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10/25/2011
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Mesoamerican &
Andean Civilizations
MOST LIKELY THEORY
First Americans originated in Gobi Desert
Some migrated to Siberia around 15,000 years ago
Crossed Bering Strait in Alaska
Land bridge probably existed at the time
Gradually dispersed throughout North and South America
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MESOAMERICA
Mesoamerica
In what is now southern Mexico and Central America
Rain forests cover the region
Fertile soil made this a good area for farming
People first appeared in this area around 12,000 BC
Maize (corn) being grown around 3500 BC
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The Olmec
First urban civilization formed in Mesoamerica – around 1200 BC
Built the first pyramids in the Americas
Developed the first writing system in the Americas
Traded with others from far away
Civilization ended around 400 BC
OLMEC ACHIEVEMENTS Talented engineers and architects
Built sewer system
Built pyramids and palaces from stone
Also carved giant stone heads
Largest is 9 feet tall and weighs 15 tons
No one knows their exact function
Writing system and a system to record calendar dates
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OLMEC RELIGION
Polytheistic
Most important god portrayed as half man/half jaguar
Believed that certain people could turn into jaguars at will
Variation of the “were-wolf” myth
TEOTIHUACÁN
Olmec civilization faded around 900 BCE.
Teotihuacán
200-700 AD
Giant city containing 200,000 people
Two giant pyramids
Pyramid of the Sun
Pyramid of the Moon
Hundreds of other buildings
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L a nd s o f
t h e M a y a ns
The Yucatan Peninsula
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Ch i c h e n - I t z a
- P y r a mi d
MAYANS
Located in Yucatan, Honduras, and Guatemala
300-900 AD
Sophisticated agriculture
Two to three harvests a year
Supported population of 2 million people
Divided into a number of small states
Never a single united state
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MAYAN CITIES Built huge ceremonial centers that resembled cities
Contained pyramids, plazas, wide streets
Most Mayans lived in small villages that surrounded center
Mayan Cities
Pyramids
Temples
palaces
Canals
Large plazas built for public
events
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Ch i c h e n - I t z a
-
Ob se r v a t o r y
Ch i c h e n - I t z a
- Ba l l Co u r t
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M a y a n
Cu l t i v a t i o n
o f M a i z e
Chac, God of Rain
M a y a n
Und e r g r o u nd
Gr a na r i e s:
Ch u l t u ne s
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Ov e r v i e w o f
T i k a l
( Gu a t e ma l a
)
Temple of the Masks
T i k a l J u ng l e
Vi e w a t
Su nse t
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T i k a l -
M a i n Co u r t
T i k a
l :
T e mp
l e
o f
t h e
M a sk
s
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T i k a l - Wa l l
M a sk o f t h e
R a i n Go d
MAYAN ACHIEVEMENTS
Sophisticated mathematics
Understood concept of zero
Developed “place-value” system
Developed elaborate but accurate calendar
Literate but little of their writing survives
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M a y a n
Gl y p h s
M a y a n
M a t h e ma
t i c s
sky king house child city
M a y a n
Gl y p h s
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M a y a n
Dr i nk i ng
Cu p f o r
Ch o c o l a t e
P a k a l : T h e
M a y a
Ast r o na u t
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Qu e t z a l c o a
t l : T h e Go d o f
Wi sd o m &
L e a r n i ng
MAYAN RELIGION
Very complex
Chief god was Itzamná
13 levels of heaven and 9
levels of hell
People believed they had to
please the gods by offering
human blood
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COLLAPSE OF MAYAN STATES
Mayan states collapsed
around 900 AD
Perhaps due to
natural catastrophe
Next the Aztecs
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THE AZTECS ARRIVE
Also known as Mexicas
Originally a nomadic tribe from north
Found it in 1325 AD on island in middle of Lake Texcoco in central Mexico
Built capital city on island
Tenochtitlán
L a nd s o f
t h e Az t e c s
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Az t e c Vi e w
o f
T e no c h t i t l a n
R u i ns o f t h e
Ci t y Ce nt e r ,
T e no c h t i t l a n
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T e no c h t i t l a n :
T h e “ Ve n i c e ”
o f t h e Ame r i c a s
Quetzalcoatl
God of peace
Replaced the god of war
The Toltecs overthrew Quetzalcoatl and
returned to being warlike
Quetzalcoatl promised to return and bring light and
peace
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Az t e c
Ch i na mp a o r
F l o a t i ng
Ga r d e n: 1 5f t . t o 3 0 f t .
