CIVILIZATIONS OF MESOAMERICA CHAPTER 6.1

FIRST SETTLERS Started nomadic (neolithic) Eventually moved into sedentary farming @ between 8500 & 2000 B.C.E. Beans, Sweet Potatoes, Peppers, Squash, Tomatoes, Maize Domesticated llamas MULTIPLE SEDENTARY FARMERS WOULD MAKE UP THE FIRST VILLAGES IN THE AMERICAS

OLMECS Olmec Civilization Emerged from tropical forests along gulf coast Little is known, but believed to have high class of priests and rulers Olmec art – stone Engaged in trade & influenced a wide area Olmec calendar was precursor to todays Considered “mother culture of Mesoamerica”

MAYA Maya culture becomes wide spread Grows in Mexican Yucutan Peninsula, Guatemala, and other areas of Central America Strengths – AGRICULTURE THRIVES POWERFUL CITY-STATES EMERGE Ruled over people in and near borders Set up strong trade network and economic exchange Honey, salt, cotton, jaguar, jade, feathers. SOCIETAL STRUCTURE Strong ruler Women or men could rule Other levels similar to Europe Military, Priests, Scribes, Nobles, Etc. Nobles held multiple functions to help the ruler To support the cities, farmers paid taxes on food and worked construction projects…also slaves present

MAYA – CULTURAL LIFE Much of the Mayan culture was recorded on stone STELA – stone monuments that told cultural stories Often built by scribes Used hieroglyphic system recently translated Priests develop astronomy and mathematics Needed accurate time and calendars for rituals 365 day lunar/260 ritual Numbering system with place values and “zero” Decline of Mayan civilization Began to abandon cities in 900’s Mostly farmers by 1500’s on arrival of Spanish Why? Frequent warfare? Inner turmoil? Remoteness of location?

AZTEC CIVILIZATION @ 1200 – bands of nomads migrate into the VALLEY OF MEXICO Believed to be separate tribes All spoke same language (NAHUATL) All believed they came from same place – Aztlan Formed the name AZTECS

Aztecs settle in Valley of Mexico 1325 – found the Aztec capitol of TENOCHTITLAN Current Mexico City Lake Texcoco Built on a farmland/swamp area Used method called CHINAMPAS to create more farmland Artificial islands of mud built on floating reed mats Expanded the empire through conquests 1500’s – empire consisted of most of Mexico & 30 million people

Aztec Society War brought immense treasure for Aztecs TRIBUTE brought $$$ = GORGEOUS CITY Government structure – single ruler for Empire Council of priests/nobles/military elected leader Powerful middle class included long distance traders Majority were commoners/farmers Bottom were criminals/slaves/prisoners

Religion and Mythology POLYTHEISTIC Huitzlopochtli – god of the people Quetzalcoatl – feathered serpent who reigned over earth and water Tialoc – rain god TEOITHUACAN Believed to be the location the Aztec gods created the Aztec world Gods sacrificed themselves for the good of the people Nanahuatzin – sacrificed himself to become the sun HUMAN SACRIFICES wee offered in return.

Aztec knowledge expands Priests were the keepers of Aztec knowledge. Recorded laws in ancient hieroglyphics Ran schools for kids of nobles “Fortold” the future with astronomy and mathematics 260 day ritual/365 social day calendar Illness – punishment from the gods Doctors – natural medicines, set bones, dental, steam baths