1. Bellringer T1D3
Describe any three things you know about any of the ancient American civilizations:
Inca
Like the Emperor’s Groove movie
High in the Andes
Believe in the Sun God, etc.
Maya
Predecessors to the Aztecs in Central America
Aztec
Defeated by the Spanish

2. Day 3, Ch. 1.2 “Cities & Empires”
U.S. History I
Day 3, Ch. 1.2
“Cities & Empires”

3. Key Terms
Civilization
Theocracy
Hieroglyphics
Terrace

4. Main Questions: How did powerful civilizations rise in the Americas?
How did people of each empire adapt to their environment?

5. Great Things in America
In 1911, after being told by locals of a great “city in the clouds”, Hiram Bingham, an American Historian, climbed the 14,000 ft to the mountain heights where the lost city of Machu Picchu had lain abandoned for several centuries. VID
The city itself only covers 5 square miles, but it is incredibly impressive, and Bingham knew that no uncivilized savages had built this amazing ancient marvel. It was built by the Inca. The city today.

6. Ancient Civilizations
As time has passed, we have discovered many different, and amazing civilizations that were at home in the Americas (and perhaps more will be found!).
Many had advanced engineering, time tracking, and writing systems, among other things.
The main ones were the Olmec, the Maya, the Aztec, and the Inca. Many were over hundreds of miles large, controlling millions of people.

7. The Olmec (1500 BCE – 300 BCE)
We know the least about the Olmec, as they are the oldest civilization. They had large cities that we have since discovered, now buried deep in the jungle.
They built magnificent monuments, temples, and wonderfully well-preserved stone pavements and drainage systems. Well known for their giant heads VID
Important: it is believed they heavily influenced their neighbors, the later Mayan and Aztec cultures.

8. The Mayans (200 CE – 1000 CE
The Mayans arose in a nearby area of America, in the steamy forests of present day Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize. They cultivated crops, like maize (corn), beans, sweet potatoes, squash, etc.
They built some fantastic cities as well, and had many such cities by 300 CE. Evidence shows that enslaved people, likely POWs, did much of this labor.
Their most impressive city was Tikal, in Guatemala, which has five large pyramids. Tikal
These pyramids served as temples, as part of their theocracy, or a government run by religious leaders.

9. Mayan Ingenuity
The Mayans had an extremely accurate calendar, good math skills, and a very advanced writing system, creating their own hieroglyphics which are symbols or pictures meant to represent sounds and ideas.
They did not use wheeled vehicles though, but they did have an extensive road system, and farmers would travel to local markets and sell their wares. Trade was extensive in the empire, with jade, turquoise and cacao beans being transported and sold here and there by walking or canoe.
About 900 CE, things started to decline, and the great empire was no more by 1100 CE. No one knows why. Perhaps the slaves revolted; perhaps they overplanted and the soil lost its nutrients, but their descendents are still there today.

10. The Aztecs (1325 CE – 1520 CE)
The Aztecs were another amazing civilization that lived nearby. They settled in central Mexico in 1325, in a large lake. They built a city in a large island in the middle.
This city became known as Tenochtitlan. Dirt was dug up off the lake bottom, and rafts of floating reeds created a floating city, with crops and roads extending outward. Video
Their power lay in their military empire. Anyone they conquered was forced to become part of their mighty empire, and sometimes these slaves were offered as human sacrifice. However, the arrival of the Spaniards would change that (stay tuned!)

11. The Inca
Further south, another great civilization rose. Led by their leader Pachacuti, the city of Cuzco became the center of a large empire, stretching some 3000 miles. VId
At its height, the Incan Empire had 9 million people, with over 10,000 roads, with some amazing rope bridges. Vid
The Incas did not have a writing system, but they did have a system called quipus, which allowed them to record info and numbers.
Much like the Mayas and Aztecs, they also cultivated crops, including potatoes, melons, peppers and peanuts. Living in the mountains, they had to build large terraces to flatten the land for crops.

12. HW Reminder:
If you haven’t finished your Early Man / Neanderthal Assignment, that is due next time / D4!
Otherwise, begin working on your Inca / Maya / Aztec assignment (Option A, B or C) It is due ~D9 (End of Ch. 2)