Olmec-The Mother Civilization

Olmecs Mexico

OLMEC O - Oldest Cities Bui- L -t-Aqueducts M -other Civilization Cit- E -s-Build the first C -entral America and Mexico

Olmecs Oldest Cities in the Americas One of the Earliest Civilizations in History Lived in 1200-1000 BC It is called the Mother Civilization

Olmecs L-Built Aqueducts Aqueducts are a way of transporting water over long distances using pipes and bridges.

Characteristics of Olmec Civilization Developed their own system of numbers and writing Ate corn Came up with trade Was one of the first to use the calendar Intensive agricultural techniques, such as the use of animal power, crop rotation, and irrigation. This enables farmers to produce a surplus of food that will not be needed for their own subsistence. A significant portion of the population that does not devote most of its time to producing food. They can go into other occupations and trade for the food they need. This is called "specialization of labor." It is possible because of the food surplus described above. The gathering of these non-food producers into permanent settlements, called cities. A social hierarchy. This can be a chiefdom, in which the chieftain of one noble family or clan rules the people; or a state society, in which the ruling class is supported by a government or bureaucracy. Political power is concentrated in the cities. The establishment of complex, formal social institutions such as organized religion and education, as opposed to the less formal traditions of other societies. Development of complex forms of economic exchange. This includes the expansion of trade and may lead to the creation of money and markets. The accumulation of more material possessions than in simpler societies. Development of new technologies by people who are not busy producing food. In many early civilizations, metallurgy was an important advancement. Advanced development of the arts by those who don't have to farm for a living. This can include writing.

Olmec Head at La Venta

Mayans Began to develop around 300 A.D. in what is now southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador Known as “The People of the Jaguar” Felt Jaguars were a god of the Underworld

Mayans http://videos. howstuffworks

Olmec Influence on the Mayans Maize (Corn) Ceremonial centers with temple pyramids Calendar based on the Olmec one Ball games Rituals involving human sacrifice

Mayan Developed a form of writing Skilled in Math Knew the movements of the sun, moon, and planets The Mayans started abandoning their cities because they couldn’t produce enough resources to feed everyone.

Mayan M- iddle America C A- lendar Mone- Y- used Cacao A- griculture-Corn, Cacao N- ature-Worshipped

Do you know what cacao makes? Agriculture Do you know what cacao makes? CHOCOLATE!!! Maize Cacao

Agriculture Soil in Mesoamerican lowlands was thin and quickly lost fertility Mayans built terraces to retain the silt and therefore greatly improved agricultural production Raised maize, cotton, and cacao Cacao was a precious commodity consumed mostly by nobles and even used as money Cacao tree

Cities

Freemen, craftsmen, & farmers Society The Mayan population was divided into classes. Here are the classes for the Mayans: Mayans Rulers Nobles & priests Freemen, craftsmen, & farmers Slaves 16

Social Hierarchy A Mayan Warrior A Mayan Priest

Social Hierarchy King and ruling family Priests Warriors Professionals and artisans Peasants Slaves

Social Hierarchy King and ruling family Ruled from the city-kingdoms such as Tikal Believed their connection with the gods was maintained by ritual human sacrifice Often had names associated with the jaguar Priests Maintained an elaborate calendar and transmitted knowledge of writing, astronomy, and mathematics A Mayan King

Social Hierarchy Warriors Professionals and artisans Peasants Slaves Mayan kingdoms fought constantly with each other and warriors won honor by capturing high-ranking enemies Captives were usually made slaves, humiliated, tortured, and ritually sacrificed Professionals and artisans Architects and sculptors supervised construction of the large monuments and public buildings Peasants Fed the entire society Slaves Provided physical labor for the construction of cities and monuments Often had been captured in battle

Specialization

Specialization Astronomers Mathematicians Warriors Architects and sculptors Potters Tool manufacturers Textile makers

Religion and Education Human Sacrifice and Bloodletting Ritual

Religion: Bloodletting Rituals Mayans believed the shedding of human blood would prompt the gods to send rain to water the maize Bloodletting involved both war captives and Mayan royals Mayan queen holds a bowl filled with strips of paper used to collect blood.

Religion: Sacrifice Natural Wells-Men and women were thrown in as a sacrifice to the rain gods during dry spells.

Religion: The Ball Game Mayans inherited a ball game from the Olmecs that was an important part of Mayan political and religious festivals High-ranking captives were forced to play the game for their very lives The losers became sacrificial victims and faced torture and execution immediately following the match Object of the game was to propel an 8 inch ball of solid baked rubber through a ring or onto a marker without using your hands

Mayan Ball Court

Economic Exchange Traded mainly in exotic and luxury goods such as rare animal skins, cacao beans, and finely crafted works of art which rulers coveted as signs of special status Cacao used as money

Observatory at El Caracol New Technologies Mayan Calendar Observatory at El Caracol

Mayan numerical system New Technologies Excelled in astronomy and mathematics Could plot planetary cycles and predict eclipses of the sun and moon By combining astronomy and mathematics, calculated the length of the solar year at 365.242 days– about 17 seconds shorter than the figure reached by modern astronomers Mayan numerical system

Art and Writing Mayan writing