1. Bell Ringer  What is culture? This day in history: August 13, 1521- Hernán Cortés captures Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec empire. August 13, 1860- Annie Oakley, one of the greatest female sharpshooters in U.S. History, is born. August 13, 1926- Cuban revolutionary, Fidel Castro is born.

2. Bell Ringer  What is culture? This day in history: August 14, 1935- Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law. August 14, 1945- Victory over Japan Day or V-J Day, as the Japanese surrender during WWII is formally announced.

3. Earliest Americans

4. Bering Land Bridge Theory  Many scientists believe that during the last Ice Age ocean levels dropped and a land bridge was exposed between Asia and Alaska, scientists call this land bridge Beringia.  During this time evidence shows that Paleo- Indians crossed between 38,000 and 10,000 B.C. then fanned out across the Americas.

6. Migration from Asia  The Indians who crossed the land bridge were hunter-gatherers who migrated south following animal herds.  Some travelled as far south as the southern tip of South American.

7. Native American Culture Shift  Native Americans eventually shifted from nomadic hunter- gatherers to farming people.  They learned how breed animals, farm, and grow plants.  Maize was one of their most important early crops.  Farming allowed groups to settle and create civilizations.

8. Civilization  Talk with the person sitting next to you and try to come up with 5 aspects of a civilization.

9. Aspects of a Civilization  Cities  Well organized government  Social classes  Complex religion  Method of record keeping

10. Culture  Explain aspects of the earliest Americans culture  What are some aspects of our culture?

11. South American Societies  Olmec  Maya  Aztec  Inca

12. Olmec  Earliest known American civilization founded 1200 BC.  Trade helped spread their culture throughout the Americas.  Built the first pyramids in the Americas and sculpted large stone heads.

14. Mayans  Grew maize and other crops like the Olmecs.  Began building large cities by 200 A.D.  The Mayans had a 365 day calendar and the concept of zero.  There were priests, nobles, warriors, government officials, laborers, and slaves in Mayan society.  Their civilization began to collapse in the 900s, but historians are not sure why.

17. Aztecs  Warring society with superior military ability.  Built their empire by conquering towns and making alliances which allowed them to expand their trade network in the mid 1100s.  In 1325 they founded Tenochtitlan (modern day Mexico City).  The Aztec were rich in cotton, gold, and food from trade and tribute from conquered peoples.

20. Inca  The Incas began expanding in the mid 1400s.  Eventually the empire had more than 12 million people in it.  Strong central government with a king as the ruler.  Records were kept with a system of knotted strings called quipu because they did not have a written language.  Large system of buildings and paved roads allowed the Incas to communicate and control their vast empire.

23. Assignment  Using the textbook, discuss some of the similarities between the Olmecs, Mayas, and Aztecs.  Create a timeline with the dates of existence for the civilizations of Mexico, Central America, and South America.  I will have a link to an article on my website. Tonight you should read the article and then explain if you think the Olmecs were the mother culture of the Americas or just a sister culture. Explain by giving examples from the article.