1. Ancient Civilizations of Latin America
B.C.E. (B.C.= Before Christ) stands for "Before the Common Era" when we are discussing historic timelines.
C.E. (A.D.= After Death of Christ) stands for "Common Era" when we are discussing historic timelines.
The western calendar is measured starting with his birth, meaning he was born in the year 0. However, most scholars and historians now agree that he was likely born several years before.
Agenda
Ancient Cultures

2. Early Human Migrations

4. The Mayans

5. Maya

6. Who were the Maya? Where? Southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala When?
1000BC to about 1000AD
What kind of people?
Small city states, farmers and traders.
Mathematicians- Invented the 0 in 36BC, before most people.
Astronomers- Maya calendar is still accurate, very complex.
Advanced cities - Chichen Itza, Tulum, Palenque, Tikal
What happened to Maya?
Overpopulated cities collapsed
Survivors dispersed throughout Central America
Culture diffused because of trade and military alliances
Unlike the relatively centralized Aztec and Inca empires, the Maya civilization was a loose aggregation of city-states.

7. Lands of the Mayans
The Yucatan Peninsula

8. Chichen-Itza - Pyramid

9. Chichen-Itza - Observatory

10. Chichen-Itza - Ball Court

11. Overview of Tikal (Guatemala)
Temple of the Masks

12. Tikal Jungle View at Sunset

13. Tikal - Main Court

14. Tikal: Temple of the Masks – Guatemala For more info. click here

15. Mayan Glyphs
sky king house child city
Mayan Mathematics

16. Mayan Glyphs

17. The Aztecs

18. Who were the Aztec? Where Central Mexico
Capital city was Tenochtitlan, on Lake Texcoco.
When?
1300AD to 1500AD
What kind of people?
Hierarchical society
1. Emperor
2. Nobles
3. Warriors
4. Farmers
5. Slaves
Empire centered on war and religious sacrifice
What happened to Aztecs?
Defeated by Hernan de Cortez (Spanish) in 1519, with native allies
Most Aztecs later died from European diseases, such as Smallpox
Mestizo- Interbreeding made a new Mexican “race”, ½ Indian ½ Spanish.

19. Aztecs

20. Lands of the Aztecs