1. Development of South and Central America Societies
Engineering an Empire: Aztec 1
SSWH8

2. Standard
SSWH8 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the development of societies in Central and South America.
a. Explain the rise and fall of the Olmec, Mayan, Aztec, and Inca empires.
b. Compare the culture of the Americas; include government, economy, religion, and the arts of the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas.

3. Intro Early Inhabitants
Migrated from Asia during the last Ice Age, crossing the Bering Strait by foot

4. Intro Hunter-gatherers:
During global warming, they migrated east and south to follow the herds.
Different cultures formed as they spread out.
Cut off from Asia as Ice Age ended, they developed independently from cultures in the Eastern Hemisphere.
Intro

5. Intro Technology: Watch Me!! Metal was rarely used
many cultures were still in the Stone Age.
Wheel was used, but not for transportation.
Watch Me!!

6. Pyramids
Despite the towering reputation of Egypt's Great Pyramids at Giza, the Americas actually contain more pyramid structures than the rest of the planet combined. Civilizations like the Olmec, Maya, Aztec and Inca all built pyramids to house their deities, as well as to bury their kings.

7. In many of their great city-states, temple-pyramids formed the center of public life and were the site of much holy ritual, including human sacrifice.

8. Ancient City of Teotihuacan

9. Engineering an Empire: Aztec 2
OLMEC
Engineering an Empire: Aztec 2 BC
Called “Rubber People”
Carved enormous stone heads of volcanic rock
Division of labor
Hieroglyphics
farm techniques - slash and burn
The Olmecs

10. The Olmec Meso-America 1st civilization 1200-400 BC
They made Pyramids, mounds, monuments
Sculptured heads - 44 tons
Religion: polytheistic
many nature gods: Chief god was the jaguar god
Influenced - design, ceremonial centers, ball games, elite ruling class
Performed ritual sacrifices
Played pok-a-tok game
Went on pilgrimages
Government - ruler - god like

11. Olmec
Influenced area through trade; evidence of trade confirmed by Olmec jade carvings found throughout Central America
Achievements:
Long Count Calendar
No idea what caused
their decline

12. Engineering an Empire: Aztec 3
Maya
Engineering an Empire: Aztec 3

13. El Castillo, Chichen Itza: El Castillo "The Castle"
It rises 79 feet above the Main Plaza of the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza in Mexico (founded c. AD 600 ).
Chichén Itzá

14. MAYANS Yucatan Peninsula Government: Religion: Economy: City States
Complex
two layers (now and otherworld)
polytheistic
Major role in society and rule
Human sacrifice
Economy:
Trade with other city-states
MAYANS

15. Mayan Culture: 2000 BC -900 Ad 250- 900 million population
Cities - Tikal, Copan: Palaces, temples, pyramids
Social classes - warriors, priests, merchants, craft workers, peasants
Astronomy, math, 2 calendars - 1 for sun, 1 for religion
Math and astronomy to support religious beliefs
Pyramids
Glyphic writing system
No explanation for their decline
Possibly: war, drought, infighting
The Mayans

17. Palenque

18. Engineering an Empire: Aztec 4

19. Aztec Most powerful civilization in central and southern Mexico.
The capital city was Tenochtitlan.
Located on islands in Lake Texcoco – 1200.

20. Tenochtitlan

21. The Aztecs

22. Aztec 1100-1522 AD Government Religion Warriors Social structure
Military strength
Social structure
Emperor
Nobles
Commoners
Enslaved persons
Religion
Polytheistic
Their main god was the “sun god”
“fed” the god with human sacrifice

23. Quetzacoatl - feathered serpent god
Legend -- left city and will return one day

24. Aztec
Economy
Trade – obsidian
Tribute states
Pyramids, temples

25. Aztec Civilization Culture A complex and rich society A trade network
A mathematical system to keep up with the empire
Two different calendar systems
A Farming system
Used irrigation to keep their crops growing even during dry periods

26. Chinampas floating gardens

27. Aztec Civilization
They were known for their artwork …

28. Aztec Civilization and their architecture.
The pyramid temple was the center of this great city

29. Aztec Civilization
Today, some of the art and buildings have been re-discovered.
A modern version of the Aztec language, Nahuatl, is still spoken by thousands of people in Mexico.

30. Aztec Civilization
An important part of their culture was the sacrifice of animals and humans.
People who were conquered were required to pay large taxes.
They also had to provide people to offer as sacrifices to the Aztec gods.

31. Aztec Sacrifice

32. Montezuma Cortes

33. Aztec Civilization Arrival of Spanish led to the fall of the Aztec.
It ended in 1541 when conquered by the Spanish.
The Spanish destroyed much of the Aztec building and artwork.
They destroyed the city of Tenochtitlan and built Mexico City in its place.
Aztecs

34. Engineering an Empire: Aztec 5
The Inca

35. Inca Located in South America 1400-1534 Cuzco - capital – Peru
Andes Mountains
Cuzco - capital – Peru
Lost Cities of the Inca

36. Inca Government: Theocracy Strong central government
huge empire extending length of South America
Leader - descendent of sun god
Expanded empire
Powerful military
Bureaucracy

37. Inca Religion: Religion ruled state – theocracy Mummies
Animal sacrifice
Economy:
economic system
roads,
All roads lead to Cuzco

38. Inca Culture: Ayulla - extended family - to do large tasks
Mita - required service to state

39. Machu Picchu

40. INCAS Machu Picchu
Built paved roads & suspension bridges - used running messengers
Instead of writing system used knotted string to communicate messages & keep records - quipu

41. Inca terraces

42. Suspension bridge

43. Quipu

44. The Inca were conquered by the Spanish conquistador Pizarro.
Atahualpa Pizarro

45. Destruction of Culture
The Meso-American kingdoms were as advanced and sophisticated as the ancient Greeks and Romans
The European conquerors tried to destroy the evidence of this sophisticated culture