Great Civilizations in the Americas
The Olmec, Aztec, Maya, and Inca
Map of the Empires
THE OLMEC
The Olmec Empire was located in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.
Olmec Sculptures
The Olmec are famous for their huge stone carvings.
Olmec Cities
The Olmecs had large cities built of stone.
Agriculture was important. They had to grow enough food for all the people living in cities.
The Maya
Location:The Yucatan Peninsula
(Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize)
Mayan Pyramids
Mayan pyramids were made of stone and built to last.
They are proof of how important religion was to the Mayan civilization.
Other Mayan Feats
AgricultureAstronomy (365 day
calendar)RoadsHieroglyphics
The Aztec
The Aztec was an empire located in what is now Mexico.
The capital of the Aztec empire was Tenochtitlan, built on an island in a lake for good defense.
Aztec Pyramids
The Aztec built huge pyramids for their religious ceremonies.
War !!!
The Aztec was a warlike society.
They conquered their neighbors and captured prisoners of war.
They held human sacrifices to appease the gods.
Aztec Art
Many examples of Aztec art have been found, including clay masks and figures as well as stone carvings.
The Inca
The Inca had the biggest empire of the pre-Columbian civilizations.
It stretched for three thousand miles in the Andes Mountains of South America.
Incan Engineering
The Inca built cities and roads high in the Andes Mountains.
Incan Agriculture
How can you grow food in the mountains?
The Inca solved the problem by carving terraces into the mountains.
Characteristics of Civilizations
SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF CIVILIZATIONS
RELIGION
MONUMENTS
& BUILDINGS
AGRICULTURETRANSPORTATION
GOVERNMENT & LAWS
Map of the Empires