Meso-America Notes

Textbook Pages 184-209Meso-America = “Middle America”

The Olmec

The 1st civilization of Mesoamerica Located on the hot and swampy

lowlands along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico

They had large cities that were centers of religious rituals

They carved colossal stone heads May have been to represent their ancestors,

rulers, or gods.

Olmec heads

Meso-America

Mesoamerica was home to 3 major civilizations in Pre-Columbian times.

Pre-Columbian means before the time of exploration (think before Columbus)

The 3 highly developed civilizations were:MayansAztecs Incas

Mayan Civilization – p. 196

300 – 900 CE

I. Geography & Economy

Settled in modern Guatemala, Honduras

Located in dense rainforest-farming difficult

Yucatan Peninsula Successfully farmed using

Slash-and-burn agriculture, irrigation

Corn, squash, beans

II. Government

different city-states ruled by kings Not one unified empire Linked by cultural and political ties

Built immense city-states (Tikal, Chichen Itza)Cities-Were built around a central pyramidPyramid was topped with a shrine to the gods.

All cities were abandoned around 900 CE for unknown reasons

Society

Upper class- priests, nobles, warriorsEveryone else- peasants who taxes to

the king (corn)No rights for women

IV. Religion

Center of Mayan life2 levels of existence: Physical daily life and

spiritual world Kings performed rituals and ceremonies

Human sacrificing! Polytheistic

Decline:

All cities were abandoned around 900 CE for unknown reasons

III. Achievements

A. Architecture1. Known for step-pyramids2. Pyramid at Tikal is 130 ft high

B. Astronomy1. Had exact knowledge of moon phases2. Able to predict sun and moon eclipses

Achievements cont.

C. Ball Game1. Played by many

Central American civilizations

2. Had both religious and recreational purposes

3. Losing coach sacrificed to gods

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_d6R4IvDuU

Achievements cont.

D. Calendars1. Religious obsession

with time2. Used interlocking

cycles of time3. Calendar restarts

every Long Cycle. The last on 12/21/12 and the next 9/6/3114

Achievements cont.

E. Mathematics: Sophisticated system based on number 20

Achievements cont.

F. Writing1. Developed

complete writing system

2. Represented ideas and objects

3. Hieroglyphics

The Aztecs

1400-1520CE

Origins

Early Aztecs were hunters and warriors who moved from N. into central Mexico

They were considered vulgar by other city-state because of the religious ways (we will talk about this)

Forced to flee to Lake TexcocoDivine Prophecy: Settle where you see

an eagle sitting on a cactus and holding a snake in its beak>>> Tenochtitlan

Tenochtitlan

Capital city in 1345 CEIt was built on an island on a lake (Lake

Texcoco) Modern day Mexico City

Clean! Gardens, baths, temples fill the city

About 80,00-25000 people at its height in 1500

Tenochtitlan- city on a lake

Mexico’s flag: Eagle on a cactus with a snake in beak (divine prophecy)

Adaptations to environment

They expanded land through chinampas, or man-made islands! These became floating gardens in which they could

grow a variety of crops, including corns and beans.

Population grew- people moved outside to the mainland Created canals, dams, and aqueducts to improve

trade and transportation and to keep the mainland connected to the capital city.

Chinampas

Economy

Agriculture- Chinampas Bustling markets-bartered (food, straw

mats, cloth, luxury items, like feathers)Sometimes cocoa beans were used as

currency

Religion

Polytheistic Used pyramidsFelt that life was uncertain, everyone

was at the mercy of nature godsNeeded to please the gods through

human sacrificing Waited for a god to return to earth

Human Sacrificing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQKJRnPpIxw

Achievements

Capital city Strict legal system

Used the death penalty

Education for Aztec children Gold and silver jewelry Calendars: 360 days- helped them plan

farming and activites 365 days- solar calendar 18 months (20 days each, and then 5 extra days)

Decline

Conquered by the Spanish conquistidor- Cortez

The Aztecs were “unpopular” with their neighbors--- They kidnapped them for human sacrifices! Some of these neighbors (along with a few

unhappy Aztecs) helped lead explores to and defeat the Aztecs

The Inca Empire

1200-1500 CE

Modern Day: Peru, N. Chile, parts of Columbia, Ecuador, Bolvia, Argentina

I. Life in the Andes

A. By 1500, Incans ruled on of the largest empires of the era

B. Empire stretched 2,500 miles down almost entire length of Andes Mountains

C. Rainless, coastal deserts; high mountains; rain forest

D. Important cities: Cuzco, capital Machu Picchu

II. Government

Emperor- absolute power

Direct rule arranged marriages Passes for travel Controlled harvest Conquered people

forced to adopt Incan ways

III. Expansion

A. Carefully planned and administered empires in Americas

B. Pachacuti – leader who helped expand the Empire

C. Incan leaders would conquer neighboring groups- they learned to speak official language—Quecha

D. By 1525, lots of infighting made them vulnerable to attack by Spanish

Pachacuti– https://youtu.be/sNz9phB27xU

II. Agriculture- terrace farming

A. Effective farming was key to huge Inca Empire

B. Terrace farming, straightening rivers, filling or draining marshes for farmland

C. Potatoes and quinoa!

IV. Roads and Bridges

A. Built 2 main roadsone along Pacific Coast—2520 miles longone along Andes—3,250 miles long; up to 17,000 feet high

B. Suspension Bridges- mountain travel

V. Gold

A. Gold “sweat of the sun”

B. King owned all the gold that was mined and panned in empire

C. Gold decoration and jewelry

Brain Surgery!

Human Sacrifice!

Keeping Records

Quipu- system of ropes and knots

Decline

Inca The Spanish arrived 1531

Defeated by the Spanish conquistador Pizarro

https://youtu.be/pM-igYjn6E4

Why were the Spanish able to defeat the Aztec and Inca?

Superior weapons Rebels provided the

Spanish with allies Cultural traditions

blinded the Aztec and Inca to the real motives behind the Spanish

Disease killed up to 80 percent of the Aztec and Inca populations (key leaders and soldiers)