Unit 1: The Global Tapestry - The Americas (1200-1450)

Societies in the Americas had limited or no contact with Africa, Asia, or Europe.
A brief presence of Scandinavian explorers was noted in Newfoundland, Canada.

Tula - A significant center in pre-Columbian history, located in present-day Mexico.
Chichen Itza - A major city of the Maya civilization situated in the Yucatán Peninsula.
Teotihuacán - An influential pre-Columbian city located in the Basin of Mexico.
Tenochtitlan - The capital city of the Aztec Empire founded around 1325.
Uxmal - Another important site from the Maya civilization in the Yucatán Peninsula.
Tikal - One of the largest archaeological sites and urban centers of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization.
Inca Empire - Located in South America, including regions like Quito, Tumbes, and Machu Picchu.
Chavin de Huantar - An important archaeological site of the Chavín culture in Peru.
Human geography depicted indicates the surrounding bodies of water, including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean.

After the fall of the Toltecs, political power shifted to the Aztecs, who migrated to the shores of lakes in the Mexico Valley.
The lakes provided essential resources including fishing, farming, and transportation.
In 1325, the Aztecs established Tenochtitlan on an island at the center of Lake Texcoco.
By 1434, they had dominated the central valley and began conquering other city-states.
The central valley was home to a diverse population composed of various tribes organized into city-states.
The Aztecs established a tribute empire, using captured enemies as sacrificial victims in their religious practices.

Tenochtitlan was strategically built on an island in Lake Texcoco, offering natural defense and access to aquatic resources.
The city's inhabitants developed an ingenious agricultural system known as chinampas, or "floating gardens," to grow crops like maize, beans, and squash, supporting a large population.
A network of causeways connected the island city to the mainland, facilitating trade and movement.
The city was crisscrossed by canals, used for transportation by canoes, earning it a comparison to Venice by early European explorers.
At the heart of Tenochtitlan was the Templo Mayor, a massive pyramid dedicated to the gods Huitzilopochtli (god of war and sun) and Tlaloc (god of rain and fertility), serving as the center for religious rituals, including human sacrifices.

Chinampas: Advanced agricultural system of "floating gardens" built on lake beds. These fertile plots, made from layering muck and vegetation, allowed for multiple harvests a year and sustained Tenochtitlan's large population.
Causeways and Aqueducts: Sophisticated engineering for defense, transportation, and water supply. Causeways connected the island city to the mainland, while aqueducts brought fresh drinking water from springs on the mainland, demonstrating practical hydraulic skills.
Calendar Systems: The Aztecs maintained two complex, interlocking calendar systems: the 260-day sacred calendar (Tonalpohualli) and the 365-day solar calendar (Xiuhpohualli). These were used for agricultural planning, religious ceremonies, and recording historical events, showcasing advanced astronomical observation.
Dikes and Flood Control: Constructed massive earthen dikes, such as the dike of Netzahualcoyotl, to separate the freshwater and saltwater sections of Lake Texcoco and control water levels, protecting the city from floods.
Writing System: Utilized a form of pictographic and ideographic writing, primarily for administrative records, historical chronicles, and religious texts, inscribed in codices.
Obsidian Tools: Mastered the use of obsidian, a volcanic glass, to create extremely sharp blades for weapons (like the macuahuitl) and cutting tools, which were vital for daily life and warfare.