State building in the americas

Maya city-states

unified but made of city states, so no central government, chiefdoms, trade in mesoamerica, no pack animals

Architechture in maya

Ruins represent central and elite areas, ball courts for rich

Maya language

Mayan

decline of maya

drought, warfare, overpopulation (all theories)

Olmecs

before Maya and Aztecs, mexico, colossal heads, formed Mayan and Aztecs culture

Aztecs

Tenochitlan is capital, divine ruler, social hierarchy, triple alliance between main city-states: tenochitlan, texococo, and tlacopan, human sacrifice rituals, take over city-states to make them tributary systems

Inca

City-states: Cusco, ruler :Pachacuti, divine ruler, polytheistic: Sun gods, mummified dead, sacrifiices, subsistence farming, no money, mit’a system, llama pack animal

Mississippian culture

native american, east of mississippi river, earthen mounds, matrilineal society, trade, chiefdoms

Cahokia mounds

largest and most impressive pre-columbian city in north america