1. Indigenous Roots

2. Discussion questions to Consider
How do the Mayan and Aztec polities compare in terms of land occupied, societal structure, and contributions to history?
How were the indigenous societies of Mesoamerica similar or different from those in the Andean region? How did Mesoamerican and Andean societies differ from those found elsewhere in the Americas?
How did the nature of Aztec society contribute to its conquest by Cortés? Could the Aztecs have resisted differently?

3. Timeline: Pre-Colombian America
Peopling of the Americas 30,000-10,000 BC Last ice age 20, ,000 BC Migrations from Asia (Polynesia) 9,500 -9,000 BC Humans reached southern tip of South America 9, ,000 BC Disappearance of megafauna 8, ,000 BC First Settlements (North and Mesoamerica) 2,000 BC First permanent agricultural settlements (Oaxaca, 1700BC)

4. Timeline: Pre-Colombian America
Ancient American Civilizations
Formative Period
1200BC -1AD Olmec Culture (Veracruz)
AD Chavin de Huantar (Peru)
Classic Period
AD Teotihuacan (Valley of Mexico); first great Mesoamerican empire
AD Monte Alban (Oaxaca, Mexico)
Mochica Nazca cultures/states in Peru
AD Maya Early Classic Period
AD Tihuanaco and Huari cultures/states (Peru)
AD Maya Late Classic Period
Post-Classic Period
Toltec empire - Cholula, Tula (Mexico)
Chimu, Chan Chan (Peru)
Maya Post-Classic era
Ancient America at the time of Columbian Voyages
Inca Empire
Aztec Empire

5. Mesoamerica before Conquest
Pre-1519
Mesoamerica before Conquest

7. Olmec Heartland 1200BC- 1AD

8. Teotuatican 100BC -750BC

9. Quetzalcoatl

10. Toltecs at Tula

11. Toltecs invaded the city of Chichen Itza by 987AD and ruled

13. Maya Empire

14. Mexica migration

16. Aztec

17. Lake Texcoco

18. Huitzilopochtli

19. Tlatelolco

20. Market at Tlatelolco

21. Templo Mayor

22. Moctezuma II

23. Aztec Sacrifice

24. Florentine Codex: Example 1: Aztec Field medicine