south america - before and after columbus

Karin Ostermann

Major Pre-Columbian Major Pre-Columbian CivilizationsCivilizations

Aztecs

Mayas

Incas

Early HistoryMost researchers

believed the first people in South America entered from the North 12,000 years ago.

The first settlers were hunter-gatherers.

Farming began there 5,000 years ago.

1500 B.C.E. – 1546 C.E.

Where did the ancient Maya live?The Maya were concentrated on and around

the Yucatan Peninsula in central America.

1. Location: Northern part

of Central America, the Yucatan Peninsula (Present day Mexico and Guatemala)

What did they do:

writing and number systems use of zero accurate 365 day calendar art- flat topped pyramid,

palaces, and temples

Mayan Mayan GlyphsGlyphs

Mayan Mayan MathematicsMathematics

sky king house child citysky king house child city

The Maya created a set of numeralsAlso developed a 365-day calendar

Mayan Mayan Drinking Drinking Cup for Cup for

ChocolatChocolatee

WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM???

warfare between neighbouring tribes

overpopulation over-farming

heavy taxes may have caused peasant revolts

Maya today…more than 2 million Maya people live in

Guatemala and southern Mexico today.

The IncasThe Inca founded South

America’s greatest early civilization.

The Inca Empire stretched from Ecuador to Chile.

They built paved roads, suspension bridges, stone buildings and terraced fields.

They were taken over by Francisco Pizarro and the Spanish in the 1530’s.

Uniting the EmpireThe Inca built a massive road network

through mountains and across rivers and gorges.

Incan Ceramic JarsIncan Ceramic Jars

PeanutPeanut PotatoPotato SquashSquash

Cacao GodCacao God Cacao PodCacao Pod

Inca Gold & SilverInca Gold & Silver

Fall of the IncaBUT ultimately, it was Spanish

conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro that brought about the fall of the Inca Empire.

1200 CE – 1521 CE

Location: Central Valley of Mexico Tenochtitlan was the capital (now Mexico City)

Tenochtitlan: The Tenochtitlan: The “Venice” of the Americas“Venice” of the Americas

Heart SacrificeHeart Sacrificeon an Aztec Temple on an Aztec Temple

PyramidPyramid

Wall of Skulls, Wall of Skulls, TenochtitlanTenochtitlan

Aztec MathAztec Math

Aztec WritingAztec Writing

Aztec GoldAztec Gold

Aztec Sun Stone -- Aztec Sun Stone -- CalendarCalendar

What happened to the Aztecs?Spanish conquistadors led by Hernan

Cortes conquered Tenochtitlan and defeated the Aztecs in 1521.

1526

Spanish Settlement in South America

The Spanish settle the west side of the Continent where the Inca had been.

1494 - The Portuguese come and take the east side.

disease leave only a fraction of the Indians there alive.

The Spanish spread from Peru to Bolivia to Chile and Paraguay and Argentina.

What do the Spanish take?The Spanish

begin latifundias which were large land estates.

The Spanish force the Indians to work for them.

Portuguese - 1494The Portuguese begin

settlements along the east side of South America.

They begin plantations to grow brazilwood and sugarcane.

After the Indians die because of disease, many plantation owners brought African slaves to work.

The Portuguese settlements move inward and lead to mineral discoveries and the development of Sao Paolo and Rio de Janiero.

Colonial Era and IndependenceMost South American countries gained their independence between 1810 and 1830.