Early Mesoamerican and South American

Societies

S.W.B.A.T.

Explain how many diverse Native American cultures developed across South America by completing “Postcards from the Past”

Initial ActivityAnswer the following question:

Why do you think early peoples in the Americas migrated

south?

Word of the Day

DevelopThe process of

growing or improving.

OlmecRise

Around 1200 B.C.E. the Olmec developed the earliest known civilization in Mesoamerica.

OlmecSignificant Accomplishments

• Use of stone in architecture and sculpture• Built first pyramids in the Americas• Created sculptures of huge stone heads• Trade spread culture around the region

MayaRise

• Grew maize and lived in small villages

• Villages traded with each other and by

about the year 200, the Maya were building huge cities

MayaSignificant Accomplishments

• Built pyramids, large stone temples, palaces, and bridges.

• Paved large plazas for public gatherings• Built canals to control the flow of water

through cities

AztecRise

• Around the mid 1100’s, the Aztec migrated south to Central Mexico.

• With their strong military ability the Aztec conquered many towns and built alliances.

• Controlled a huge trade network

AztecSignificant Accomplishments

• In 1325, they founded their capital, Tenochititlan (tay-nawch-teet-LAHN) on an island in Lake Texcoco. • It became the greatest city in the Americas and one of

the worlds largest cities.• Built raised roads to connect the island to the shore.• By the early 1500s, they ruled the most powerful state

in Mesoamerica.

IncaRise

• Began as a small tribe in the Andes Mountains of South America and named their capital Cuzco (KOO-skoh).

• By the 1500s the empire stretched along the Pacific coast from what now is northern Ecuador to central Chile.

IncaSignificant

Accomplishments• Formed a strong

central government• Records kept on a

system of knotted strings called quipu.

• Massive buildings and forts made of huge stone blocks.

• Advanced system of highways with paved roads and rope bridges

Summary/Share-Out

Which of the four civilizations discussed do you think was the most

highly developed?