1. Pre-Columbian Civilizations In America By:Ms. Susan M. Pojer, Mrs. Hassett and Mrs. Agosta

2. Major Pre-Columbian Civilizations Aztecs Mayas Incas 3. The Mayans 1500 B.C.E. 1546 C.E. 4. 1. Location:

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

5. 2. Religion:

polytheistic

human sacrifice practiced

6. 3. Achievements:

writing and number systems

use of zero

accurate 365 day calendar

art- flat topped pyramid, palaces, and temples

7. Mayan Glyphs MayanMathematics skykinghousechildcity 8. Mayan Glyphs 9. Chichen-Itza - Pyramid 10. 11. Chichen-Itza - Observatory 12. 4. Possible Reasons for decline:

warfare between neighboring tribes

overpopulationoverfarming

heavy taxes may have caused peasant revolts

13. Quetzalcoatl: The God of Wisdom & Learning 14. Chichen-Itza - Ball Court 15. Tikal Jungle View at Sunset 16. Tikal:Temple of the Masks 17. Tikal - Wall Mask of the Rain God 18. Mayan Drinking Cup for Chocolate 19. The Aztecs 1200 CE 1521 CE 20. 1. Location:

Central Valley of Mexico

Tenochtitlan was the capital

21. Aztec View of Tenochtitlan 22. Tenochtitlan:The Venice of the Americas 23. Ruins of the City Center, Tenochtitlan 24. Wall of Skulls, Tenochtitlan 25. The Aztecs Were Fierce Warriors 26. Heart Sacrifice on an Aztec Temple Pyramid 27. Aztecs Sacrifice Neighboring Tribes to the Sun God 28. 2. Religion:

polytheistic

Sun God- most important, needed human blood to help rise everyday, massive number of sacrifices.

Used captured warriors and Aztecs for sacrifices

29. 3. Achievements:

Astronomy

Mathematics-counting system

Accurate calendar

Floating gardens (chinampas) used to make up for lack of farmland, could harvest 2-3 crops per year

30. AztecChinampaor Floating Garden: 15ft. to 30ft. wide 31. Tenochtitlan -Chinampas 32. Aztec Math Aztec Writing 33. Aztec Sun Stone -- Calendar 34. 4. Possible Reasons for decline:

Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes mistaken for Aztec god.

Spanish take control of Aztecs, their gold, their land

Spanish had superior weapons (guns)

35. Aztec Gold 36. The Incas 1200 CE 1550 CE 37. 1. Location:

Andes Mountains and Pacific coast of South America

Cuzco was the capital (Present day Peru)

38. 2. Religion:

polytheistic

Gods linked to the forces of nature (Sun God = Inti)

Religion tied to routines of life

Sapa Inca (emperor) performed religious rituals

39. 3. Achievements:

Built road systems through Andes that stretched over 12,000 miles (made of stone)

Roads united the Empire.

Engineering allowed them to build massive stone buildings, no cement.

40.

Terrace farming on the side of the Andes Mountains

used llamas

grew 700 varieties of potatoes

41. Machu Picchu 42. Machu Picchu 43. Incan Terrace Farming 44. Incan Suspension Bridges 45. 4. Possible Reasons for decline:

Superior military technology of the Spanish (Francisco Pizarro)

Divisions and discontent among Indians the Incas ruled over

Disease brought by Europeans weakened the Inca

46. Incan Mummies 47. TheQuipu :An Incan Database 48. Inca Gold & Silver 49. Incan Ceramic Jars Peanut Potato Squash Cacao God Cacao Pod