Development of South and Central America

Societies

SSWH8

Engineering an Empire:

Aztec 1

Standard• SSWH8 The student will demonstrate

an understanding of the development of societies in Central and South America.

• a. Explain the rise and fall of the Olmec, Mayan, Aztec, and Inca empires.

• b. Compare the culture of the Americas; include government, economy, religion, and the arts of the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas.

Intro• Early Inhabitants –Migrated from Asia during the last Ice

Age, crossing the Bering Strait by foot

Intro• Hunter-

gatherers: – During global

warming, they migrated east and south to follow the herds.

– Different cultures formed as they spread out.

– Cut off from Asia as Ice Age ended, they developed independently from cultures in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Intro• Technology: –Metal was rarely used–many cultures were still in the Stone

Age. –Wheel was used, but not for

transportation.

Watch Me!!

Pyramids• Despite the towering reputation of

Egypt's Great Pyramids at Giza, the Americas actually contain more pyramid structures than the rest of the planet combined. Civilizations like the Olmec, Maya, Aztec and Inca all built pyramids to house their deities, as well as to bury their kings.

• In many of their great city-states, temple-pyramids formed the center of public life and were the site of much holy ritual, including human sacrifice.

Ancient City of Teotihuacan

OLMEC• 1200 -400 BC• Called “Rubber

People”• Carved enormous

stone heads of volcanic rock

• Division of labor• Hieroglyphics• farm techniques -

slash and burnThe

Olmecs

Engineering an Empire:

Aztec 2

The Olmec• Meso-America• 1st civilization• 1200-400 BC • They made Pyramids, mounds, monuments• Sculptured heads - 44 tons• Religion: polytheistic

– many nature gods: Chief god was the jaguar god– Influenced - design, ceremonial centers, ball games, elite

ruling class– Performed ritual sacrifices – Played pok-a-tok game – Went on pilgrimages

• Government - ruler - god like

Olmec

• Influenced area through trade; evidence of trade confirmed by Olmec jade carvings found throughout Central America

• Achievements: – Long Count Calendar

• No idea what caused their decline

MayaEngineering an Empire:

Aztec 3

El Castillo, Chichen Itza: El Castillo "The Castle"

It rises 79 feet above the Main Plaza of the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza in Mexico (founded c. AD 600 ).

Chichén Itzá

MAYANS• Yucatan Peninsula• Government:– City States

• Religion:– Complex– two layers (now and

otherworld)– polytheistic– Major role in society

and rule– Human sacrifice

• Economy:– Trade with other city-

states

Mayan• Culture:• 2000 BC -900 Ad• 250- 900 million population• Cities - Tikal, Copan: Palaces, temples,

pyramids• Social classes - warriors, priests, merchants,

craft workers, peasants• Astronomy, math, 2 calendars - 1 for sun, 1

for religion• Math and astronomy to support religious

beliefs• Pyramids• Glyphic writing system• No explanation for their decline

– Possibly: war, drought, infighting

The Mayans

Palenque

AztecEngineering an Empire:

Aztec 4

Aztec• Most powerful civilization in central and

southern Mexico.• The capital city was Tenochtitlan.

• Located on islands in Lake Texcoco – 1200.

Tenochtitlan

The Aztecs

Aztec• 1100-1522 AD• Government– Warriors

• Military strength– Social structure

• Emperor• Nobles• Commoners• Enslaved persons

• Religion– Polytheistic– Their main god was the “sun god”– “fed” the god with human sacrifice

• Quetzacoatl - feathered serpent god– Legend -- left

city and will return one day

Aztec• Economy–Trade – obsidian–Tribute states–Pyramids, temples

Aztec Civilization• Culture– A complex and rich society– A trade network– A mathematical system to keep up with

the empire– Two different calendar systems– A Farming system– Used irrigation to keep their crops

growing even during dry periods

Chinampasfloating gardens

Aztec Civilization• They were known for their artwork …

Aztec Civilization• and their architecture.

• The pyramid temple was the center

of this great city

Aztec Civilization• Today, some of the art and buildings

have been re-discovered.• A modern version of the Aztec

language, Nahuatl, is still spoken by thousands of people in Mexico.

Aztec Civilization• An important part of their

culture was the sacrifice of animals and humans.

• People who were conquered were required to pay large taxes.

• They also had to provide people to offer as sacrifices to the Aztec gods.

Aztec Sacrifice

Montezuma Cortes

Aztec Civilization• Arrival of Spanish led to the fall of

the Aztec.• It ended in 1541 when conquered by

the Spanish.• The Spanish destroyed much of the

Aztec building and artwork.• They destroyed the city of

Tenochtitlan and built Mexico City in its place. Aztecs

The Inca

Engineering an Empire:

Aztec 5

Inca• Located in South

America– 1400-1534– Andes Mountains– Cuzco - capital –

Peru

Lost Cities of the Inca

Inca• Government:– Theocracy– Strong central

government– huge empire

extending length of South America

– Leader - descendent of sun god

– Expanded empire– Powerful military– Bureaucracy

Inca• Religion:–Religion ruled state – theocracy–Mummies–Animal sacrifice

• Economy:–economic

system– roads,–All roads lead to

Cuzco

Inca• Culture:–Ayulla - extended

family - to do large tasks–Mita - required service

to state

Machu Picchu

INCASMachu Picchu

• Built paved roads & suspension bridges - used running messengers

• Instead of writing system used knotted string to communicate messages & keep records - quipu

Inca terraces

Suspension bridge

Quipu

The Inca were conquered by the Spanish conquistador Pizarro.

Atahualpa Pizarro

Destruction of Culture

• The Meso-American kingdoms were as advanced and sophisticated as the ancient Greeks and Romans• The European conquerors tried to destroy the evidence of this sophisticated culture