1. Mesoamerican Civilizations
Olmec, Toltec, Maya, Aztecs

2. Olmecs 1400 B.C. appeared along Gulf Coast
Lived in hot, swampy jungle climate
Built large religious centers (La Venta)
Large central pyramid, colossal stone heads
400 B.C. society collapsed

3. Teotihuacan Located in central Mexico
First major city in Mesoamerica, A.D
“Place of the Gods”
North of Mexico City
Well planned
Large pyramids
Major trade center, traded as far away as North America

5. Maya Yucatan Peninsula to Central America A.D. 300-900
Temples and pyramids center of cities
Civilization composed of city-states, traded and fought each other
Rulers were descended from gods

6. Maya Kings, priests, scribes top of society
Commoners, artisans, farmers
Most were farmers- farmed raised fields, river valleys (main crop- corn)
Division of labor
Women- domestic duties
Men – farm work, war

7. Maya Religion Writing System Polytheistic- life controlled by gods
Human sacrifice keeps gods happy
Writing System
Created a writing system based on pictures
Spanish destroyed them
Recorded important events

8. Mayan Calendar Two systems 365 day solar calendar
260 day sacred calendar
Only priests could read calendar

9. Maya Ball Game Ball courts found at many sites
Unknown why it was played
Teams tried to put ball through hoop, loser was sacrificed

11. Decline of the Maya After A.D. 900 Invasion, Internal revolt
Overuse of land led to decline in crops
Small in number when Spanish arrive

12. Toltec A.D.900-1200 Central Mexico, empire stretched in Maya land
Warrior society
Built pyramids, major city Chichen Itza

13. Aztec 1100’s arrived Valley of Mexico Established city- Lake Texcoco
Capital Tenochtitlan
Constructed temples, built roads, canals
Conquered surrounding areas over next 100 years

15. Aztecs Kingdom not centralized
Conquered areas paid tribute to Aztec ruler
Ruler claimed descent from gods
Population of empire 4 million
Most people were farmers and traders
Farmers built raised beds in the lakes chinampas

16. Aztec Religion Worshiped many gods
Huitzilopochtli (war and sun), Quetzalcoatl (feathered serpent)
Belief that gods and humans struggle between forces of good and evil
Practiced human sacrifice

17. End of the Aztec Empire
Large empire stretched across central Mexico from coast to coast
1519 Hernan Cortes lands in Mexico, made alliances with groups dissatisfied with Aztec rule
Cortes arrived at Tenochtitlan (possibly Quetzalcoatl) welcomed by Montezuma

18. End of the Aztec Empire
1520- Montezuma taken hostage, Aztecs revolt against Spaniards
Diseases spread through city and kill possibly half of population (happened throughout European conquest of the New World)
Spaniards and allies took Tenochtitlan and destroyed city