religion: • Society centered around religion and most of their accomplishments were driven by religious beliefs. • RELIGIOUS INSPIRATION: Priests needed to keep accurate time in order to hold religious ceremonies at the correct moment • ACOMPLISHMENT: Mayans studied the sky (sun, earth, moon, stars) and developed a calendar system.

  7. Mayans (250 - 900 A.D) • RELIGIOUS INSPIRATION: Mayans needed temples in which to worship • ACCOMPLISHMENT: They built huge pyramids with steps using careful planning. • RELIGIOUS INSPIRATION: Mayans needed to decorate temples and tombs with elaborate murals. • ACCOMPLISHMENT: They developed hieroglyphics and a complex number system.

  8. Mayans (250 - 900 A.D) • Around 900 A.D., civilization declined mysteriously. • Possible causes: • Overused the land and could not grow enough food • War • Spread of disease • Mayan descendants still live today and speak Mayan language.

  9. Aztecs (1200-1521 A.D.) • Moved from the north into central Mexico around 1100s • Conquered a large empire (most of Mesoamerica) because they were fierce warriors • Because of their large empire, they created a huge trade network • The people they conquered had to pay tributes (forced payments) to Aztecs • Tenochtitlan = capital (today = Mexico City) • Built on 2 islands with lake in the middle • Stepped pyramids • Marketplaces where people traded gold, silver, and pottery

  10. Inca (1438-1532) • Lived in the Andes Mountains in South America • Capital = Cuzco • They expanded their empire to most of western South America (pacific coast) • Strong central government (king) • Language- • oral: Quechua • No written language: only system of knotted strings (quipu)

  11. Inca (1438-1532) • Claim to fame: • Building (allowed for good communication and control) • Huge stone blocks • Highways running the length of the empire • Paved roads • Rope bridges • Art

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