Bell Ringer  What is culture? This day in history: August 13, Hernán Cortés captures Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec empire. August 13, Annie Oakley, one of the greatest female sharpshooters in U.S. History, is born. August 13, Cuban revolutionary, Fidel Castro is born.

Bell Ringer  What is culture? This day in history: August 14, Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law. August 14, Victory over Japan Day or V-J Day, as the Japanese surrender during WWII is formally announced.

Earliest Americans

Bering Land Bridge Theory  Many scientists believe that during the last Ice Age ocean levels dropped and a land bridge was exposed between Asia and Alaska, scientists call this land bridge Beringia.  During this time evidence shows that Paleo- Indians crossed between 38,000 and 10,000 B.C. then fanned out across the Americas.

Migration from Asia  The Indians who crossed the land bridge were hunter-gatherers who migrated south following animal herds.  Some travelled as far south as the southern tip of South American.

Native American Culture Shift  Native Americans eventually shifted from nomadic hunter- gatherers to farming people.  They learned how breed animals, farm, and grow plants.  Maize was one of their most important early crops.  Farming allowed groups to settle and create civilizations.

Civilization  Talk with the person sitting next to you and try to come up with 5 aspects of a civilization.

Aspects of a Civilization  Cities  Well organized government  Social classes  Complex religion  Method of record keeping

Culture  Explain aspects of the earliest Americans culture  What are some aspects of our culture?

South American Societies  Olmec  Maya  Aztec  Inca

Olmec  Earliest known American civilization founded 1200 BC.  Trade helped spread their culture throughout the Americas.  Built the first pyramids in the Americas and sculpted large stone heads.

Mayans  Grew maize and other crops like the Olmecs.  Began building large cities by 200 A.D.  The Mayans had a 365 day calendar and the concept of zero.  There were priests, nobles, warriors, government officials, laborers, and slaves in Mayan society.  Their civilization began to collapse in the 900s, but historians are not sure why.

Aztecs  Warring society with superior military ability.  Built their empire by conquering towns and making alliances which allowed them to expand their trade network in the mid 1100s.  In 1325 they founded Tenochtitlan (modern day Mexico City).  The Aztec were rich in cotton, gold, and food from trade and tribute from conquered peoples.

Inca  The Incas began expanding in the mid 1400s.  Eventually the empire had more than 12 million people in it.  Strong central government with a king as the ruler.  Records were kept with a system of knotted strings called quipu because they did not have a written language.  Large system of buildings and paved roads allowed the Incas to communicate and control their vast empire.

Assignment  Using the textbook, discuss some of the similarities between the Olmecs, Mayas, and Aztecs.  Create a timeline with the dates of existence for the civilizations of Mexico, Central America, and South America.  I will have a link to an article on my website. Tonight you should read the article and then explain if you think the Olmecs were the mother culture of the Americas or just a sister culture. Explain by giving examples from the article.