1. CIVILIZATIONS OF THE AMERICAS
GLOBAL HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY – 9
SACHEM NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Dr. Afxendiou

2. Central and South America

3. THE OLMEC CIVILIZATION 1400 – 500 B.C.E.
Earliest known Mexican civilization
Agricultural society
Influenced later civilizations such as the Maya
Developed ceremonial pyramid shaped temples
had system of writing
Developed religion that was to influence societies that followed

4. Olmec artifacts – the Olmec heads
Mystery– Who were they? Why did they disappear?

5. Mayan Area

6. Mayan City-states Height of power 6th century A.D. Ended 900s A.D.
Ruled by god-kings
Centers of religious ceremonies
Centers of trade
Large populations (10s of 1000s)
Had alliances and traded with each other

7. Mayan Social Structure highly rigid, stratified wealth gained from agriculture (slash and burn method)
KING

8. Mayan Accomplishments
Science – astronomy and mathematics (based on 20)
Calendar – 365 days
Pyramids, palaces
Religion
Polytheistic
Sacrifices – own blood, captured enemies

9. Mayan numbers

10. Mayan temple

11. Aztec Civilization

12. Aztec Civilization
Warrior people – had tributaries who had to supply slaves for sacrifice and other payments
Had many enemies among the surrounding people
Strong central government
Rigid social structure
Capital –Tenochtitlan- built on an island in a lake
Ruler a warrior king
Economic activity - Trade
Farming – corn, beans, squash, peppers
Written language

13. Aztec Religion Polytheistic
Sun God also the god of war could only be worshiped with human sacrifice and offering of blood
Quetzalcoatl – god of learning and books. Pictured as feathered serpent or a pale-skinned man with a beard
Elaborate ceremonies

14. Aztec Achievements Calendar – similar to Mayan
Physicians – able to treat a variety of wounds and injuries, including setting broken bones and filling cavities in teeth.
Tenochtitlan, the capital, was well designed and constructed
Pyramid temple
Aqueducts
Causeways for travel
Art – large stone carvings and colorful paintings
Schools – reading and writing
Records of their history

15. Aztec pyramid temple

16. The Incas

17. The Incas Capital – Cuzco Location - Andes mountains
Ruler believed to be descended from the sun god
Empire controlled about 16 million people

18. Inca form of government
Bureaucracy
Strong, central government
Government controlled all economic activity
Single official language
Founded schools
No writing system – oral tradition of passing down history and literature; had other system for record keeping

19. Inca Religion Religion reinforced the power of the state
Worshipped key nature spirits like the sun, moon, the stars and thunder
Sacrifice of llamas
Sacrifice of children

20. Inca Achievements
Empire tied together through a network of roads 14,000 miles long
All roads led to the capital
Relay runners, a type of postal system, for communication. Carried messages across the empire
Surgery and herbal remedies
Quipu – accounting device – set of knotted strings used to record data
Terrace farming -The cutting out of flat areas (terraces) into near vertical slopes to allow farming. Terrace farms appears as steps cut into a mountainside. This adaptation allowed both the early Chinese, and the Inca of Mesoamerica to grow enough food for their large populations.