Civilizations of the

Americas Geography and Agriculture

Mayan Empire

Geography

• Located on the Yucatán Peninsula

• Emerged BEFORE the founding of the Roman Empire and lasted long after the Fall of the Western Side

• From 1800 BC to 1520 AD

• mostly rain forest

• Thin, fragile soil – no nutrients

• How do you sustain life in rain forest?

• Slash-and-burn agriculture

• The cutting down and burning

of forest to use as fertilizer for

the land

Slash-and-burn

Agriculture

Mayan Crops

• Main crop: corn (maize)

• Other crops: squash, beans, tomatoes, avocados,

peppers, pumpkins, cacao (chocolate)

Cacao Tree

Mayan Irrigation

System

• Maya built water reservoirs with man-made dams

• System not as large as Inca or Aztec

Outline the Maya civilization on your map.

Mayan Cities

• Major Mayan Cities include: Tikal, Palenque, Copán,

ChichénItzá, Calakmul

ChichénItzá

Palenque

Copán Ruins

Ball Court

Calakmul

Tikal

Inca Empire

Geography • Located in Andes Mountains

• Rocky, steep

• Civilization spread from rainforests of the Valley of Cuzco

According to Oral history (NO WRITTEN RECORDS) the Inca

were descended from Inti, the sun god. Inti told them to settle in

a place where a golden staff would sink easily into the ground….

That place was the valley of Cuzco

From 1200 AD to 1525

• How do you sustain life in the mountains?

• Terrace farming

• Flat strips of level land used to farm on hillsides

Terrace Farming

Incan Crops

• Main crop: potato

• Other crops: corn (maize), squash, tomato, peanuts,

peppers, melon, cotton

• Sacred Valley of the Incas

• Best place to grow corn (maize)

Incan Irrigation

Systems

• Inca built canals, tunnels, and raised

aqueducts to carry water

• Still in use today

the Inca Civilization

Incan Cities

• Major Incan cities include:

• Cuzco,

• Machu Picchu,

• Vilcabama,

• Vitcos,

• Choquequiaro,

• Paititi

Cuzco – capital city

Machu Picchu – never found by Spanish

Choquequiaro – place of

refuge for Inca ruler

during Spanish attacks

Vitcos

Vitcabamba – Last

Stronghold of the Incas

Paititi

• Lost city of the Inca – no one has found

it

Aztec Empire

Geography • Located in the Valley of Mexico

• Shallow lakes, mild climate, fertile land around lakes

• Aztecs find refuge on island in Lake Texcoco

According to legend the Aztecs , (Mexica who came from Aztlan) eventually settled on a small island in the middle of Lake Texcoco where they saw an eagle perched on a thorny cactus. This was the sign their chief god had told them to look for…..They made the island their home….. The sign is also the national symbol for Mexico

From 1325 until1521

• How do you sustain life on an island city?

• Chinampas

• Floating gardens on lake

Chinampas

Farming & Irrigation

• Used mud, vegetation, and mats to create

soil ready for planting on lake

Aztec Crops

• Main crop: corn (maize)

• Other crops: avocados, squash, cotton, rubber,

cacao beans, sweet potatoes

the Aztec civilization

Proximity of Aztec and

Maya Civilizations

Aztec Cities

• Major Aztec cities

• include:

Tenochtitlán,

• Texcoco,

• Tlacopan,

• Yautepec,

• Tlatelolco

Tenochtitlán – only

ruins remain in

Mexico City

Stone of the Sun

found here