Mexican History - Block 1

Theories of the arrival of men in America

Freezing of the Bering strait

Multiple origin theory

Polynesian Australasian theory

Mythological theories

Evidence for Bering strait theory

LGM glaciation
archeological - spear heads

Settlements

Evidence for multiple origin theory

similarities in culture between Asia and South America

Evidence for Polynesian theory

skull and linguistic similarities

3 eras of Mesoamerica

pre-classic 2400 BC - 200 AD

classic 200 - 900 AD

post-classic 900 - 1521 AD

Common traits of Mesoamerican civilisations

Ball game

sedentary

polytheist

Olmec period

1200 - 400 BCE

Olmec key aspects

origin of all Mesoamerican civilisations

San Lorenzo - main city

Giant heads - heads of significance as the centre of the body

Sacred animals: jaguars, caiman, eagles

Zapotec era

500 BCE - 900 AD

Zapotec key features

barrios - neighbourhoods

Monte Albán main city

260 day calendar year

Key Olmec gods

Feathered serpent - corn

Jaguar - most important, fertility

Dragon - feared

Spirit of the rain

Teotihuacan features

250 BC - 800 AD

largest Mesoamerican city

Pyramid of the sun

Mixtec era

1500 BC - 1500 AD

Toltec era

650 BC - 1150 AD

Mayas era

2000 BC - 1527

Mexica era

1325 - 1521

Tenochtitlan

Large Mexican city

Two wars of the Mexicas

Flowery wars - training or to capture POW for sacrifices

Conquest and expansion of empire

Triple alliance

Alliance between Mexicas, Texcoco and Tlacopan

Aspects of Mexica sacrifice

Removing and eating the heart

throwing the body down the temple steps

Flaying and wearing the skin

First point of arrival for Christopher Colombus

Juana (Cuba)

Where did Colombus think he had first arrived

Cipango (Japan)

Next stop after Juana

Hispaniola (Haiti)

First Spanish settlement

Fort Navidad

How many voyages did Colombus make

4

First settlement founded by Cortes

Villa Rica de la Veracruz

Hernan Cortes timeline

1511 arrives in Cuba and meets Diego de Velasquez

Arrives to Mexico and founds Villa Rica de la Veracruz

Burns ships to prevent men from returning

Writes to King of Spain for permission to conquer

War with Tlaxcaltecas

Meets Moctezuma in Tenochtitlan

Velasquez comes to Mexico, Pedro de Alvarado left in charge

Spanish attack Mexicas in the night

Spanish forces return to Teochtitlan

Noche de triste - Spanish flee

Spanish return and ally with Tlaxcala

1521 Siege and capture of Tenochtitlan