American History Chapter One:

American History:

12,000 B.C- 14th Century

Humans crossed over the Bering Strait 12,000-14,000 years ago.

Most early humans in North America adapted to their environment, with most region dependent, on hunting, fishing, or implementing early agriculture techniques.

The largest and most elaborate of the early societies emerged in central and south America.

In Peru, the Incas created a powerful empire of an estimated 6 Million People

The Mayans, originating in the Yucatán around 2600 BC, built a sophisticated culture, with a written language, a numerical system, and an accurate calendar.

The Aztecs, the group that superseded the Mayans, would establish a precarious rule over central and southern Mexico.

The Aztecs had systems comparable to the most well-established European cities at the time.

The Aztecs had a harsh religion, which often implemented human sacrifice; when Spanish  Conquistadors found burial grounds with vast human remains, they used it to justify their subhuman treatment of the Aztecs and broader native peoples groups.

Key Points:

Bering Strait:

An ice strait between the pacific and arctic oceans formed roughly 12,000-14,000 years ago, which allowed for early people to cross over from Russia into Alaska.

Incas:

The earliest centralized government in North America. It had an agricultural economy with an empire of an estimated 6 million people.

Mayans:

Originating in the Yucatán around 2600 BC, they built an advanced culture, with written language, a numerical system, and an accurate calendar.

Yucatán:

The area of land occupied by the ancient Mayans.

Aztecs:

The group that would supersede the Mayans, had a precarious rule over central and southern Mexico with systems comparable to established European cities. The Spaniards exploited the Aztecs' harsh religion which used human sacrifice as propaganda for brutalizing the native peoples.

Conquistadors:

15th/16th century Spanish explorers/soldiers.