 Mesoamerica was the areas of Mexico & Central America that were civilized before the Spaniards arrived around 1200 B.C. with the Olmec.  Located in the swampy lowlands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico south of Veracruz.

 Olmec people were farmers.  Large cities that were centers for their religious rituals.  Around 400 B.C., the Olmec civilization declined & eventually collapsed.

 First major city in Mesoamerica.  Located near Mexico City in a fertile valley.  It was the capital of an early kingdom that arose around 250 B.C. and collapsed about A.D. 800  Most residents were farmers, but the city was also a busy trade center.  Mesoamerica refer to Mexico to northern part of South America.

 Located on the Yucatan Peninsula.  Flourished between A.D. 300 and 900.  It was one of the most sophisticated civilizations in the Americas.  Built splendid temples & pyramids and developed a complicated calendar.  Came to include Central America southern Mexico.  Decline include invasion, internal revolt or a natural disaster such as volcanic eruption.

 Mayan civilization was composed of city- states, each governed by a hereditary ruling class.  1). Rulers claimed to be descended from the Gods.  Mayan society included nobles, scribes, townspeople, officials, & merchants.  Believe their life was in the hands of divine powers.  The Maya practiced human sacrifice as a way to appease the gods.

 Mayans created a writing system based on pictures.  Two different system for measuring time  A). One based on a solar calendar of 365 days, divided into 18 months of 20 days each, with extra 5 days at the end.  B). Based on a sacred calendar of 260 days divided into 13 weeks of 20 days.

 They were fierce & warlike people who extended their conquests into the Mayan lands of Guatemala & northern Yucatan.  Builders who constructed pyramids & palaces.  A.D their civilization declined.

 Migrated to Mexico around A.D and was conquered by the Spaniards in the 1500s.  Established their capital at Tenochtitlan.  The kingdom was a collection of semi- independent territories governed by local lords.  Power was vested in the hands of a monarch that was assisted by a council of lords & government officials.

 Women were not equal to men but were allowed to own & inherit property & enter into contracts.  Also permitted to become priestesses.  Aztecs believed in many gods.  Aztec religion was based on a belief in an unending struggle between the forces of good & evil throughout the universe.  Cultural similarity shared by the Mayans, Incan, & Aztec was a Polytheist belief.

 In 1519, a Spanish force under the command of Hernan Cortes landed at Veracruz.  Aztec rulers welcome the Spanish explorers with open arms because they believed it was the return of Quetzalcoatl.  Tension arose between Spaniards & Aztecs.  Spanish took Montezuma (king) hostage, the local population revolted in 1520 and drove the Spaniards out.  Without natural immunity from European diseases many Aztec became sick & died.  Cortes returned after 4 months & defeated the Aztecs.

 In the late 1300s, the Inca were only a small community in the area of Cuzco, a city located in the mountains of Peru.  One way the Incas adapted to their environment was by building a network of roads through the moutains.

 Inca state was built on war, so all young men were required to serve in the Inca army.  A noble of high rank was sent out to govern each new territory.  Local leaders could keep their post as long as they were loyal to the Inca ruler.  Pachacuti (Inca ruler) divided empire into 4 quarters each ruled by a governor.  The quarters were divided into provinces each ruled by a governor.

 Inca had no writing system but instead kept records using a system of knotted strings called the quipu.  One way in which the Aztec & Inca civilizations were similar is they both developed advanced architectural techniques.

 In 1531, Francisco Pizarro landed of the Pacific coast of South America.  Incan Empire experienced an epidemic of smallpox. (Killed the Emperor)  Pizarro marched on Cuzco & captured the capital.  By 1535, Pizarro established a new capital a Lima.