Mesoamerica Unit 1 AP World History

Olmec Time period – 1500– 400 B.C. Location – Mesoamerica - lowland river valleys near the Gulf of Mexico Culture – division of labor; traded with other regions Religion – Jaguar like god controlled harvests Economy/Agriculture – used rafts for trade, slash & burn farming; grew maize Achievements – stone drains; hieroglyphic writings; carved enormous stone heads; no wheel or beasts of burden

The Maya Time period – peak was A.D Location – Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, & Guatemala; tropical; along smaller rivers and tributaries Culture – monarchies, were not unified; city-states & kingdoms; played pok-a-tok; festivals, long distance trade; did not have wheeled vehicles or beasts of burden; had to marry outside of the city-state; jade was important; Religion – two levels of existence (physical & spiritual); kings were spiritual; human sacrifices & bloodletting; priests were powerful Economy/Agriculture – regional and long distance trade with Mexico and Central America; grew beans, squash, pumpkins, chili peppers, avocadoes, & tomatoes; slash & burn farming; open air markets; traded for cotton, cloth, jade, ornaments, pottery, fish, deer meat, & salt Achievements – built plazas, temples, canals, and huge pyramids; became excellent mathematicians & astronomers; 260 & 365 day calendar; writing system; predicted eclipses; used number system with zero; written language (phonetic and full words) – recorded genealogy, mythology, history, rituals, & trade