wi d e
T h e
Az t e c s
We r e
F i e r c
e
Wa r r i o
r s
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Az t e c s
Sa c r i f i c e
Ne i g h b o r i ng
T r i b e s t o t h e
Su n Go d
He a r t
Sa c r i f i c e
o n a n Az t e c
T e mp l e
P y r a mi d
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Wa l l o f
Sk u l l s,
T e no c h t i t l a n
Sa c r i f i c i a l
St a t u e ,
T e no c h t i t l a n
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Az t e c Go l d
Traits of the Aztec
Religious Beliefs and Theocracy
United Culture, Loyalty to the King
Many physical and human resources funneled into
religious activities
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Traits of the Aztec
Powerful Army
Added land, power, and prisoners for religious
sacrifices
Need for prisoners changed warfare style to less
deadly and less aggressive
Traits of the Aztec
Empire of Tribute States
Provides wealth and power and prisoners for
religious sacrifices
Tribute states are rebellious and need to be
controlled
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TENOCHTITLÁN Grew wealthy from tribute from conquered territory
Turned city into magnificent place
Canals served as arteries of transportation
Aqueduct system
Sewer System
Huge temples and places
Brightly colored art
Aztec Society
People divided into social
classes
Kings and nobles the most
important
Priests and warriors below
kings
Merchants and artisans next
Farmers and slaves the lowest
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AZTEC RELIGION
Two sets of gods
Nature gods
Worshipped by farmers
Had shape of the item the god controlled
Great gods of state
Usually portrayed as half human/half animal or as monster
Chief god was Huitzilopochtli
God of the sun
HUMAN SACRIFICE Believed that the world had passed through four previous stages (“suns”)
Each one destroyed by catastrophe
To prevent destruction of fifth “sun”, Huitzilopochtli had to be appeased
By feeding him human hearts
Aztecs therefore sacrificed victims by ripping out their hearts and holding them up for Huitzilopochtli to symbolically eat
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Aztec Achievements
Studied astronomy and created a calendar
Built bridges and canals
Had a complex writing system
Cortez and the Aztecs
The End Spanish explorer Hernan Cortez arrived in 1519
Aztec emperor Moctezuma II thought Cortez was a god.
Cortez took the emperor prisoner
The Aztecs became angry and drove the Spanish out
Cortez came back in 1521 and conquered the Aztecs
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L a nd s o f
t h e I nc a s
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Cu z c o : Anc i e n t
Ca p i t a l o f t h e
I nc a ( 1 1 , 0 0 0 f t .
a b o v e se a l e v e l )
M a c h u
P i c c h u
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M a c h u
P i c c h u
I nc a n
Su sp e nsi o n
Br i d g e s
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I nc a n
T e r r a c e
F a r mi ng
I nc a n
Di g g i ng
St i c k s
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The Inca Empire
Began as a small tribe in the Andes in South America
By the 1500’s empire stretched from Ecuador to Chile
12 million people in empire
Government was centralized and controlled many aspects of life
Incas paid the government in labor and goods
M a i z e i n
I nc a n
P o t t e r y
& Go l d Wo r k
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Ov e r 1 0 0
Di f f e r e n t
T y p e s o f
P o t a t o e s
Cu l t i v a t e d
b y t h e I nc a ns
P r o d u c e f r o m
a T y p i c a l
I nc a n
M a r k e t
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I nc a n
Ce r a mi c J a r s
Peanut Potato Squash
Cacao God Cacao Pod
T h e Qu i p u : An I nc a n
Da t a b a se
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I nc a n
M u mmi e s
I nc a Go l d &
Si l v e r
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Inca Traits of Civilization Strength Leading to
Power
Weakness Leading to
Decline
Religious beliefs and
theocracy
United culture
Loyalty to the emperor
Many physical and
human resources
funneled into religious
activities
Major road systems Connected entire
empire and aided
control
Enemy could also use
roads to move troops
Type of welfare state
with huge bureaucracy
Care for entire
population during good
and bad times
People unable to care
for themselves with the
elimination of the
welfare state
Inca Society
Most Incans farmers
No merchants or markets
in the empire
Government officials
gave people goods
through the labor tax
system
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Inca Achievements
•Built massive buildings made of stone blocks
•Produced art of gold and silver
•No written language
Capacocha Sacrifices
Burials: Mummy Bundles
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/channel/inca/
Children sacrificed to the mountain gods.
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Pizarro and the Incas
The End Spaniards came to Peru in 1530
When the Incas would not convert to Christianity, the Spanish attacked
Spanish defeated the Incans in 1537 and took control of the area
![Andean and Mesoamerican Representations of the Spanish Conquest[1]](https://img.pdfslide.net/doc/110x75/5695d1091a28ab9b0294de1f/andean-and-mesoamerican-representations-of-the-spanish-conquest1.jpg)
