1. Aim: Who were the people of Mesoamerica ?
STANDARD WHI.11a, b
The student will demonstrate knowledge of major civilizations of the Western Hemisphere, including the Mayan, Aztec, and Incan by
a) describing geographic relationship, with emphasis on patterns of development in terms of climate and physical features.
b) describing cultural patterns and political and economic structures
Aim: Who were the people of Mesoamerica ?
Do Now: What makes a civilization advanced?

2. What was the first civilization of Mesoamerica?
Olmec 1300 B.C.-
They were located in the hot and swampy lowlands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico south of Veracruz.
They had large cities that were centers for religious rituals.
They carved colossal stone heads
They may have been to represent
their ancestors or gods.

3. Was the first major city in Mesoamerica Teotihuacán
Arose around 250 B.C. and collapsed about 800 A.D.
May have had as many as 200,000 inhabitants at its height.
Has a main thoroughfare, known as the Avenue of the Dead, had two main temples.
The Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon.

4. What was Mayan civilization Like?
• Located in the Yucatán Peninsula
and Part of Guatemala
• Group of city-states ruled by a king
- claimed to be divine
• Economy based on agriculture and trade
• Polytheistic religion—Pyramids
The Maya practiced human sacrifice to appease gods
Decline of the Maya: Between 300 and 900 A.D.
-Flourished during this time. We do not know why it fell into decline.
The Maya abandoned their cities, we do not know why.

5. What are some Mayan Accomplishments?
Language
The Maya developed an independent Hieroglyphic language.
The Spanish destroyed most of the Mayan writings. They were not seen as having any value. Their language was not translated until the 20th century.

6. Calendar
The Maya developed a calendar that had two different parts.
It had a solar calendar with 365 days, divided into 18 months with 20 days each with 5 extra days at the end.
A Lunar calendar and a Calendar based on the movement of the Planet Venus. This was a sacred calendar with 260 days and 13 weeks of 20 days each.
The Mayan calendar says our present world was created in 3114 B.C. and the current world will end on December A.D.

7. Tikal

8. Chichén Itzá

10. What was Aztec civilization like?
• Located in arid (dry) valley in central Mexico
• largest city: Tenochtitlan
• Ruled by an emperor, claimed he was divine
• Economy based on agriculture and tribute from conquered peoples
• Polytheistic religion with pyramids/rituals
- practiced human sacrifice

12. How did the Aztec Fall?
Destruction of the Aztec
The Aztec had many enemies among their
conquered people, the Spanish would use
this
Hernán Cortés 1519
Kidnapped the Emperor and tried to overthrow him, the people rebelled, Spanish barely escaped.
The Spanish returned several months later. Many of the natives had fallen ill with Smallpox. Cortés and his allies destroyed the Aztec capital and subjugated the Aztec people.

14. What was Incan civilization Like?
• Located in the Andes Mountains of South America
• largest city Machu Picchu
• Ruled by an emperor
• Economy based on high-altitude agriculture
• Polytheistic religion
• Road system

15. How was the Empire Organized?
Incan state was built on war.
The conquered peoples were all taught the same language.
Each region was appointed a governor who answered to the Emperor.
Road System: 24, 800 miles of Road
The Inca built roads to unify their people. Roads made travel and communication throughout the empire more efficient.
There were rest houses and storage depots along with bridges to span ravines and waterways.

16. Great Builders
They had great buildings made of stone held without mortar. Their roads also show their ability as great builders.
Machu Picchu
City built at 8,000 ft above sea level.
Urubamba River
River below Machu Picchu

18. Defeat
The Spanish arrived in 1531
1531: Francisco Pizarro
Spanish Conquistador led a band of 180 men with
superior weapons.
The Inca, like the Aztec, were devastated by disease.
Smallpox
Devastated the Population
Civil War
After the death of the Inca Emperor a civil war broke out, Pizarro took advantage and defeated the people.
Pizarro and his men established Lima as the new capital of the Spanish Colony in 1535.

19. Achievements of Mayan, Aztec, and Incan civilizations • Calendars
• Mathematics
• Writing and other record-keeping systems