1. Central and South American Civilizations

2. Central and South American Civilizations
3 major civilizations:
Mayan
Aztec
Inca

3. The Mayans Lasted from 1500 BCE – 900 CE
Located in Central America in the present-day countries of Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

4. The Mayans The Mayan Civilization was based on agriculture
Maize (corn) was the primary crop
They also grew squash, beans, and peppers
Grew cacao beans and made chocolate

5. The Mayans
Not much is known about Mayan culture because there are not many written records
They followed a polytheistic religion similar to the Ancient Egyptians
The Mayans developed a writing system similar to hieroglyphics
The Mayans developed a very precise calendar

6. The Aztecs Located in modern-day Mexico Lasted from 1100 CE – 1600 CE
Had a culture of warfare (similar to Sparta in Ancient Greece)
They were nomads for many years before finding a place to settle

7. The Aztecs
The Aztec believed that the current world was one in a series of four worlds, called suns, which had existed before it
Aztec religion was polytheistic
They would sacrifice people and animals as part of the religion

8. The Aztecs
People were divided into social classes depending on their family wealth
All children, male and female, attended school
Boys learned how to be warriors and religious practices
Boys from wealthy families focused more on law, writing, medicine, and engineering
Girls learned domestic tasks like sewing, cooking, and raising children

9. The Incas
The Incas lived in South America in the Andes Mountains along the Pacific Ocean
Lasted 1200 CE – 1570 CE
The Andes are the tallest mountains in the Americas

10. The Incas Agriculture in the Andes was difficult
The steep slopes of the mountains limited the amount of land for farming
The climate was also dry, making water a precious resource

11. The Incas To solve this problem, the Incas developed terrace farming
Terraces are wide steps on the side of mountains
Without the terraces, the mountainous landscape would have been too steep for farmers to water, plow, and harvest

12. The Incas
The terrace system increased the amount of land that the Inca could use for agriculture
It also kept the topsoil from washing away down the hillside in heavy rains