1. Chapter 9 Section 1
The Early Americas

2. Ummmmmmmm…
What value would a Wooly Mammoth have to the natives?

3. What was going on?
While civilizations were developing over in Europe, Asia, and Africa, there were also developments in the “The Americas”
Americas = North America, Central America, and South America
The first Americans came from ASIA.

4. How did they get to the Americas?
The earliest civilizations arrived in the Americas via a LAND BRIDGE, known as BERINGIA.
Beringia was a space between Asia and Alaska. (This is the modern-day Bering Straight.)
Historians are unsure about the exact time that the migration to the Americas took place.

6. What type of people were migrating?
The people were Hunter-Gatherers.
Their most valuable prey was the mammoth:
Mammoths weighed more than 14,000 lbs.
Provided meat, hide, bones for food, clothing, shelter, and tools
Some historians say that early people followed the mammoths to the Americas
After the people were here for a while, they began to turn toward AGRICULTURE.
What did they grow and eat? Squash, gourds, beans, avocados, chilies, and MAIZE.
Maize = Corn

7. The Effects of Agriculture
Before Agriculture Development
People were mainly Hunters
Migrated to find food
Groups stayed small and unorganized
Most of their time was devoted to finding food
After Agriculture Development
Steady source of food
Families settled down and began to grow larger
New skills developed: arts/craft, architecture, and social organization
Complex Societies arose
IMPORANT: This change brought about the development of more advanced civilizations.

8. The Early Mesoamerican Civilizations
Chapter 9 Section 2
The Early Mesoamerican
Civilizations

9. OLMEC: First Known Civilization
Location: Southern Mexico
When: 1200 BC
Called the “Mother Culture” of Mesoamerica

10. Olmec’s Remnants

11. Benefits of the Olmecs Good clay for pottery
Forests for wood products and rubber products
Mountains for stone structure
Rivers for moving goods
Fertile soil for growing a wide variety of food

12. Zapotec Civilization Came after the Olmecs
Had some influences of the Olmecs, but they still “did their own thing.”
Zapotec developed:
Writing
Calendars
Built the first city in the Americas: Monte Alban (population 25,000)

13. Zapotec Artifacts
Ball Court

14. Conclusion
Historians are unsure of exactly why these two civilizations disappeared
They both had a significant impact on the civilizations that followed them.

15. Early Civilizations of the Andes
Chapter 9 Section 3
Early Civilizations of the Andes

16. Where are the Andes Mts.?? Description 4,500 miles long
2nd Highest mountain chain
Steep, Rocky Terrain
Poor Soil
Hot/Dry during the day
Really cold at night
1st Development was in Peru

17. Societies Arise in the Andes
Chavin (shaVEEN) People
1st People to settle in the Andean Mountains
Hunter-Gatherers
“Mother Culture” of South America
Nazca People
On the coast of Peru
Developed extensive irrigation b/c it was too dry. This allowed the Nazca to develop their agriculture

18. Societies Arise in the Andes
Nazca People Continued
They developed The Nazca Lines
Purpose: No one really knows, but here are the theories:
Worship of the Sky or Water god
Water sources from old river beds
Maps of underground water sources

19. Societies Arise in the Andes
Moche (MO-chay) People
Northern Coast of Peru
Used the rivers to develop their irrigation systems
Very Wealthy: Archeologists have found jewelry with gold, silver, and gems
Artistic People – especially with pottery
Showed doctors, weavers, musicians, fierce soldiers
No written language
No religious patterns
The Communities of the Andes were all separate from each other, and historians are unsure why their civilizations disappeared.