Lecture Notes: Early Civilizations in the Americas and Historiography

Vocabulary flashcards covering historiography, early foraging to settled life, and major Mesoamerican and Andean civilizations and practices from the notes.

Archaeology

The study of past human societies by analyzing material remains (tools, shelters, monuments), especially when written records are scarce.

Oral tradition

Knowledge and stories transmitted orally across generations; can supplement or complicate evidence for ancient history.

Rosetta Stone

A late 18th-century artifact that helped scholars decipher hieroglyphs, illustrating how writing enables historical understanding.

Indigenous writing

Systems of writing developed by Native peoples; some are deciphered (e.g., certain Mesoamerican scripts), others remain undeciphered.

Foragers

People who rely on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild foods rather than farming.

Nomadic

A lifestyle of moving from place to place in search of food; no permanent settlement.

Semi-nomadic

A mixed pattern with mobility and some temporary settlements rather than full nomadism.

Sedentary

Settled in one place with long-term food sources, enabling stable communities.

Extended family

A family unit spanning multiple generations living and working together.

Agrarian society

A society based on farming and the domestication of plants, often with permanent settlements.

Surplus

Extra production beyond immediate needs, enabling storage, trade, and larger populations.

Ceremonial center

A central site for religious, political, and ceremonial activities within a civilization.

Social stratification

The emergence of distinct social layers (elites, priests, merchants, laborers) within a society.

Merchants

Traders who facilitate exchange and can become influential economic actors in early societies.

Priests

Religious specialists who perform ceremonies and interpret divine will.

Administrators

Officials who manage governance and administration in a settlement or city.

Kings

Rulers with broad authority, often supported by elites and priests in elaborated societies.

Olmecs

Early Mesoamerican civilization on the Gulf Coast; famous for colossal heads and early writing.

La Venta

A major Olmec ceremonial center known for monumental architecture and artifacts.

San Lorenzo

An early Olmec center important in the political-religious landscape of the Olmec heartland.

Colossal heads

Large stone sculptures created by Olmec artisans, likely depicting rulers or important figures.

Quipu

Knotted cords used by Andean civilizations for recording numerical and other information.

Mound builders (Hopewell)

North American cultures that built earthworks and mounds for ceremonial and ritual purposes.

Maya

Major Mesoamerican civilization known for cities, maize-based agriculture, monumental pyramids, and social stratification.

Step pyramids

Terraced pyramids with staircases leading to temples on top, a hallmark of Maya architecture.

Chavín de Huantar

An early Andean religious center in Peru that played a key role in regional cultural development.

Caral-Supe (Caral)

Ancient Peruvian site in Norte Chico; early urban ceremonial center dating to around 3000 BCE; debate whether it constitutes a full civilization.

Andes

The western South American mountain range hosting early Andean civilizations and extensive exchange networks.

Mesoamerica

Cultural region encompassing present-day Mexico and Central America, home to Olmec and Maya civilizations.

Sacrifice

Ritual offering of animals or humans to deities, used to ensure rain, success in war, or divine favor.

Polytheism

Belief in multiple gods, often tied to natural forces and agricultural cycles in these societies.

Ancestor worship

Religious practice honoring deceased family members as guides or deities.

Trade networks

Interconnected exchange systems for goods and ideas, enabling surplus production and urban growth.

Domestication

Process of adapting wild plants and animals for human use, enabling agriculture.

Agriculture (maize, beans, squash)

Core crops of Mesoamerican cultures; maize (corn), beans, and squash underpin Maya economy and diet.

Little Ice Age

Period of cooler global climate (roughly 16th–18th centuries) influencing migration and agriculture in historical contexts.

Urban center

A large, organized city that serves as a political, religious, and economic hub within a civilization.