1. The First Civilization of the Americas pp. 36-41
Ch. 2 Section 1
The First Civilization of the Americas pp

2. Objectives Explain how people first reached the Americas.
Describe the Olmec, Mayan, Aztec, and Incan civilizations
Summarize the development of early cultures in North America

3. Terms glacier surplus causeway quipu terrace culture adobe pueblo
Mound Builders

4. Reaching the Americas
Last ice age occurred between 100, ,000 years ago
Glaciers covered app. 1/3 of the Earth
Glaciers - thick sheets of ice

5. Crossing the Land Bridge
Glaciers (formed by water locked up from oceans) cause sea level to fall
Land between Siberia and Alaska uncovered
Hunters follow their food source
Canada Glacier

6. Disagreement Among Scientists
Some agree with land bridge theory
Others believe first people crossed over by boat
Still others believe first people came from Europe, Africa, or South Pacific islands

7. Adapting to New Conditions
Last ice age ends app. 12,000 years ago
Land bridge disappears
Large animals die
Hunters change diet (small animals, berries, nuts, fish, etc.)
Central America - Farming begins, crops include corn, beans, squash
People stay in one location, build permanent villages

8. Result of Adaptations Farming - a key (important) development
People had a surplus of food
Surplus - extra
Developed civilizations (extra time)
Civilization: well-organized government; different social classes; a complex religion; some method of record keeping; cities

9. Olmec Civilization Earliest known civilization in Americas
Located in Central America
Lived in lowlands along Gulf of Mexico app. 2,500 years ago
Scientists have found large stone heads carved by Olmecs
Some creatures were part human/ part animal
Olmec tomb

10. Olmec Accomplishments
Supplied food to other cities
Built stone temples
Studied stars
Developed a calendar used to predict change of seasons, passage of time

11. Mayas Influenced by Olmecs
Lived in rainforests of Guatemala and Mexico
Mayas drained swamps, cleared rainforests for farming
Cities built from Central Mexico to southern Mexico
Built network of roads linking inland cities and coast; used for trade

12. Mayan Social Classes Priests held great power
Performed ceremonies to bring good harvests, victories in battle
Ceremonies conducted in temples built on stone pyramids
Nobles - also powerful; served as warriors, government officials
Laborers and farmers - near bottom
Slaves - bottom of social ladder; most were criminals or prisoners of war

13. Mayan Advances in Learning
Studied sun, moon, stars
Impressive advances in astronomy and mathematics
Predicted eclipses
Created an accurate 365-day calendar
Developed number system
Concept of zero

14. What Happened to Mayans?
Abandoned cities in A.D. 900
Historians not certain why
Warfare or drought may be cause
Mayan people survived
Two million people in Guatemala and southern Mexico still speak Mayan languages today

15. The Aztecs Developed after Maya abandoned cities
Early Aztecs were nomads
Nomads - people who move from place to place in search of food; no settled home
Settled around Lake Texcoco in 1300s

16. The Aztecs Continued
Tenochtitlan - capital city; built on island in middle of Lake Texcoco
Constructed causeways linking capital to mainland
Causeways - raised roads made of packed earth.

17. Tenochtitlan

18. Aztec Farming Dug canals; used mud to fill in parts of the lake
Attached reed mats to the lake bottom with long stakes
Piled mud on top of mats to create farmland
chinampas - floating gardens

19. Aztec Religion
Priests studied heavens; performed rituals to please gods
Paid special attention to the sun god
Aztecs were “warriors of the sun”
Sacrificed humans to ensure sun would rise each day
Developed complex calendars used to determine when to plant, harvest

20. Aztec Empire Stretched from Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean
Millions of people
Heavy taxes, sacrifices caused revolts

21. The Incas Located along west coast of South America
One of the largest empires in the Americas
Cusco - the capital city; considered holy
All nobles visited at least once during lifetime
Massive temples and palaces
Emperor - descended from sun god

22. Organization of Incan empire
Sent officials to act as governors
Governors made sure that everyone worked on projects for the state
Maintained a system of roads covering more than 10,000 miles
Teams of runners traveled on rope bridges carrying quipu
quipu - cord or string with knots that represent quantities

23. Incan Skills Excellent engineers Built massive stone temples and ropes
Farmed rugged dry land
Created terraces
Terraces - wide steps of land carved out of steep mountainside

25. Important Information!
Evidence of Mayan and Aztec ideas has been found among people who settled farther north
Trade and migration - transported food, goods, arts, and beliefs from Central America and Mexico
How did this help develop distinct (different) cultures in North America?
Culture - the entire way of life of a people; includes homes, clothing, economy, arts, and government

26. People of the Southwest
Farming societies emerged
People included Hohokams and Anasazis
Hohokams - lived in present-day Arizona
Dug networks of irrigation ditches to enable farming of desert
Produced corn, squash, and beans

27. People of the Southwest
Anasazis - live in four corners (where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona meet)
Irrigated the desert
Created network of roads linking towns
Traders used roads to carry cotton, sandals, and blankets (woven from turkey feathers!)

29. Anasazi Housing Built large brick homes with walls of stone and adobe
Adobe – sun dried brick
Spanish gave houses the name pueblos
Pueblo - Spanish word for village
To escape attack from warlike neighbors, the Anasazi built new homes along cliffs.

32. Mound Builders
Lived in eastern portion of North America from Appalachian Mountains to Mississippi Valley; from Wisconsin to Florida
First mounds were used for burials
Later mounds used for religious ceremonies
Best known mound builders - Hopewells and Mississippians

33. This structure was erected by the Hopewell Indian culture that was centered in Ohio.

34. Towering over the community, the 63-foot flat-topped earthen knoll was used as a platform for the home of the priest-chief. In another mound, nobility were buried in elaborate costumes accompanied by items they would need in their after-lives.